Hancock Housing Initiative
Check out some photos from the trips to Beals Island: October 2002 | April 2003
A year and a half ago, the Christian Service Committee of Hancock Church launched the Hancock Housing Initiative. "Let's Raise the Roof," we said. Our goals were three fold; to increase awareness and provide education about the problem of inadequate housing and homelessness; to work through immediate action to build and repair affordable housing; to expand our alliance with faith communities and organizations to foster systemic change that will provide adequate housing for all. Through speakers, Sunday School and JYO sessions and programs, and our youth and adult mission trips, we have done great work toward achieving our first two goals. And, in the past months, we have begun working with congregations and community groups to raise our voices in support of affordable housing right here in Lexington.
Hancock Members Attend Town Planning Board Meetings
In late May, Hancock members participated in a Housing Action Forum sponsored by the Town Planning board and Department. There was wide agreement in that and subsequent meetings that Lexington needs to streamline its efforts toward affordable housing, bringing together the admirable work of LexHab and other town groups charged to carry different pieces of the Lexington Housing puzzle. Hancock's voice of advocacy is proving to be a key piece of this puzzle. Members of our Housing Initiative have been helping to pave the way for this Housing Action Forum to gain the political voice and standing it will need in order to make recommendations and take actions that can help Lexington increase its affordable housing stock. Hancock members have been learning a great deal about town planning and politics, and look forward to sharing what we are learning with the wider congregation and continuing to enlist the support of the wider church.
Housing Initiative Launching Affordable Housing Poster Campaign
You will soon be seeing some interesting posters hanging around church and town. As part of our Housing Initiative's goal of raising awareness, and debunking myths, about affordable housing, we are launching a poster campaign. The poster will ask questions like: "What are the faces of an affordable housing family?" and "What does affordable housing look like?" Underneath these questions are photos and several statistics that will serve to change the sometimes negative sterotypes that the term "affordable housing" can conjure. Already in Lexington, there is "affordable housing" that looks no different from some market rate housing. And, the families who live in these houses may well be your grown kids, your elderly parents, and town employees. The idea for the posters came from the great affordable housing work that is being done in Fort Greene, Colorado, where the poster campaign was successful they were asked to post a 'how to' webpage so that they can share their model with other communities.
See our spring petition for affordable housing
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