Shelterforce

Thousands of companies offer tenant screening tools that promise to make life easier for landlords and property managers. But reports show that the data these companies use is often riddled with errors and relies on information that has no bearing on whether someone will be a good tenant. Amanda Abrams reports. Read the full story at: https://shelterforce.org/2025/06/11/tenant-screening-a-billion-...

Shelterforce’s new Under the Lens series—How Tech Is Changing Housing—explores the growing use of technology in the housing world. Can the proper guardrails can be put in place so “innovative” tools don’t make the housing crisis worse? Lillian Ortiz, Shelterforce's managing editor, breaks down what you can expect in the series. Read the editor's note at: https://shelterforce.org/2025/06/10/techs-r...

Keeping our heads down and our language inoffensive is not the right response to the times we’re in, says Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits. Solidarity and courage is. Yentel spoke at Shelterforce's 50th anniversary celebration and conference this past April, and her message was so crucial that we wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to listen to it. Read a...

In Utah, a new project called Paws & Porchlight aims to provide affordable housing for older adults and their pets. The concept is simple: Twelve small houses—each no more than 600 square feet—arranged in a walkable layout along a central garden path. Each home would have its own porch, a small yard, and shared access to a dog run, a trail, and other kinds of everyday infrastructure that makes gro...

What do we mean by social housing in the United States? How has it worked in the past, and how can and should it be expanded? Shelterforce's Miriam Axel-Lute and NPQ's Steve Dubb co-host, "Housing as a Public Good: The State of Social Housing Today." The conversation took place earlier this month, but we wanted to reshare the audio for those who either missed the webinar, or want to listen to the...

The financial intricacies involved in building affordable housing can be difficult to understand. Hanneke van Deursen, the director of housing finance for the City of Chattanooga, breaks down the foundational concepts. Read the explainer at https://shelterforce.org/2025/05/28/affordable-housing-finance-101/ ℗ Music by ComaStudio .

On Tuesday, May 20, tenants and housing advocates across the country took to the streets for a National Day of Action on Housing. Shelterforce's Miriam Axel-Lute reports on Albany, New York's rally, and explains other actions that took place across the country. Check out our website for some amazing photos from rallies in six cities: https://shelterforce.org/2025/05/22/photos-in-over-a-dozen-citie...

For more than two years, residents of Philadelphia’s Chinatown and surrounding neighborhoods protested a plan to build a new arena for the Philadelphia 76ers on top of a local transit stop. Despite widespread opposition, the proposal appeared to be moving forward with the city’s blessing. But it fell apart in early 2025, when the team’s owners decided to build new in their current location in Sout...

A note about our running list of major federal housing actions since Trump took office on Jan. 20 2025. Read about all the major actions here: https://shelterforce.org/2025/05/12/whats-happened-with-housing-since-trump-came-into-office/ ℗ Music by ComaStudio .

New Jersey's Grounds for Sculpture exhibited works by Spiral Q, a Philadelphia organization that mixes art and social commentary. Reporting by Lara Heard Read the story and see the photos at: https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/29/art-the-parade-works-of-social-commentary-by-philly-based-spiral-q/

We've compiled a roundup of the major housing and community development–related actions and changes we’ve seen so far in Trump's second term. Reporting by Shelterforce staff; read by Miriam Axel-Lute. Read the full story with the compilation of housing actions at: https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/30/the-first-100-days-in-housing/ ℗ Music by ComaStudio .

Housing Choice Voucher holders rely on their local housing authority to pay the bulk of their rent. What happens if it isn’t paid? Reporting by Shelby R. King. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/28/the-government-didnt-pay-my-rent-now-what/ ℗ Music by ComaStudio .

Though it hasn't taken any action yet, DOGE has officially assigned a team to NeighborWorks America. The congressionally chartered nonprofit provides resources and training to a network of hundreds of local organizations that develop affordable housing and support homeowners and communities. Reported and read by Miriam Axel-Lute. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/23/is-doge-c...

If you have residents or clients who might be targeted by ICE, it’s crucial to know what to do, and what not to do when immigration officials show up. Shelterforce's Shelby R. King reports. ℗ Music by ComaStudio .

In Maryland, parents and school leaders joined with housing advocates to win additional rental assistance, targeted to families in the state's community schools. Jessica Shiller reads, "How Education and Housing Advocates Worked Together to Win More Rental Assistance," a piece she and Katherine Davis wrote for Shelterforce. ℗ Music by ComaStudio .

Technical assistance might seem dull, but it’s vital for addressing the homelessness and housing crisis. And it's about to be a lot harder for federal grantees to get. Listen to "These HUD Cuts Have Gotten Less Attention, But the Effects Will Still Be Harmful." Reporting by Roshan Abraham; read by John Ludas. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/07/these-hud-cuts-have-gotten-les...

Tenant organizers and advocates say the only way to protect communities is to stay the course—organizing for housing rights, tenant protections, and political power. Shelterforce's Frances Nguyen reports. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/11/in-the-trump-2-0-era-organizing-is-the-antidote/ ℗ Music by ComaStudio .

Clybourne Park—a play exploring race, real estate, and community tensions—can set the stage for discussion on the lasting impacts of housing discrimination, gentrification, and the fight for affordability. What lessons can we take from the past to shape a more just housing future? Shelterforce's Shelby R. King reports. Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/09/clybourne-park-on-stage-h...

It's been a year since Catalunya implemented rent control. How well is it working, and why have tenants rallied for more protections? Olivia Haber Greenwood reports. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/03/in-barcelona-rent-control-shows-promise-but-short-term-rentals-limit-progress/

After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped—and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes. Max Parrott reports. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/04/02/theres-a-community-oversight-fight-brewing-in-the-bronx/ ℗ Music by ComaStudio

The Mount Laurel Doctrine is credited with helping to create 75,000 affordable homes in New Jersey. But, of course, it hasn’t been a simple panacea either. Shelterforce's Miriam Axel-Lute explains: Read the full piece and check out the related stories at https://shelterforce.org/2025/03/28/in-new-jersey-pivotal-affordable-housing-decision-turns-50/

A law professor explains why housing should be—and someday might be—considered a human right in the United States. Read the piece at https://shelterforce.org/2025/03/25/six-reasons-why-housing-is-a-human-right/

As Trump reshapes the federal landscape, Housing Choice Voucher recipients, landlords, and administrators brace for potential funding cuts and fiscal chaos. Shelby R. King reports. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/03/18/section-8-under-trump-how-policy-uncertainty-is-affecting-affordable-housing/

The Environmental Protection Agency says $20 billion in green funding for low-income communities was mismanaged and issued with political bias, but so far the agency hasn’t produced the evidence needed to legally block the grants. Three nonprofits have filed suit. Shelterforce's Lara Heard reports. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/03/14/epa-terminates-already-awarded-climate-fu...

As the housing crisis deepens, interest in faith-based development is spreading across the country. How do "Yes In God’s Backyard (YIGBY)" zoning laws work, where are they being implemented or introduced, and what could it mean for communities and churches? Frances Nguyen, Shelterforce's reporting fellow, takes a closer look. Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2025/02/28/the-yigby-mov...