The affordable housing situation right now is desperate.

[Jill F.]

I just listed an apartment on Friday. It's in a "D" neighborhood. It's my first turnover in over 3 years (39 months) in these buildings (2 side-by-side quads). I  had **13** solid, completed applications (not just vague inquiries).

This is a clean,  very basic apartment...

https://www.zillow.com/homedet...

I feel really bad for people looking now around here... I had 2 people with long term jobs submit applications both saying their buildings were recently sold and they'll be homeless if they can't find anything in a month or so. both said they've submitted many, many applications and heard crickets. It's been a while but I sure didn't have this kind of response when I last rented one of these apartments. In addition to actual applications I had many, many inquiries from people that sound so desperate . It's really heartbreaking. 

[Nathan Gesner]

That's a pretty nice apartment for a D-class neighborhood.

It is tough. I am working with a friend's daughter who is looking for her first home to purchase. She's qualified for $275,000 and there's only one house on the market for under $300,000. Three years ago, $275,000 would buy a pretty nice house in a nice neighborhood.

The thing is, people are acting like this is new or unique to their area. That just isn't true. My grandpa came home from WWII, got a job, and couldn't find an affordable place to live so he rented a chicken coop from a friend, cleaned it out, and moved in. They washed in a creek and cooked on a campfire. He was a wounded combat vet with more than a few demons to fight (we call it PTSD now) but he got his butt up and worked hard to save up and find an apartment in time for my mom to be born.

It may sound harsh, but most people could fix their situation with some effort, but it's easier to complain about how hard life is. People want to keep working a 40-hour week (or less) and spend their money on $1,000 iPhones, car payments, and other unnecessary purchases while watching TV or taking selfies all day and complaining. I can't even advertise a vacant apartment on facebook because the masses bombard my post with complaints about evil Landlords or how this town used to be compassionate. I'm in a small town and know a lot of the posters personally; they aren't making any effort to improve their situation. The truth is, two people working at a fast-food joint can easily make enough to afford any apartment in this town or even a decent house. Every employer is hiring, and they have been for two years. Most our restaurants are closed 1-2 days a week and working shorter hours and using smaller menus because they are short-staffed, even in the winter without tourists!

There are some tough situations, but most people could improve their situation if they just put in the effort.