This week, the City Of Green Bay held a hearing to consider ideas on what a portion of federal funding should be allocated to, in it’s efforts to provide more affordable housing for the community. There was a lot of good information provided.

Many of you know that I’ve been a casualty in the affordable housing battle for years now. It’s a very personal issue to me, and to veterans all over the country who don’t always have a place to sleep at night.

The funds available are not that abundant. About $1.3 million dollars. Yes, to you and I that may seem like a lot, but when tackling housing its a drop in the bucket.

This is why during public comment, I suggested that the city leverage these dollars for communication and education which could bring more supporters to the table. “Leverage” is usually a word political professionals roll their eyes at because its become a fancy term for not spending on a problem directly. But in this case it’s plenty valid. And these are HUD funds, meaning they have to be used in certain ways.

Emphasizing how affordable housing efforts in Green Bay are being used to house in demand professionals like police officers, teachers, and nurses would disprove the toxic perception that affordable housing means a turn for the worst in our neighborhoods. These are also professions with built in allies that would love to help the rank and file find a comfortable place to live.

Funds can also be used for infrastructure. That means it’s not just affordable housing, but resources that can be used by the entire community.

When we talk about how a community as a whole benefits from projects and developments, then we can move forward together and work with all of our neighbors on initiatives that will benefit everyone who calls Green Bay home.