Leslie Strauss
Leslie Strauss is senior policy analyst at the Housing Assistance Council.
How the Major Party Platforms Approach Housing
The major political party platforms take different approaches to federal housing assistance and related topics. The Republican and Democratic platforms...
From Cargo Shipping to Home Sweet Home?
Livable buildings can be created from shipping containers, the big rectangular corrugated metal things stacked at docks by giant cranes....
Rural Rental Assistance Needs USDA’s Support to Survive
The cost of USDA’s Section 521 Rental Assistance program is growing every year. After a funding crisis hit the...
When a Housing Advocate’s Work Hits Home
It’s been a very long time since I saw the movie “Dr. Zhivago,” but I can remember clearly the noisy...
Rural Housing Budget Disappointing, But Not Surprising
Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, the Obama administration’s rural housing budget continues trends that were evident in the last several...
What Does the Push for Transit Oriented Development Mean For Rural Areas?
The affordable housing world is paying attention to the connection between housing costs and transportation costs, and that’s a good...
10 Things That Did Not Happen in Rural Housing in 2012
Year-end reviews generally cover events, but in 2012 the things that did not happen may have been more notable. That certainly...
Loan Guarantees Are Not Enough
It’s less expensive for the government to guarantee a loan made by a bank than to be the lender itself....
Why Keep Rural Housing Programs at USDA?
Rural housing professionals complain about USDA’s Rural Development/Rural Housing Service all the time. We also tout the advantages of...
Defining “Rural” for USDA’s Housing Programs
This part is simple: a property must be in a rural place to be eligible for USDA rural housing...
What Does an Affordable Rural Rental Housing Strategy Look Like?
Affordable housing advocates were happy recently to see the Senate Appropriations Committee tell the U.S. Department of Agriculture to get...
Time to Address the Rural Housing Crisis
The next administration will face significant housing issues well beyond those related to foreclosures and mortgage markets. The housing needs of low-income people in...