Pricing Blue Collar Workers Back Into The Housing Market

"The private-sector effort is targeting three markets -- Florida, Atlanta and the Washington region -- to find, develop and replicate the best ways to increase the availability of affordable housing. Those ideas, in turn, can be used as models for the rest of the country. In this region, Fairfax and Montgomery counties and the District are the focus of the initiative."

"The issue of workforce housing can be contentious because of political and philosophical sparring over whether it makes sense to offer government help to people earning what in many parts of the nation would be considered excellent salaries. The target demographic across the country is 60 to 120 percent of the median income. In Fairfax, that means households making $60,191 to $120,382."

"The effort, launched this summer, will include endorsing particular development projects as well as pushing for government incentives and streamlined public approval processes. For example, industry experts in Florida affiliated with the new group will help Broward County school officials hire a developer to build housing for teachers."