Shelterforce

Homeowners at threat of losing their homes to foreclosure have a potential lifeline in the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund, a nearly $10 billion program created as part of the American Rescue Plan last year. But funds are not getting to homeowners in time. Meir Rinde, Shelterforce's policy fellow, takes a closer look in "Homeowners Seeking Foreclosure Assistance Face Delays and Confusion in Many...

Two years ago, Philadelphia officials agreed to give 59 vacant buildings to homeless advocates. Meir Rinde, Shelterforce's policy fellow, follows up with the historic deal in "New Philly Land Trust Was Promised Dozens of Homes; How's It Going?" Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2022/10/25/new-philly-land-trust-was-promised-dozens-of-homes-hows-it-going/

As more and more affordable homes are gobbled up by corporate landlords, prospective Black homebuyers are seeing opportunities for homeownership dry up. Reggie Jackson reads "Corporate Landlords Profit from Segregation, at Cost of Black Homeownership and Wealth," which he co-wrote with Bo McMillan. Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2022/10/19/corporate-landlords-profit-from-segreg...

Co-op City in the Bronx is the size of a small city—as well as a decades-old housing co-op and an island of comparative affordability. How did it come about? Shelterforce's Miriam Axel-Lute sits down with Annemarie Sammartino, author of Freedomland: Co-op City and the Story of New York, which traces the history of Co-op City from its initial planning stages in the mid 1960s through the early 1990s...

Over the past couple of years, community development corporations have been popping up in sometimes-unexpected places across the country. Will this increased interest in CDCs last, or is it a trend that will end when the money runs out? Shelby R. King reads her Shelterforce article, "CDCs Are Having a Moment. Can the Momentum Last?" Read the full story on Shelterforce's website: https://shelterfor...

Residents of two LIHTC developments in Northern Virginia were informed that their rent would be increasing in 30 days, even if their leases weren’t ending for months. Is this part of a larger problem? Brandon Duong reads his Shelterforce article, "Mid-Lease Rent Hikes Surprise Affordable Housing Tenants." Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2022/10/04/mid-lease-rent-hikes-surprise-affo...

New research shows that smaller community-based development organizations in particular are hanging on but facing financial challenges. Miriam Axel-Lute reads her Shelterforce article, "Community Development Field Is Resilient, But on the Edge." Read the full article at https://shelterforce.org/2022/09/29/community-development-field-is-resilient-but-on-the-edge/

A Trump-era policy that actually helped poor people could be dismantled by the IRS. Meir Rinde reads his Shelterforce article, "Income Averaging Allowed LIHTC Housing to Reach More People—Will It Last?" Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2022/09/27/income-averaging-allowed-lihtc-housing-to-reach-more-people-will-it-last/

To meaningfully evaluate real estate-related companies, organizations that evaluate impact investment standards must address tenant experiences. Shelterforce's Shelby R. King reads, "ESG … and T? Tenant Protections Fly Under the Impact Investing Radar." Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2022/09/23/esg-and-t-tenant-protections-fly-under-the-impact-investing-radar/

Are policy changes enough to address the housing problems we face? Alex Schafran, a visiting scholar at the Institute for Metropolitan Studies at San José State University, explains more in "How to Retrofit the Housing Economy." Read the full piece here: https://shelterforce.org/2022/08/30/how-to-retrofit-the-housing-economy/ This piece was part of Shelterforce's Under the Lens series, Homes or Ca...

There are many ways in which the housing market is tilted toward financial firms, but there are efforts underway from local, state, and federal governments (and even tenants and homeowners) that aim to level out the playing field. Listen to "Hands Off the Houses: Can we Stop Speculative Land Grabs," written by Corey McDonald. This piece appears in Shelterforce's Under the Lens series, Homes or Cas...

A coalition of more than 220 tenant unions, community organizations, and legal advocates argues that there are precedents supporting the legality of federal rent regulation. Meir Rinde, Shelterforce's policy fellow, reads, "Biden Has Power to Impose Rent Control, Say Housing Advocates." Find the full story at: https://shelterforce.org/2022/09/01/biden-has-power-to-impose-rent-control-say-housing-a...

Historically Black communities in Seattle and D.C. have seen major decreases in Black residents over the years as gentrification becomes more pronounced. Shelterforce's Brandon Duong sits down with Carlynn Newhouse, a spoken word artist, to discuss her latest poem on gentrification in the two cities. Read the interview here: https://shelterforce.org/2022/09/07/my-citys-so-white-i-moved-gentrificat...

