Ellen Perrault
May marks National Affordable Housing Month, bringing renewed attention to the growing need for safe and affordable housing across the country and the Coachella Valley is no exception.
To help shine a light on this ever expanding concern, the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition says it is continuing efforts to provide housing opportunities for low-income and working families throughout the region.
In support of this effort, the organization currently has housing projects in the Imperial Valley, Salton City, Indio and Coachella. Officials say the coalition has spent more than four decades developing affordable housing options for residents struggling with the rising costs of housing.
Leaders in the housing community say demand continues to outpace supply. This has left too many local families paying well above the recommended percentage of their income toward rent and housing expenses.
According to coalition officials, many inland area residents are “rent burdened,” meaning they spend more than 30 to 35 percent of their income on housing costs–a standard set by the federal government.
Despite these head winds, the organization remains focused on expanding access to affordable homes for working families throughout Riverside County and neighboring communities.
Over the years, the coalition has built more than 4,000 single-family and multi-family housing units. This has made it one of the largest developers of low-income housing in Riverside County.
The need for affordable housing continues to grow and housing prices and rental costs remain high across the Coachella Valley and throughout the inland region.