| By Neil Johnson, reporter/anchor, Big Radio |

Some Beloit residents may be glad the city’s launching a multi-million-dollar tax-incentive program aimed at spurring hundreds of new housing units a year.

But at a public feedback session on a new, housing tax-increment financing program Wednesday, some of those residents tell officials in the city’s economic and housing divisions they wonder if there’s a faster way to bring more emergency housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Homeless shelter operator Diana Fogderud tells the city housing tax incentive program won’t help abused women find emergency housing fast enough. She says there are women she’s been in touch with recently who are living in cars while trying to outrun abusive relationships. Others, she says, don’t even have a change of clothing because they’ve had their belongings stolen while living homeless.

The city plans to dedicate almost half the $12 million housing program toward affordable housing, according to a proposal the city unveiled Wednesday. Federal and state government housing authorities consider housing “affordable” if its monthly cost is less than 30% of a resident’s take home pay.

City Economic Development Director Drew Pennington says the average Beloit resident earns about $52,000 a year, an amount that should be enough to pay the $1,300 a month that the average two-bedroom apartment in Beloit now costs.

Beloit needs at least 250 new housing units a year to meet its need. Beloit social service non-profit volunteer Debbie Fischer tells the city that number seems daunting when compared to the more than 400 Beloit students who are now considered homeless.

Beloit officials point out the city’s new tax-incentive program is geared to spur both affordable and market-rate housing starts, which the city hopes frees up more existing apartments in lower price ranges.

At the forum Wednesday, council member Markese Terrell told city officials and about 50 residents at the forum that like many others, he struggles to pay rent even though he works.

As his toddler son slept on his shoulder during the forum Wednesday, Terrell urged city officials and others to stand firm in a commitment to bring more affordable housing to Beloit, despite neighborhood resistance Terrell says any affordable housing or workforce housing proposal will likely face.