Page 66 - Green Builder Magazine March-April 2019 Issue

FROM THE TAILGATE By Ron Jones

New Offerings for the Sustainable Minded

Building Irony

NE OF THE GREAT IRONIES of the state
of the housing industry in this country is
that, for at least as long as I can remember,
the people who actually build houses—
O carpenters, masons, plumbers, painters,
roofers, concrete nishers, and so on—are among those
least able to a€ord to own, and in many cases even rent,
the residences that they build. In a small market like ours,
this fact is especially poignant, since a disproportional
part of our small workforce is engaged in the construction
industry, second only to tourism-related endeavors that
are mostly in the recreational travel and services sector.
And, sadly, whether those workers make a living swinging
a hammer or selling gasoline and pork rinds to summer
visitors, their local housing opportunities are about the
same: Poor at best.
Where I live, we have a really small population—only
about 400 year-round residents in town and a total of
about 800 in the entire county—but our area is highly
desired by a variety of folks from other ZIP codes who
have, or would like to have, second homes here. In fact,
according to some of the local literature, our county boasts
the second-highest percentage of second homes of any
county in the nation.
So, while there are many existing dwellings in a wide
variety of sizes, price ranges, ages and styles, a great number of them volunteers appointed by the town government, is endeavoring to
are occupied only on a seasonal basis. And those that are available as come up with suggestions for strategies that could help end this
rentals mostly provide short-term lodging for visitors at much higher frustrating cycle. Ideas for creating public-private initiatives, some
rates than the local workforce can a€ord. And even while there is a involving small in ll parcels belonging to the community, are being
relatively robust residential construction sector here, with a core of explored. Additionally, our zoning ordinances, most of which have
talented and skilled practitioners, we still all nd ourselves grappling been on the books for decades and are sorely in need of updating, are
with the same issues confronting much larger communities across being reviewed to see how we can identify and implement regulatory
the country: There simply isn’t enough a€ordable workforce housing incentives for land holders and building owners to invest in rental
to go around. properties, as well as for-sale residences.
There are plenty of business owners and entrepreneurs expressing Local builders express interest in limited spec building, but are
their interests in expanding existing enterprises or opening new understandably cautious and don’t want to get too far ahead of
ones, but we can’t seem to generate enough critical mass to get over themselves. The complementary parts of the equation—increased
the hump. Without the housing to support growth in the workforce, business activity and the jobs that would create, and the additional
business owners can’t attract enough help to expand their operations housing that would attract and support an expanded workforce—
and grow the local economy. At the same time, there are not enough must advance in careful coordination with each other, because they
dollars being generated under current conditions to incentivize are so interdependent. In many ways, we are simply a microcosm
development of the desperately needed housing stock. The hamster of the a€ordable housing challenges that our industry and our
wheel continues to turn, like some kind of perpetual motion machine. society must overcome if we hope to prosper in the years and
Our local planning and zoning committee, sincere-yet-inexperienced decades ahead. GB

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