Shelterforce: Essential Reporting on Affordable Housing Shelterforce

Unlikely Partners: How Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Came to Be

June 4, 2026 | Bruce Gottschall

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.

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A large group of people of different races, ages, and genders, standing on a large marble staircase in a state capitol building. At the bottom of the staircase are two signs, one of which reads "Georgia Healthy Housing Coalition: Every Georgian deserves a healthy home."

From the Field

Advocates in the South Get Organized to Advance Tenants Rights

June 3, 2026 | Nada Hussein

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.

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Opinion

Massachusetts Advocates Push for Medicaid-Funded Assisted Living

June 2, 2026 | James A. Lomastro

By funding nursing homes but not assisted living, Medicaid often steers older adults into costlier and more restrictive care than they need. Lawmakers can fix that.

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The exteriors of three colorful cooperative housing units. The units are connected via their rooflines, and each one has an upper balcony. A shared sidewalk and small plantings can be seen in the foreground.

Solidarity Corner

In Eugene, Housing Advocates Call for a Tenant Right to Purchase Act

May 29, 2026 | Steve Dubb

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.

The front exterior of a bodega/deli in Brooklyn, New York. A large sign says GOD BLESS in 3D red-and-white capital letters. An awning advertises products sold at the deli, including cold cuts and Mediterranean food.

Poetry

Poem: God Bless Deli Speaks to My Now Gentrified Neighborhood

May 28, 2026 | Usman Hameedi

Scientist, poet, and educator Usman Hameedi reads one of his poems about gentrification in New York City.

A painting, mostly in shades of blue, showing a group of people of all ages, genders, and races, building a shelter together in a wooded area. The sky is stormy and dark, and it is raining out, but light shines down on the shelter being built, illuminating the people around and inside of it. A figure covering their head with a blue denim jacket approaches in the foreground. A figure stepping out of the shelter waves to them in greeting.

Explainers

Series Guide: Shelter in a Federal Storm

May 27, 2026 | Miriam Axel-Lute

Start here to navigate our series on state and local strategies that are being deployed at a time when federal action is largely blocked.

The exterior of a brick apartment building with large heat pumps in the windows.

From the Field

What NYCHA’s Heat Pump Strategy Says About the Future of Green Affordable Housing

May 26, 2026 | Timi Koyejo

New York City’s public housing authority plans to install 20,000 window heat pumps and 10,000 induction stoves over the next five years. The effort shows how large-scale procurement could help affordable housing providers cut emissions and lower the cost of green upgrades.

A large gray apartment building in an urban area, featuring many glass-and-iron front balconies and a sign that reads Atrium Court at the top of part of the building. A sign on another part of the building reads Now Leasing, with a telephone number and website for the building. Cars and tram tracks can be seen in the foreground.

From the Field

Opportunity Zones Got an Upgrade: It’s Time to Give Them a Second Look

May 22, 2026 | Frank Woodruff and Jeremy Carter

State-level processes for nominating tracts for opportunity zone designation are open. The next public process will not occur for another decade. Here is how to get involved.

A male state representative with dark hair and glasses, wearing a navy blue suit jacket, a white button-down shirt, and a red tie, stands at a podium. Two young white people wearing glasses stand next to him; one is wearing a navy t-shirt and the other is wearing an argyle patterned sweater with gray slacks. The person in the navy t-shirt is holding a sign with illustrations of people of all different races and ethnicities that reads "homelessness is not a crime."

Homelessness

In the Shadow of Grants Pass, Some Communities Reject Homeless Crackdowns

May 21, 2026 | Roshan Abraham

Three years after a major Supreme Court case, bills to criminalize homelessness and ban encampments have popped up widely. But here are some places that are fighting back.

Stress Test: Rethinking Affordable Housing Finance

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Section of yellow wall of a high-rise apartment building, with prominent window air conditioners.

