Shelterforce

Rising property values come with positive community development, but this shift can make neighborhoods inaccessible to low-income renters and fixed-income homeowners. Peter Sabonis, the director of equitable development at Partners for Dignity & Rights, shares his thoughts on how rising property values are incompatible with affordability. Read his piece at https://shelterforce.org/2023/05/05/the-d...

People with disabilities have the constitutional right to choose community-based care rather than institutionalization, but without enough accessible, affordable units, some are still being forced to live in nursing homes. Shelby R. King reads "How the Housing Shortage Is Forcing People with Disabilities into Institutions." Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2023/07/05/how-the-hous...

Accessibility for the challenging disability of multiple chemical sensitivities can look different from other measures—but addressing it could help improve everyone’s health.  Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2023/06/28/making-housing-more-accessible-for-people-with-multiple-chemical-sensitivities/

Home modifications vary greatly in form and cost, a challenge for disabled residents whose homes aren't accessible to them. Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2023/06/22/the-unaffordability-of-accessibility-the-challenge-of-retrofitting-american-homes/

The ways in which buildings are managed after they are built also affects how accessible and inclusive they are. Shelterforce's Miriam Axel-Lute reads, "Accessible Housing Is Not Just About How Buildings Are Built." Read the story at: https://shelterforce.org/2023/06/20/accessible-housing-is-not-just-about-how-buildings-are-built/ This article is part of Shelterforce's latest Under the Lens series...

The Federal Housing Administration may soon allow homeowners to count projected rent toward their qualifying income to build an accessory dwelling unit. While ADU advocates call the change “monumental,” the proposed policy isn’t perfect. Shelby R. King reads, "FHA Changes Could Make ADU Construction More Affordable." Read the article at https://shelterforce.org/2023/06/23/fha-changes-could-make-ad...

Welcome to Shelterforce’s newest Under the Lens series, Not Just Ramps—Disability and Housing Justice. Shelterforce's Miriam Axel-Lute lays out why the connection between disability and affordable housing is so strong, and why it’s so important for housers to understand.

Why should affordable housing projects incorporate a range of accessibility features, going above and beyond code requirements? Isaac Haney-Owens reads, "Cross-Disability Design Makes Housing Better for Everyone," a piece written by Fatimah Aure and Caroline Bas. This article was featured in Shelterforce's new Under the Lens series: Not Just Ramps—Disability and Housing Justice. Read the article a...

Activists have been fighting for decades to expand accessible housing for disabled residents. They’ve made progress, but say that current regulations and enforcement don’t go far enough. Meir Rinde reads, "Which U.S. Laws Require Accessibility in Housing—And How Well Do They Do?" This article is part of Shelterforce's latest Under the Lens series: Not Just Ramps—Disability and Housing Justice. Che...

Tax increment financing attracts development in disinvested areas, but it also diverts millions of tax revenue away from city services to investors. And some claim officials are using the program in racist and corrupt ways. What is TIF? And how does it work? Shelby R. King reads, "Tax Increment Financing (TIF): Revitalization Tool, Developer Handout … or Both?." Read the article at https://shelter...

Madison is growing fast and building a lot of housing. But new construction isn’t keeping pace with the need, especially for high-income and extremely low-income earners. Zoe Sullivan reads, "Who Can Afford Housing in Madison, Wisconsin?" Read the Shelterforce story at https://shelterforce.org/2023/05/25/who-can-afford-housing-in-madison-wisconsin/

Getting solid legal protections in place will help tenants stick up for themselves more safely and effectively. Here are recommendations for a comprehensive set of legal reforms that states and cities should adopt to help tenants advocate collectively for fairer treatment and access to safe, affordable homes. Kelly Hogue reads, "Six Steps to Ensuring a Strong Right to Organize for Tenants," a Shel...

