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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Bear Creek cleanup targets winter debris ... County wants study before putting SOHS district to a vote ... Ocean chinook season to be shortest in eight years ... Bear Creek cleanup targets winter debris ... County wants study before putting SOHS district to a vote ... Ocean chinook season to be shortest in eight years ... OUR VIEW Our View: Housing crisis is real; it's time to act Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 3, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Apr. 3, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The housing crunch in Jackson County is real, and it's not getting better anytime soon. Various social service organizations and government agencies are doing their best to help local residents find housing, but the efforts are fragmented. What's needed is a coordinated effort involving city and county governments, working with the agencies to increase the supply of housing as well as make it more affordable to local residents who are working but earning too little for the overheated market. Part of the problem is the legacy of the housing crash of 2007 and 2008, when many homeowners defaulted on adjustable-rate mortgages they could no longer afford. Some of those foreclosed houses are now boarded up and vacant, contributing to blighted neighborhoods. A story in today's Mail Tribune outlines steps the city of Medford may take to seize control of those bank-owned properties and rehabilitate them so they can be occupied by low-income families. But that's only one piece of story. Many of those former homeowners are now competing for rentals, but there are far too few units to meet the demand. The vacancy rate, which was nearly 10 percent during the recession, has plummeted to 2 percent. Available units are rented in a matter of hours, and rents are soaring because of the demand. That prices out renters who are working full-time but don't earn enough to qualify. People with less-than-perfect credit, previous evictions or foreclosures are passed over by landlords even though they may earn enough to pay the rent being asked. It's hard to blame landlords for choosing the most qualified applicants, but that doesn't address the problem of where the less-qualified are supposed to live when nothing is available. Part of the answer is to build more housing units, especially apartments. But the building industry, which also was rocked by the recession, has been slow to rebound. Housing industry analysts say Oregon needs be building 25,000 rental units a year to meet the demand, but only 15,000 are being constructed. Local governments can help by offering incentives, such as tax breaks and fee waivers to builders. Those efforts should be coordinated with agencies and organizations offering rental assistance to low-income families so that at least some of that new housing can be offered at rents working people can afford to pay. A homeless task force has been formed to address the plight of those with no shelter at all. Something similar should be assembled to attack the problem of renters being forced out of apartments by rent increases, families living in substandard units because of an inability to afford or qualify for something better, and young adults forced to live with parents because they can't find housing. Government officials, social service agencies and landlords should be involved. There are no easy answers, and restoring some stability to the rental market will take time. All the more reason to start now. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 3, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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