Breaking Point: Why the Affordable Housing Business Model Is Unraveling

Shelby R. King

Affordable housing has never been easy to finance. Now, with rising insurance, debt, and operating costs outpacing rents and subsidies, developers say it’s getting harder to make the math work.

A large housing development under construction. The building is covered in Tyvek wrap and sits behind fencing with blue and white signs that read "Colas Construction: Building Tomorrow Today."

What Does It Mean When Anchor CDCs Start Selling Affordable Housing?

Shelby R. King

Portland’s REACH CDC recently offloaded a 23-unit legacy building and 66 scattered-site homes—not because the mission has changed, but because the math has. The industry veteran’s portfolio triage offers a bellwether look at how rising costs, rent arrears, and aging properties are forcing even well-run nonprofits to rethink what they can afford to own.

A simple kitchen in an apartment building, featuring a white fridge, white four-burner electric stove, brown laminate cabinets, and beige tiled flooring. A large kitchen window looks out on a tree-lined street with residential homes.

Can Condo Conversions Deliver Long-Term Affordability?

Shelby R. King

A project in Portland, Oregon, aims to turn aging rentals into affordable condos, offering lower price points and a path to ownership. But that affordability currently rests on temporary subsidies and market goodwill. For tenants who can’t buy—and future buyers looking for affordability—the risks are significant.

Webinars

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3:00 pm, June 17, 2026

Laboratories of Democracy: Emerging State and Local Policy Visions
Affordability
Making Homeownership Affordable: Bringing Fannie and Freddie Back to Mission, a Shelterforce Webinar

April 30, 2026 | Steve Dubb

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee most U.S. home loans, which is supposed to make homeownership widely accessible. But is this happening? In this webinar, three field leaders argue that these government-sponsored enterprises need to step up with new products and services to expand access to homeownership.
Healthy Housing
Fit to Live in: From Ordinances to Outcomes in Habitability, a Shelterforce webinar

February 19, 2026 | Lara Heard

What makes a home habitable? What makes habitability laws successful? In this webinar, an organizer in New Orleans and a representative from a nonprofit working with communities across the country affected by vacancy and abandonment share their perspectives.
Community Land Trusts
Fueling the Future of Community Ownership, a Shelterforce Webinar

November 21, 2025 | Miriam Axel-Lute

A dive into some promising new approaches to both funding community ownership and building out an ecosystem that supports its sustainability.

Opinion

A graphic design in shades of blue and white showing an arrow—increasing from left to right—over four houses.

States Can Put the Brakes on Landlord Collusion and Junk Fees

Caroline Nagy

States can pursue legal remedies under anti-trust laws when landlords collude to raise rents or use deceptive practices to institute extra fees, even if the federal government backs away from these cases.

The interior of Dupont Circle train station in Washington, D.C., showing a train track, train platform, and Brutalist-style architecture, including large staircases and walking paths. A white man wearing dark clothing and a large backpack crosses the train platform in the right-hand corner.

How States Can Build Housing Together: A Proposal to Create Joint Authorities

Peter Sabonis

Housing markets don't stay within state boundaries. Why should housing finance agencies?

A large group of people of all different ages, races, and genders sit on folding chairs in what appears to be a community room. Many people can be seen holding pamphlets or notebooks. The room is paneled in wood and has a large full-wall mirror on the back wall.

Tax Increment Financing Harms Cities—Let’s Rein It In

Tom Tresser

City redevelopment subsidies siphon tens of billions of dollars away from public services nationwide. Here are some ways, based on what has worked in Chicago, to fight back.

From the Field

A group of Black men, including Rev. Jesse Jackson, at a protest. Some of the men hold signs with a rainbow graphic that read "Save our homes! Rainbow Push Coalition," in capital letters.

From Protest to Power: Housing, Capital, and Rev. Jackson’s Unfinished Agenda

Ron Stubblefield

Rev. Jesse Jackson’s passing reminds us of the need to combine political and economic organizing—and to translate protest gains into lasting structural change.

