Affordable housing in Humboldt County: Exploring barriers and recognizing opportunity

The cost of housing is particularly high in Humboldt County in comparison to the average rate of household income. There is a shortage of housing with prices that reflect the income of Humboldt County households. Many people who have an income do not receive enough money to reasonably afford housing at the current local rates without being cost-burdened. Shelter is a basic necessity. When people do not have a safe place to rest or to keep their belongings, the other aspects of their lives are also difficult to maintain. This is an exploratory journalism project which examined the shortage of affordable housing in Humboldt County. The aim was to evaluate the need for low income housing in this county and gather ideas for what can be done by housing developers and housing advocates to create more apartments and houses with rental costs that reflect the income level of the people who struggle to afford housing. The methods included qualitative interviews, review of literature, and evaluation of data. The objective of this investigation was to construct an informed recommendation of how to create more affordable housing in Humboldt County.