Shelterforce

In 2019 and 2023, Oregon passed two laws requiring city housing plans to affirmatively further fair housing. But rather than using maps to inform policy, many Oregon cities are refraining from mapping to avoid confronting patterns of segregated housing. Jennifer Bragar, president of Housing Land Advocates, explains. Bragar co-wrote this piece with John Miller, executive director of Fair Housing Co...

Helping older adults remain in their homes has become a policy goal across the country. Making it happen is far more complicated. Reporting by Sandra Larson, a freelance reporter. This story is read by John Ludas, Shelterforce's audio producer. Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/07/22/everyone-supports-aging-in-place-but-can-we-actually-deliver-it/ Music by ℗ ComaStudio

The debate over aging in place is shifting from how to keep older adults in their homes to what kinds of communities allow people to age safely, affordably, and with dignity. Shelterforce's Frances Nguyen reports. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/07/21/housing-for-an-older-america-from-aging-in-place-to-aging-in-community/ Music by ℗ ComaStudio

Stability in older age depends on a host of overlapping conditions being met. Our new Under the Lens series explores those conditions, how to achieve them, and what it means when our housing system isn’t built for a population that’s growing older. Shelterforce's Lillian Ortiz explains what you can expect over the next several weeks. Read the full editor's note here: https://shelterforce.org/2026/...

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is proposing to significantly change how it enforces Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s duty to serve underserved mortgage markets. Comments from the public are due July 24. Doug Ryan, vice president of housing policy at Grounded Solutions Network, explains. Read Ryan's op-ed at https://shelterforce.org/2026/07/17/proposed-federal-rule-would-undercut-fannie-and-freddie...

A call for research proposals on reducing housing demand suggests a radical and troubling shift that may be coming in housing policy. This op-ed was written by Alan Mallach, a senior fellow at the Center for Community Progress. It is read by Miriam Axel-Lute, Shelterforce's editor-in-chief. Read the full op-ed at https://shelterforce.org/2026/07/13/should-everyone-have-a-decent-home-obscure-hud-do...

There is a lot that can be done to advance housing and community investment at the local and state level. This is the perfect moment to do it. This Shelterforce webinar explored some of the many ways that local and state governments can independently take create action to advance affordable housing and healthy communities. The four panelists discussed reining in corporate power and enforcing anti-...

Fair housing law has never been easy to enforce. But HUD's proposal to eliminate the use of disparate impact analysis will remove another crucial tool for doing so. Amber Banks, the president and CEO of the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, explains. Read the full piece at https://shelterforce.org/2026/07/08/how-hud-is-seeking-to-make-fighting-housing-discrimination-even-harder/ Music by ℗ C...

A proposed HUD rule that would allow housing agencies and subsidized housing owners to impose work requirements and time limits on tenants has drawn nearly 2,000 public comments, most opposing changes that advocates say could threaten housing stability for millions. Erik Gartland, a research analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, explains. Read the piece at https://shelterforce.org...

A proposed rule from the Office of Management and Budget would facilitate political interference in federal grant disbursements across all agencies. Alexandra Gallo, former special advisor at the EPA, explains. Read the full piece at https://shelterforce.org/2026/07/01/federal-grant-rule-change-threatens-community-access-to-public-funds/ Music by ℗ ComaStudio

In Atlanta, nearly 1,000 labor union members and community allies gathered at the Jobs With Justice national conference, where one of the themes was linking immigrant, worker, and tenant struggles to build community power. Shelterforce's Steve Dubb reports. Read Steve's column at https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/29/linking-immigrant-worker-and-tenant-struggles-to-build-community-power/ Music by ℗...

A two-year rent freeze, affecting about 1 million rent-stabilized apartments in New York, was just approved. Before the freeze passed, landlords said their buildings wouldn’t survive it. But recent analyses suggest the real culprit behind distressed buildings is predatory equity, not rent stabilization. Reporting by Roshan Abraham; read by John Ludas. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.or...