A group of people—mainly women and children—hold signs with Portuguese writing. Some of the signs say "Termo Territorial Coletivo."

In Brazil, Organized Favelas Turn to CLTs to Protect Their Land

Tarcyla Fidalgo and Felipe Litsek

In Brazil’s settlements, or favelas, residents risk displacement due to unclear property title—but getting clear title could price them out of the community. Could community land trusts offer a solution to this dilemma?

A middle-aged Black man wearing a blue polo shirt and black pants stands on a wooden staircase outside of a large brick multifamily home. In front of the home are several low shrubs and a pedestrian walkway.

Proposed Change to Rural Housing Program Would Address Looming Preservation Crisis

Mark Kudlowitz

Housing affordability is not just an urban problem. Section 515, the federal rural rental assistance program, would be extended in the proposed federal housing bills—with an important rule change.

Featured Under the Lens Series

Shelter in a Federal Storm: State and Local Housing Solutions for a Time of Federal Hostility

While chaos reigns at the federal level, it’s up to states and local governments to creatively hold the line, fill the gaps, and figure out new ways forward. Drawing on examples from around the country, this series explores some of the many things they could do—and are already doing. Not sure where to start? Check out our series guide.

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Acting Locally: States, Counties, and Cities on the Front Lines

April 6, 2026 | Miriam Axel-Lute

Even in challenging times, there are many actions that state and local governments can take to improve housing access and look out for their residents.

A rendering of a large apartment building with a Costco retail store on the ground floor. The building is surrounded by trees, and people can be seen walking on a sidewalk in front of the building. The building overlooks a a busy street with multiple lanes of traffic moving in both directions.

Free Land, Retail Rents, and Other Ways Cities Are Cutting Reliance on Federal Housing Funds

April 7, 2026 | Franklin Schneider

Though the federal role will always be necessary, local governments, and developers themselves, are looking for ways to develop affordable housing with less federal subsidy. Here are some of the approaches they are trying.

A busy urban center in Richmond, Virginia, showing a large parking lot surrounded by urban buildings and parked cars.

Property Taxes Aren’t the Cause of Our Housing Crisis, They’re a Solution to It

April 8, 2026 | Josie Faass

Taxing land and buildings at different rates can discourage land speculation and encourage housing development.

A rendering of an apartment complex featuring at least three large, four-floor gray buildings with stone exteriors at the ground levels. The buildings are set next to a parking lot on one side and a lawn with trees on the other side. Sidewalks connect the buildings. Renderings of people and cars are shown in the foreground.

How We Rewrote a Tax Incentive to Encourage More Affordable Housing

April 14, 2026 | Hanneke van Deursen

Chattanooga, Tennessee, aligned its housing tax incentive with the actual cost of charging more affordable rents. Developers are participating.

A large glass building set back from a parking lot. In front of the building is a concrete sign coming out of the ground that reads "Bank of North Dakota."

How Public Banks Can Meet Public Needs

April 15, 2026 | Steve Dubb

As federal funding streams face cuts, the idea of public banks is gaining ground as a tool for states and localities to finance community development.

Art

A bicyclist crosses in front of a mural in an underpass. The mural is made up of orange, green, and purple colorblocking.

Houston Artists and Homeless Residents Collaborate to Create Public Art

Lara Heard

In Houston, where a Housing First strategy has dramatically decreased the number of people without a place to stay, artists and unhoused residents teamed up to create public art works.

A group of building blocks on a table with buildings printed on them. Above them is a projected image of two boys on bikes wearing futuristic gear.

Exhibition Explores Black Displacement, Creating Home in Oakland

Lara Heard

Learn the stories of two communities where Black homes were destroyed, and see the vision community members have of a future Oakland.

“I Hate How Quick People Are to Judge”: Art Spotlights Voices From Homeless Shelters

Lara Heard

Alex Strada worked with 300 shelter staff members and residents to create "Public Address." The project will travel across New York City's five boroughs.