The Business Record’s 2018 Leaders Survey asked readers their opinions on a number of topics, including affordable housing. You can find results more results here. We’re sharing other results and comments in our e-newsletters this week.

Agree or disagree: Employers should subsidize affordable housing.
Agree9%
Disagree68%
I’m not sure23%

Readers’ comments:

Brad Blackman, vice president, Henriksen Group
Disagree. We pay our employees a livable wage. [It’s] not up to us on how they spend their money or where they live.

Mike Ralston, president, Iowa Association of Business and Industry
Disagree. There are Iowa employers who subsidize affordable housing, and more are considering it. I don’t believe it should be required.

Alan Feirer, owner, Group Dynamic
Disagree. “Should” is too strong of a word, but it’s a benefit that would give them an edge.

Mark Imerman, senior consultant, Regional Strategic
Disagree. It would be far better for employers to generate incomes that made housing affordable than for them to subsidize developments or rental revenues. We tend to chase our tails on this one. If incomes are too low to live in proximity to employment opportunities in Central Iowa, we need to look directly at incomes and employment opportunities.

John Dawley, president, Stover Controls
Disagree. It shouldn’t be the responsibility of employers to shoulder housing costs, just as it shouldn’t be their responsibility to cover health insurance. It’s a very populist approach just to say that “someone else” should handle those costs. That “someone else” being employers.

Pat Steele, director, Central Iowa Works
Disagree. The best way for employers to help with housing is to provide bigger paychecks.

Gracie Brandsgard, government affairs manager, Iowa Credit Union League
Disagree. I love the concept, but don’t feel it’s an obligation of the employer. Employers should, however, be paying a livable wage — that is their obligation.

Chris Sackett, managing partner, BrownWinick Law Firm
I’m not sure. Where employers make the determination that supporting affordable housing benefits their business and/or community, they should do so.

Scott Turczynski, VP/owner, Heartland Cos. 
Disagree. Employers already are forced to pay for too many things.