Frankly, she was tired of hearing “no.” Tired like new mothers grow weary waiting for fleeting moments of rest in the middle of the night. Tired like her enslaved ancestors were, tired, exhausted, working on farms and fields unfamiliar to them.
She had heard no when she went to find a job with livable wages. When she sought educational and training opportunities, she was told no. She was told ‘no’ by government officials and supervisors. She was told ‘no’ by family, friends, and even neighbors.
And now when she needed a place to stay for her and her growing family, she had been told once again no. She had applied for a place to stay, a modest one-bedroom apartment, but the landlord of the apartment told her that her family couldn’t afford to live there. And besides, the landlord told her that there were no more apartments available.
If this sounds familiar, it should. It is the birth story of Jesus Christ and his parents. Incidentally, it is an all-too-familiar story of millions of Americans. Nearly 80 percent of American households are unable to afford a median-priced home. What is more, there are profound shortages in affordable housing in this country.
Fortunately, Kamala Harris has a thoughtful, measured and sensible plan to address the housing shortage in the nation, but particularly in Wisconsin.
I certainly value the Harris/Walz presidential campaign’s focus on practical economic issues like housing.
As a pastor of a growing church in Madison and practicing attorney, I have listened to clients and parishioners alike express their frustration with the lack of affordable housing in our communities. I have heard their profound distress in finding a tenable pathway to homeownership.
This is why I am encouraged that Kamala Harris has announced a four-year plan to lower housing costs and spur the construction of new housing.
For Kamala Harris, and certainly for me, faith in action is key to living a spiritual life. Decent and affordable housing is the foundation of a solid family life, and it provides the support people need to be ready and able to work. As a society, developing affordable housing is simply a moral imperative we must attend to.
As a pastor, individuals are often surprised when I point out how often Jesus of Nazareth had “nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58) as he preached the gospel, taught, or instructed someone to follow him and become a disciple.
People on all spiritual paths should unite to support a national plan for dealing with the lack of affordable housing in our nation. It is the right thing to do.
