Myth vs. Fact

One of the reasons people look sourly upon affordable housing and homes within reach is that they believe a lot of myths about who needs these homes, how it will look, or how it will affect the community. Here are some of the common myths about homes within reach in Tompkins County and the facts behind them.

Myth: Tompkins County doesn’t need homes within reach.
All of the towns and villages of Tompkins County need more homes within reach. According to the Compass II study performed by the United Way of Tompkins County, 49.8% (8,276) of renters and 22% (2,148) of homeowners in Tompkins County pay over 30% of their annual income on rent or mortgage. Rents in Tompkins County are higher than in surrounding counties. According to the Tompkins County 2004 Comprehensive Plan, the median sales price for a single family home in Tompkins County costs more than forty thousand dollars than the median sales price in surrounding counties. This result? Parents worry that their children will be unable to afford to remain in the area when they leave home. Over 13,000 workers commute into Tompkins County every day because homes here are too costly. We need many more homes within reach to accommodate everyone who wishes to live here.

Myth: Homes within reach will drastically affect my property values.
A recent study of the impact on multifamily housing projects around Auburn, NY found that the construction of multifamily housing had “absolutely no adverse effect on property values in the area”.  The neighborhood studied remained stable, improved over the 26-year period of the study, and homes increased in value. If you are concerned about increasing property values resulting in paying more in taxes, rest assured that any increase in property value will be more attributable to a larger scale. (An Analysis of the Impact of Multifamily Development on a Residential Neighborhood: Auburn, New York; B. Lamphere, Two Plus Four Construction, 2002.)

Myth: Only people with bad reputations need homes within reach and if they move in, neighborhood crime will increase.
Most people in need of a home within reach are members of the workforce, who want nothing more than to become part of the quiet, peaceful life of the surrounding community. Many have lived or worked in Tompkins County for a long time. Recent studies find no correlation between homes within reach and increased crime. Those who are still worried can rest assured knowing that when managed properly, a rental complex has strict guidelines for checking references and enforcing complex rules. Well managed properties regularly evict tenants that cause problems or commit crimes.

Myth: Homes within reach are ugly and will detract from the character of the neighborhood.
When people imagine affordable housing, they often picture the large, unsightly projects from the 1960s and 1970s. Many homes within reach, however, are designed to fit with the feel and character of the neighborhood. For example, Linderman Creek in the town of Ithaca is attractive both inside and out. Neighbors who opposed the project when it was first proposed five years ago have now admitted that they are impressed with the buildings and services.

Myth: Creating more homes within reach will overburden our schools.
Traditionally, rental properties have fewer children than single family homes. On average, there are 64 school-age children for every 100 new owner occupied single famiy houses, but just 21 children for every 100 new apartments in buildings that are more than four stories tall. For an apartment building or complex with 24 two bedroom apartments, it is safe to assume there could be at most between 24 and 48 children living there. 48 children would average out to only 3.7 new children per grade in grades K-12. Many of those children, however, have probably lived in the area and had been enrolled in the schools already. More homes within reach can actually improve school performance as children live and study in more stable homes, miss less school, and have less stress. (National Multi Housing Council tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau's 1999 American Housing Study)