Following Tragedy—A Call to Fully Fund the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund

Beverly Duncan cites the tragic story of Ray Etheridge’s murder as a shocking event in a common scenario: "there are over 20,000 families on the city’s waiting list for housing assistance — a list that has doubled in the past 10 years. Many of these are families with children, all of whom deserve a safe, secure place to call home."

The public safety net mean tot help families and children like Etheridge, however, has been neglected by the city's government: "In 2008, by a 25-1 vote, Metro Council established the fund with the goal of investing $10 million each year to create homes for working families, children, veterans, seniors and people with disabilities, all groups that have trouble finding safe and decent homes in our city that they can afford. However, six years later Metro Council has still not secured the needed public funding."

Duncan goes on to cite more of the statistics of the growing affordable housing crisis in Louisville as well as the multiplier effect of affordable housing funds: "According to Metro Louisville’s own research, every $1 invested by the city generates $6.47 in additional local revenue from outside sources. In the first year alone, investing $10 million would create more than 1,000 jobs, increase local business revenue by $13 million, and build hundreds of homes."