Will AH Funding Dip Boost EAH Loans?

Affordable housing advocates say the decrease in government funding for AH programs is likely to attract more private funding into the marketplace and stimulate demand for employer-assisted housing loans.A recent National Housing Conference report, "Private Sector Partnerships: Investing in Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization," found that EAH programs are more popular than ever. "NHC is certain that companies and organizations will be quick to recognize the benefits, not only to their employees, but to their bottom line through less turnover, as well as improved morale and productivity," said NHC chairman G. Allan Kingston, who is also president and chief executive officer of Century Housing, Culver City, Calif. "With federal spending cuts greatly reducing the role that government programs have historically played in providing affordable housing, private-sector partnerships are without question proving highly effective and are growing in popularity as a result." The report said EAH options have served as a workforce retention tool for employers and enabled employees to benefit from living near work.