With the presidential election campaign nearing its home stretch, neither President Obama nor Gov. Mitt Romney has presented a vision on how they would get housing back on track. The lack of substance on this issue is even more stunning when you consider the current anemic job and economic growth. Housing has traditionally led the nation out of prior recessions.
The impact of the housing downturn can be felt here in Elkhart County where residential construction in 2011 amounted to only 145 homes. Contrast this with the early years of this decade when more than 1,000 homes were being built annually. For every 100 homes built, more than 300 full-time jobs are created and millions of dollars of tax revenues are generated to help local governments to provide essential services such as schools, roads and police and firefighter protection.
Housing stands ready to bolster job growth if policymakers do their part. They must end overly restrictive credit conditions that are preventing qualified buyers from purchasing a home and builders from obtaining loans to construct viable projects. They need to maintain a federal backstop for housing to keep the 30-year, fixed rate mortgage readily available and affordable.
Elkhart County homeowners in all income ranges have suffered a loss in value of their property. The extent of that loss has been exaggerated and prolonged by a broken appraisal process. Regulators need to revise the appraisal process which perpetuates lowered home values and prevents homeowners from refinancing at more favorable interest rates. Lower house payments mean more disposable income and more jobs. An artificially devalued housing market starves local government of property tax revenue and deprives homeowners of the full value of their home.
Voters deserve a thoughtful discussion among candidates on what steps they believe must be taken to revive housing.
— Terry Herschberger
President, Builders Association
of Elkhart County
Letters to the Editor
Housing can help revive economy
- Letters to the Editor
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Safety along C.R. 35 is a concern
This letter is meant to bring awareness and hopefully corrections in regard to C.R. 35 in Elkhart County. Something needs to be done immediately to enforce the laws pertaining to the use of C.R. 35.
- Emphasis on gun control makes you wonder
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Goshen should stick with ‘Redskins’
I must respond to the letter to the editor from Mr. Ron Chupp (The Goshen News, May 9). What’s in a name, Mr. Chupp? I too have a Native American heritage, and for some reason, I am not offended by the term Redskins, or brown skins or any other color of skins.
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More important issues than a nickname
I would like to, in the most respectful way possible, respond to Mr. Chupp’s letter (The Goshen News, May 9) regarding the ongoing debate over the term “Redskins” being used as the nickname and mascot for the Goshen school system.
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There is hope through God
May I share what happened to me after praying about the issue of whether to have guns carried by school authorities at Goshen High School. While calling out to God, my question was: Why have we as a nation come to trusting in government agencies, such as Homeland Security, rather than obeying the Constitution in what you have declared through our forefathers?
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Sheriff has this reader's support
This letter is in defense of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and in response to Shari Mellin’s letter (The Goshen News, May 8) about Sheriff Brad Rogers not obeying the laws related to anti-gun legislation
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‘Redskins’ nickname is offensive
The question posed (in the May 5 edition) was, “What’s in a Name?” In the case of the GHS (Redskins) mascot, it is insult, degradation, racism, and an ongoing slap-in-the face reminder of the disgusting manner in which my Native American ancestors were treated by Europeans.
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Millrace projects threaten a Goshen gem
The city of Goshen is in the 11th hour for the five Redevelopment Commission members to hear the voices of its residents concerning the millrace redevelopment proposals at its next meeting at 4 p.m. on May 14.
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We don’t need a community center
We want to keep this short and to the point. We keep reading articles and letters in the papers about the proposed community center in Goshen. Our question is why?
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Freedom-loving Americans want our country back
We are living in unprecedented times. The “America” of today is not the America that many of us grew up in.
- More Letters to the Editor Headlines
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Safety along C.R. 35 is a concern
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