Affordable housing needs not being met, according to most

Affordable housing is a necessity, and it’s not being met, according to the majority of Americans and Canadians.

Ninety percent reported that it is important to find a solution to the lack of affordable housing, while 75 percent of Americans said we are not paying enough attention to it, according to the recent Habitat for Humanity Affordable Housing Survey.

“In many ways, housing is an invisible crisis. There are still too many families without access to safe, secure and affordable housing,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “This survey highlights the value all of us place on a decent place to call home and underscores the critical need to increase access to affordable housing. At Habitat, we are committed to continue partnering with communities, governments and the private sector to create affordable housing solutions and empower families working toward a path to homeownership.”

Eighty-four percent of Americans said high costs are the biggest obstacle preventing them from homeownership, and most expect costs to keep rising over the next five years.

More than half (63 percent) of Americans said they have struggled to pay housing costs at some point, and had to cut back on savings, food, health care, dental care or education.

Homeownership is still a goal for most Americans. Ninety-two percent of homeowners said owning a home is one of their greatest achievements, while 68 percent of renters say homeownership is one of their main goals.

More than 90 percent reported that owning a home has made them more responsible, while 44 percent said it helped them build a nest egg, and 41 percent said it gave them stability.