Introducing ‘Seeking Shelter,’ which will focus on Quincy’s housing crisis

QUINCY — Muddy River News published Monday the first installment of a new series entitled “Seeking Shelter” that will focus on the many characters and complexities involved with Quincy’s housing crisis.

Informing the public and seeking accountability from people in positions of authority are among the core functions of journalism. As an independent and locally owned media organization, it is Muddy River News’ duty to help its readers stay informed and report on issues that affect all Quincyans — regardless of neighborhood, political affiliation or socioeconomic status.

Multiple factors have exacerbated Quincy’s well-documented housing issue within recent years, but many people in the community are still unaware of the realities, severities, intricacies and far-reaching consequences of it.

Many of our most vulnerable neighbors are experiencing living conditions that are inconvenient at best and life-threatening at worst, making it next-to-impossible for people experiencing them to carry on normal lives. Poor mental and physical health, substance abuse and crime all increase in severity as a result of inadequate housing, which in turn affects the health and well-being of the community and local economy.

Some of the city’s nationally recognized architectural “gems” are falling into ruin in the absence of proper maintenance and maintenance enforcement. One dilapidated property can decrease the property value of an entire neighborhood.

Yes, of course there are “bad tenants.”

Yes, of course there are “good landlords.”

The mere acknowledgement of those facts is not enough to fix the problem. If it was, it would’ve been squashed the first time it was brought to the Quincy City Council several years ago — and every time it’s been brought to it since — and Muddy River News wouldn’t need to dedicate a series to exploring this problem in greater depth.

Follow along with us on this journey. We look forward to bringing awareness to this issue in the coming weeks and months.