Housing is a basic human right, Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE said at a news conference on Oct. 12 at Trinity Church in Boston, where he joined other Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders in speaking out against Question 2.
PHOTO: Eve Harris
Bishop Shaw speaks about protecting Massachusetts’ affordable housing law at an Oct. 12 news conference.
Housing is a basic human right, Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE said at a news conference on Oct. 12 at Trinity Church in Boston, where he joined other Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders in speaking out against Question 2.
Massachusetts’ affordable housing law (Chapter 40B) faces repeal by ballot question in November, and Shaw is among those who are urging a “no” vote on the question.
“My Christian faith compels me to join others in standing up for laws that provide safe and affordable homes for families, seniors, persons with disabilities and others in need, because it is the most vulnerable among us who will be adversely affected by repeal of this law,” Shaw said. [Full text of Bishop Shaw’s statement is below.]
The Campaign to Protect the Affordable Housing Law used the occasion to release an interfaith statement opposing repeal; Shaw, Bishop Bud Cederholm and Bishop Gayle E. Harris of the Diocese of Massachusetts are among the 200 signers, as is Bishop Gordon Scruton of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts.
Ellen Feingold, the campaign’s treasurer, called the interfaith coalition “unprecedented,” and said affordable housing is a “cross-cutting issue” that “touches people of all economies, political persuasions and faiths.”
Episcopal City Mission (ECM), drawing on its long history of support for affordable housing access, released a policy paper, “Housing: A Basic Human Right,” in conjunction with the news conference.
“We want this document to support the campaign for housing, but we also hope congregations will use it to have discussions about this issue,” ECM’s executive director, Ruy Costa, explained in an interview.
“Episcopal City Mission sees itself as an agent of the parishes, and this document is a witness to the Episcopal Church’s commitment to affordable housing in Massachusetts,” Costa said.
--Tracy J. Sukraw
The interfaith statement supporting the Massachusetts affordable housing law and urging a “no” vote on Question 2 is here.
Oct. 12, 2010
News conference for the release of interfaith statement supporting Massachusetts’ affordable housing law
Statement of The Rt. Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
My name is Tom Shaw and I am the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.
I am pleased to be here today to support the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Law with Boston leaders of faith.
Over the past several months, we have been working together to tell our communities why we believe we must vote “no” on ballot Question 2.
I want to tell you why we’ve spent time and resources trying to expand affordable housing for so many years, and why it’s so critical to speak up today and to encourage others to vote “no” on Question 2.
Part of my responsibility as bishop is to visit the 185 Episcopal churches in eastern Massachusetts. During these visits Episcopalians repeatedly tell me that the supply and access to affordable housing is an urgent need in their communities.
Unfortunately, this is not news. For the last 100 years the Episcopal Diocese and Episcopal City Mission have been advocating and building affordable housing for those in need in our communities.
Massachusetts is an expensive place to live. Over the last several decades, incomes have not kept pace with the high cost of housing. In fact, lower-income households have experienced declines.
This trend is making it difficult for the people of our state to afford the cost of housing and pay for basic human needs.
With so many Massachusetts households spending more than half their income on rent, this leaves little money for food, transportation, health care, clothing and other basic needs.
I am here because I believe that housing is a basic human right. It is the foundation for stability and health for all people.
My Christian faith compels me to join others in standing up for laws that provide safe and affordable homes for families, seniors, persons with disabilities and others in need, because it is the most vulnerable among us who will be adversely affected by repeal of this law.
I believe that Massachusetts should maintain its affordable housing law. We should continue to build new affordable homes for those in need, knowing that current supply does not meet the demand.
I will vote no on Question 2 because I believe it is the right thing to do for all God’s people. I urge others to join me.