Brandon Duong
Brandon Duong is a former associate editor for Shelterforce. He received a master's degree from the Urban Planning & Policy program at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Mid-Lease Rent Hikes Surprise Affordable Housing Tenants
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?
“My City’s So White, I Moved”
We sit down with Carlynn Newhouse, a spoken word artist, to discuss her latest poem on gentrification in Seattle and D.C.
The Sound of Music City: Orange, NJ
Music naturally brings people together. In Orange, New Jersey, organizers show how “creative placekeeping” finds its strength in the relationships that are formed within the community.
What’s an Accessory Dwelling Unit?
The cost of housing has skyrocketed across the United States. As a response, some states and localities have legalized accessory dwelling units in hopes of expanding the supply of affordable housing. But what are ADUs?
What Can Be Done When LIHTC Affordability Restrictions Expire?
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program has helped create more than 3 million affordable units across the country. But if something isn’t done soon, thousands of those homes could be lost forever as affordability periods expire.
Dot’s Home, a Computer Game, Addresses History of Housing Discrimination
A new video game aims to educate players on the various housing barriers facing Black Americans through history. How well does it do that?
The Role Student Debt Plays in the Racial Wealth Gap
What explains the large disparity in Black and white student debt, and what can we do to address the student debt crisis and close the racial wealth gap?
Afghan Refugees Face an American Housing Crisis
Resettlement agencies have been racing to house tens of thousands of Afghan refugees in communities across the U.S., but high housing costs and a shortage of available units is making it more difficult than ever.
From an Abandoned Mall to Bustling Community Hub
A medical complex in Mississippi draws on local artists to go beyond doctors' offices and become a gathering place for those living nearby.
Shifting the Affordable Housing Narrative Through Arts and Culture
Housing activists want to use this political moment to shift long-standing narratives surrounding housing. From film to theater, here are some arts strategies that might work.
The Racial Reckoning in Public Spaces
Following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, there was an explosion of anti-racist street art across the country. “When we allow ourselves to release our emotions, oftentimes what is produced out of that is art.”
Landlords Don’t Have to Control Security Deposits
The UK saw a dramatic change in landlord behavior once security deposits were put into the hands of a third party.
Gentrification: Is Pop Culture Getting It Right?
Gentefied. In the Heights. Vida. How do storylines and portrayals of gentrification in cinema stack up to how it plays out in real life?
Atlanta Land Trust—From Central Server to a Centralized CLT
If at first you don’t succeed, partner with a land bank.
Continuing the Legacy: Keeping Longtime Residents in Their Communities
Legacy residents often have deep social ties in their communities, and when they move, it can often weaken the fabric of the neighborhood. How is one Baltimore housing provider keeping these longtime residents in their respective communities?
Affordable BeltLine Project Still in Progress in Atlanta
It was a decade ago when the Atlanta BeltLine partnership set a goal of creating almost 6,000 units of affordable housing, as well as a collaborative of land trusts. What’s happened since? Did the partnership achieve its intended goals?
The Dark Side of Community Preference Policies
Community preference policies give existing residents first dibs on subsidized housing built in their neighborhoods. But what happens when these policies are applied to communities that are exclusive, well-off, and majority white?
The Work Continues: Property Maintenance Lawsuits Move Forward, Foster Care Vouchers Pass, and More
In the third installment of Shelterforce articles of old, we look back at what’s been happening with lawsuits against banks that allegedly failed to maintain properties they own in predominantly Black and Latinx neighborhoods, Medicaid money for housing, community developers elected to office, and vouchers for foster care youth.
Despite a Rocky Start, Cleveland Model for Worker Co-ops Stands Test of Time
Even during tough times, the Evergreen Cooperative Initiative has added new co-ops, new workers, and new strategies.
Looking Back: Democratic Philanthropy, Newark on the Rise, the Surplus Land Campaign, and More
In this first installment of updates to Shelterforce articles of old, we find that market dynamics are different in many places we’ve written about, but many of the organizations fighting the good fight are continuing to do so, even in changed times.