Build Housing
That’s Exemplary

At $150,000, what house is affordable—in East Randolph or elsewhere?

House prices are skyrocketing, wages are not. Energy costs are shooting up, too, making everything from gas to food to education and health care more costly. While house prices may fall a bit, energy costs will keep on rising. Worldwide, demand for oil is shooting up, supplies are declining, and costs of production keep increasing.

There will be no way to carry on as usual in coming years; the era of cheap energy is at its end. What will work is local communities coming together, using local materials and innovative designs to provide genuinely affordable, energy efficient housing. Oil, propane and electricity aren’t cheap, and we can’t afford not to conserve. We need much, much more energy efficiency and conservation, and we need it now.

Petroleum-based fertilizers and the gas to transport food from California are all going up in price. Local growers who conserve resources and build soil fertility can ensure food security for local communities. We need to tell town and state officials that we’re committed to acting now for the long term, by keeping our money in our communities, building on our assets, our knowledge and our traditions. We can mend and tend our houses and our agricultural lands, investing our energy and concern to provide for our well-being.

For East Randolph, going back to the drawing board could prove to be brilliant. Designing passive solar co-op homes with shared orchards and gardens, making the most of energy-efficient design and protecting precious soils (and water) would cut costs, reduce waste, and provide long-term benefits.

East Randolph has the community history and the assets—natural, social and financial—to support development that is exemplary, not just affordable. Well-built, well-designed development with nature in mind would return bountiful benefits to the entire East Valley in coming years.

Beth Champagne

Adamant