An Ohio land bank adds to its developing power through a community land trust. Marielle Argueza reads, "When a Land Bank Starts a Land Trust," which appears in Shelterforce. Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2023/05/02/when-a-land-bank-starts-a-land-trust/

NYC's land speculators use LLCs to evade legal responsibility while sitting on vacant property. Josie Faass reads "Land Owned by LLCs More Likely to be Vacant." Read the full story here: land-owned-by-llcs-more-likely-to-be-vacant

The last year and a half has seen much progress for renters in Southern California as cities pass rent control and other tenant protections. Ryan Bell reads, "How We Won Rent Control in Pasadena, California," a piece he wrote for Shelterforce. Read the full piece at https://shelterforce.org/2023/04/21/how-we-won-rent-control-in-pasadena-california/

Newly released data on home appraisal practices is a step forward in the fight against racially biased appraisals. There’s still a long way to go. Ira Goldstein reads, "Appraisal Bias Is the Fair Housing Issue of the Day," a piece he co-wrote with Gregory D. Squires and Anthony Phillips. Read the full piece at https://shelterforce.org/2023/04/06/appraisal-bias-is-the-fair-housing-issue-of-the-day/...

The state underfunded affordable housing for decades, but Colorado voters recently approved $300 million in new annual spending—and more could be coming. Shelby R. King reads "Colorado Passed a Historic Affordable Housing Measure. Is It Enough?" Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2023/04/18/colorado-passed-a-historic-affordable-housing-measure-is-it-enough/

A program to stabilize residents whose subsidized housing is disrupted has also been used to support other highly vulnerable residents, but those uses are a matter of controversy. Meir Rinde reads "Who Gets Tenant Protection Vouchers?" Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2023/04/20/who-gets-tenant-protection-vouchers/

The audio version of Shelterforce's webinar, Women of Color on the Front Lines, moderated by Schlonn Hawkins, features Munirah El-Bomani, Rosie Grant, Bambie Hayes-Brown, and Jennifer J. Made. See the video at https://shelterforce.org/2023/04/11/women-of-color-on-the-front-lines-a-shelterforce-webinar/

In a racist society, markets cause racist housing outcomes, but nonetheless the influence of land use regulation shouldn't be ignored. Jessica Trounstine reads, "Reforming Zoning in a Racist Market Still Worth It," a piece she wrote for Shelterforce. Read the full piece at https://shelterforce.org/2023/03/02/reforming-zoning-in-a-racist-market-still-worth-it/

Renters' rights are fair housing rights. Before publishing a final Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, HUD must specifically address the needs of renters. Here's how. Liz Ryan Murray reads, "Proposed AFFH Rule Doesn’t Address Renters Directly—But It Should," which she co-wrote with Andreina Kniss. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2023/03/31/proposed-affh-rule-doesnt-address-...

Reaction to the housing crisis in California has led to a series of gains for tenants, including a new Renters’ Caucus. Kenton Card reads, "Tenants Rights Advance in California," which appears in Shelterforce. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2023/03/08/tenants-rights-advance-in-california/

Strict zoning policies help keep housing unaffordable. But there are strategies governments can implement to change exclusionary housing policies and promote the construction of more affordable housing. Gabriella Garriga reads, "Federal and State Dollars Could Be Used to Force Change in Exclusionary Towns," a piece she co-wrote with Luisa Godinez-Puig and Yonah Freemark. Read the full story at htt...

Because their programs provide the most deeply affordable housing in the country, public housing authorities should be both supported in improving fair housing outcomes and held to account when they fall short. Natalie N. Maxwell of the National Housing Law Project reads, "Public Housing Must Be a Part of Fair Housing Planning." This opinion piece is part of Shelteforce's new Under the Lens series...

After the population of unhoused people in Bangor increased during the pandemic, the city put forward a series of affordable housing solutions. But the new policies may harm unhoused residents rather than help them. Brian Pitman reads, "Why Bangor's Affordable Housing Policies Won't Address Homelessness." Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2023/03/16/why-bangors-affordable-housing-pol...