Editor’s Note: The author, Anthony Scibelli, is vice president of Berkshire Health Systems and chief operating officer of Fairview Hospital.
On Wednesday, March 12, at 9:30 a.m., The Berkshire Edge will present a free webinar on “The Housing Crisis in the Berkshires—A panel discussion featuring Mass. Housing Secretary Edward Augustus.” Local housing advocates Eileen Peltier of Hearthway Inc., Jane Ralph of Construct Inc., and Jim Harwood of the Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire will join Secretary Augustus on this panel, and local business leaders will be invited to contribute questions and comments regarding the impact of the housing crisis on the local economy. Click here to sign up to attend this webinar.
This is the third in a series of Edge business webinars. Many thanks to Berkshire Money Management and Lee Bank for generously sponsoring the series.
I proudly joined Berkshire Health Systems last summer after I was drawn here by Fairview’s reputation for excellence in patient care and the staff’s dedication to the hospital—both things I have now witnessed firsthand. Our healthcare providers—the physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, lab and x-ray technicians—consistently provide excellent care, with the support of devoted administrative staff. These employees, many of whom have worked at Fairview for decades, talk of their passion for the hospital. I am sure this is why I constantly hear about how the community loves this hospital. I have grown to love it, too.
During my time here in the Berkshires, I have also witnessed the housing shortage being felt by our community. There simply are not enough affordable resources available to meet our community’s needs. This is an economic issue that threatens our region’s ability to attract new residents, and it is also a healthcare issue. When people can’t find housing, or lives in housing that violates housing codes, or has to choose between paying the rent and paying for food or medication, the public’s health suffers. Inadequate housing impairs people’s health, and at Fairview, we treat that problem every day.
This issue impacts everyone in our community, whether or not you are stably housed. We all need to be advocates for addressing Berkshire County’s housing shortage, particularly for growing and improving our region’s supply of workforce housing. Growing our housing supply will allow us to attract new, younger residents—including professionals who could go on to join the staff at Fairview Hospital and other organizations in our community. It will also improve affordability for the families living in Berkshire County today, as our region, state, and nation continue to face a steep increase in the cost of living. Our community leaders must act with urgency to provide the resources needed to address the shortage, and it is the responsibility of every one of us to urge them to do so.
Berkshire County is a state (indeed, national) treasure, but it remains unattainable for many, including potential residents who could bolster the workforce at Fairview and our fellow Berkshire County businesses. Together, we can make our voices heard to increase our region’s housing supply. The health and economic outlook of our region depend on it.