Why should owners of buildings in illegally poor repair be able to buy more rentals? As Washington, D.C., found, it’s not the easiest thing to prevent. Miles Howard reads his Shelterforce article, "Can We Prevent Slumlords From Buying More Buildings?" Read the full story: https://shelterforce.org/2022/08/29/can-we-prevent-slumlords-from-buying-more-buildings/ This article is part of Homes or Cash...

Experts on housing law discuss the potential repercussions of a recent Supreme Court decision that struck down the EPA’s authority in limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Could conservative judges apply the same rationale to limit HUD's authority? Meir Rinde, Shelterforce's policy fellow, reads: "Could This Supreme Court Ruling Affect Fair Housing?" Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org...

It’s difficult to know who owns a property because corporate landlords and investors tend to structure their business as limited liability companies, or LLCs. This type of hidden ownership is linked to deteriorating housing and a lack of accountability. Brian Mykulyn reads, "When Landlords Hide Behind LLCs," a piece he co-wrote with Elora Raymond for Shelterforce's series, Homes or Cash Cows. Read...

There’s a reason land ownership is a matter of public record—but at the moment the records we have aren’t actually doing the job. "Unmasking the Property Owners," is written by Andrew Jakabovics and appears in Shelterforce's Under the Lens series, Homes or Cash Cows? Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2022/08/22/public-land-records-public-purpose-and-public-policy/ Check out the se...

When wealthy investors treat homes like poker chips, it is the tenants who end up paying the most. How do we interrupt the vicious cycle of speculation and displacement? "Breaking NYC’s Housing Speculation Cycle" is written by Alex Williamson and is part of Shelterforce's series, Homes or Cash Cows? Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3PwEYGb Read the series here: https://bit.ly/HomesorCashCo...

If high home prices and rents are hallmarks of inequality, the actions of the Federal Reserve should give us pause. Its policy interventions have had profound effects on housing prices. "How the Federal Reserve’s Monetary Policy Drives Housing Inequality" is written by Nico Calavita is part of Shelterforce's series, Homes or Cash Cows? Read the full piece here: https://bit.ly/3zY4U7I Check out the...

Over the last two decades homeowners and investors have increasingly treated housing as a financial asset, like stocks or bonds. How has this changed the housing market for the worse, and how can we fix it? Benjamin Teresa reads his Shelterforce article, "The Financialization of Housing and Its Implications for Community Development." This piece is part of the Under the Lens series—Homes or Cash C...

Housing has become less about shelter and more about extracting ever more profit. How has that way of thinking changed the market and what are housing advocates trying to do about it? Miriam Axel-Lute talks about Shelterforce's new Under the Lens series, Homes or Cash Cows? Read the full editor's note here: https://bit.ly/3deE4QV For the complete series, go to: https://bit.ly/HomesorCashCows

"Fair market rents" are set by HUD and used to determine how much federal assistance programs will pay toward rent. But with soaring inflation, rapidly increasing rental costs, and widespread housing shortages, they're not keeping up. Shelterforce's Meir Rinde reads his report, "Unfair Market Rents: How Inflation is Skewing FMRs." Find the full article here: https://shelterforce.org/2022/07/29/unf...

Public comment is open through Aug. 5 on proposed Community Reinvestment Act rule changes. They are worlds better than the Trump-era proposal. Why are some advocates still disappointed? Shelterforce's Meir Rinde reads, "Proposed CRA Rule Receives Mixed Reviews from Housers." Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2022/07/14/proposed-community-reinvestment-act-rule-receives-mixed-reviews-from-h...

When landlords name minor children in eviction filings, the negative effects could haunt them years later. Shelterforce's Shelby R. King reads, "Minor Defendants: Kids Are Being Named in Evictions." Read the full story here: https://shelterforce.org/2021/11/11/minor-defendants-kids-are-being-named-in-evictions/

President Biden’s Housing Supply Action Plan is a catchall of existing proposals, tiny tweaks, and things Congress would have to fund—plus a few genuinely interesting administrative moves. Here’s the rundown. Meir Rinde, Shelterforce's policy fellow, reads "Something Old, Something New: Biden's Housing Plan." Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2022/06/27/something-old-something-new-bi...