A chance to live where you work

OUR OPINION
Published: August 1, 2008

Some Manassas city workers need assistance to buy a home and the city is considering lending a helping hand.

We think it should.

The Manassas Housing Trust Fund and the Department of Family Services have a proposal in the works to provide financial assistance to city employees who want to buy homes in the city.

The program is making its way through various city committees and will ultimately have to come before the city council for approval. We hope that when it does, the council does the right thing and gives
the program a thumbs up.

A recent study has shown that only about 43 percent of city employees live in the city. Some employees who can’t afford houses are forced to rent apartments or look outside the city in Prince William
County and elsewhere to live.

It is absurd that people who work for a city cannot afford to live in it. It’s not only absurd, it’s also a detriment.

People have a sense of ownership and responsibility about where they live. We want the people who work in the city to feel like a part of the community. We want their decisions and actions to reflect the
fact that they are not just working for the citizens of the city, but for themselves as well.

Not to mention the fact that a shorter commute and a familiar environment make for happier workers.

Here in Northern Virginia, the cost of living often makes it hard for people to live where they work. But, at least in Manassas, we have a chance to make it a little easier on our city employees. Let’s do so.