Edina Neighbors for Affordable Housing

In southwest Connecticut, the gap between rich and poor is wider than anywhere else in the country. Invisible walls created by local zoning boards and the state government block affordable housing and, by extension, the people who need it.

Beyond watching their bottom line, cities have a moral imperative to care about residents’ financial health. Can a city be great if only some residents are thriving? Can a city be successful if many residents are close to financial ruin because of a spell of unemployment or a broken down car? Empowering residents with the financial tools to prosper moves cities closer to being more equitable to all who call it home.

As the nation grapples with the growing gap between rich and poor and an economy increasingly reliant on formal education, public policies should address housing market regulations that prohibit all but the very affluent from enrolling their children in high-scoring public schools in order to promote individual social mobility and broader economic security.