The trend in vogue in corporate philanthropy the last few years has been about “aligning with the business” – and all the more so now, give the current economy. So, we don’t pat ourselves on the back too much about focusing The Home Depot Foundation’s efforts on housing, albeit with a twist to work toward housing that is affordable and healthy to live in over the long-term. The trouble with talking about housing, though, is that it doesn’t strike peoples’ emotions – it doesn’t tug at their heart strings like some other charitable areas do. A house, after all, is just a building. But if a home is a place of memories and comfort, a place that provides the stability from which a family can build a successful life, why don’t we tingle at the thought of giving others that gift?
Of course, there’s the oft-cited NIMBY issues, but today’s affordable housing, frequently in mixed-income neighborhoods, isn’t remotely like the “projects” that were built in prior decades. And let’s face it, a lot of us believe if you can’t afford a decent place to live, you’ve probably done something wrong or failed to do something right somewhere along the line. Additionally, the lack of decent housing doesn’t lend itself to a quick fix, and we’re impatient - we want immediate impact. Building at scale is difficult and expensive. These efforts take time – to acquire land, assemble financing and actually build a neighborhood of homes or apartments can take years, while economic development and community revitalization can literally take decades. At bottom, though, “affordable housing” sounds so technical, so financial, so unemotional.
Mostly, though, I think we have trouble connecting with the importance of stable, affordable housing, because we can’t really imagine what it would be like not to have the same, safe place of our own to return to day after day. We take the enjoyment of living in our own homes, as well as the economic, financial and emotional stability that comes with that, for granted. We don’t really realize what great gifts homes can offer – the gift of stability from living in the same community from which employment and educational prospects can develop; the gift of health and safety from living in a home where the air and water are clean and there are parks and places to play nearby; the gift of financial security from knowing you’ll be able to pay the rent and the power bill, not only this month, but next month too; and the gift of belonging from which dignity and pride can grow. I don’t know about you, but when you look at it like that, it’s something everyone should feel very fortunate to achieve, and it’s enough to give me goosebumps.
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