The Woodstock Housing Alliance (WHA), which aims to help end housing insecurity in Woodstock by developing attainable and sustainable housing options, has started operations. Created by Woodstock residents, WHA intends to create and manage permanently affordable housing for Woodstock residents with a wide range of income. The WHA recently received its non-profit, 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service and has already received some monetary and property donations.
Woodstock Housing Alliance will hold an opening event on Thursday evening, August 25, at the
Woodstock Community Center. The public is invited to find out more about the mission and vision of the Woodstock Housing Alliance.
Kirk Ritchey, the principal founder of WHA and current co-chair of Woodstock’s Housing Committee says, “For years there has been a critical need for more long-term housing options in Woodstock. We need housing for people who work in Woodstock, for young people who grew up in Woodstock and want to stay here, for our senior residents and for people who provide important services for the town.”
Jeff Collins, President of the WHA Board of Directors, said, “The Town of Woodstock has been working for over a year now to revise its zoning code from an Exclusionary Zoning Model to an Inclusionary Zoning Model. This effort is very near completion and is one of the components that will help address the housing crisis in Woodstock. The other necessary components include legislative action being taken by the Town Board and the creation of public-private partnerships between nonprofits, such as the Woodstock Housing Alliance and the Town. Affordable housing is a difficult problem to address, and it will take all of these components working together to solve Woodstock’s housing needs.”
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