Affordable housing construction finance reflects market norms, but its track record shows it’s far less risky than conventional market-rate housing loans. While lower default rates should lead to lower interest rates, they currently do not. Kris Adhikari, a housing development and real estate finance professional, explains. Read Adhikari's piece here: https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/30/affordable...

A federal housing bill passed by strong majorities in both houses of Congress marks the first major overhaul of housing legislation in over 30 years. It awaits the president's signature. Shelterforce's Steve Dubb reports. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/24/congress-passes-broad-housing-package-after-years-of-gridlock/ Music by ℗ ComaStudio

A poem by housing attorney Eric Sirota that highlights the existential absurdity of our system’s treatment of low-income renters. Music by ℗ ComaStudio

In recent years, housing coalitions promoting community land trusts and real estate cooperatives have formed in multiple cities and states—and they are achieving results. Nonetheless, a lot of work is needed to achieve the policy changes these groups desire. Leo Goldberg, a policy researcher and advocate, explains. Music by ℗ ComaStudio

While not adjusting for inflation, the White House’s FY 2027 budget request otherwise maintains HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher funding, but proposed policy changes would make it harder for families to access and maintain assistance. Kim Johnson, senior director of policy at the National Low Income Housing Coalition, explains. Read the piece at https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/16/huds-fy-2027-spendin...

As the country’s mental health, substance use, homelessness, and affordability crises collide, traditional affordable housing providers say they’re being pushed to fill the gaps left by underfunded supportive systems—without the money, staff, or resources to do so. Shelterforce's Shelby R. King reports. Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/16/unsupported-housing-when-stability-isnt-e...

As the World Cup arrives in 11 American cities, Airbnb is spending millions lobbying to loosen short-term rental regulations. Here's how cities are responding. Reporting by Roshan Abraham; read by John Ludas. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/11/airbnbs-lobbying-campaign-meets-resistance-across-world-cup-host-cities/ Music by ℗ ComaStudio

As World Cup matches begin, advocates warn that Atlanta is on track to repeat the arrests, displacement, and criminalization of homeless residents that drew criticism during the city's 1996 Olympics. Sean Keenan reports. This article was co-reported with Hailey Weiner. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/12/will-the-world-cup-fuel-arrests-of-homeless-people-in-atlanta/ Music by...

A former hub of Black-owned businesses in North Memphis that suffered urban renewal seeks to rebuild without a new wave of displacement. Can a community land trust strike that balance? Laurie Mazur reports for Shelterforce. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/09/a-historic-black-memphis-neighborhood-turns-to-a-clt-to-avoid-displacement/ Music by ℗ Music by ComaStudio

In Massachusetts, the collection of more than 124,000 signatures makes it likely that a statewide rent control measure will be on the ballot in November. Shelterforce's Steve Dubb reports. Read the full story here: In Massachusetts, the collection of more than 124,000 signatures makes it likely that a statewide rent control measure will be on the ballot in November. Music by ℗ ComaStudio

In the 1970s, anti-redlining movements were in full swing and the idea that activists, lenders, and elected officials could share power to revitalize communities and advance homeownership felt like a reach. But that was exactly my charge. Bruce Gottschall, former executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, shares the story. Music by ℗ Music by ComaStudio

In states across the South, coalitions that include housing justice advocates, tenant leaders, and legal service providers are coming together to oppose anti-tenant policies and advance tenant rights. Nada Hussein, a research analyst at the National Low Income Housing Coalition, explains. Read Hussein's piece at https://shelterforce.org/2026/06/03/advocates-in-the-south-get-organized-to-advance-te...

Housing advocates in Eugene, Oregon, are seeking to create a legislative framework that would allow tenants to collectively acquire multifamily buildings when a building comes up for sale. Shelterforce's Steve Dubb reports. Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/05/29/in-eugene-housing-advocates-call-for-a-tenant-right-to-purchase-act/ Music by ℗ Music by ComaStudio