To achieve this, the League recommends that all governments within the county, including the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, work with local profit and non-profit organizations to establish agencies, policies, and programs that build and maintain an inventory of affordable housing.
To address the county's needs for affordable housing, the League supports a cooperative, regional approach to:
- Maintain programs that provide sufficient funds for affordable housing.
- Create policies that provide an adequate supply of affordable housing for both ownership and rental.
- Improve and increase housing inventory through new construction, conservation and rehabilitation of affordable units.
- Promote energy-efficient housing to reduce energy costs to homeowners or apartment renters.
- Provide housing for the homeless.
The ultimate aim of such efforts should be the successful inclusion of affordable housing into all neighborhoods, existing or new, with a range of prices and a variety of housing types; i.e. apartments, duplexes, triplexes, multi-family units. At the same time, outreach to citizens should include information about housing availability and cost. Local municipalities should evaluate their housing stock regularly to ensure that their agencies, policies, and programs are effective and attaining the goal of maintaining and, when necessary, expanding affordable housing opportunities in their communities.
The LWVJC first adopted a Housing Study in 1990; the initial Housing Position was reached in 1992, then revised in 2003. This 2016 document is the first update since that time.
