Sweeps Aren’t Outreach—Policing Homelessness Still Doesn’t Work
A new study shines light on the connection between homeless outreach teams and policing, and examines why so many cities are still using resident complaints to guide their response to the homelessness crisis.
Disability Justice and Equity in Housing
Welcome to Shelterforce’s newest Under the Lens series, Not Just Ramps—Disability and Housing Justice. This introductory article lays out why the connection between disability and affordable housing is so strong, and why it’s so important for housers to understand.
Appraisal Bias Is the Fair Housing Issue of the Day
Newly released data on home appraisal practices is a step forward in the fight against racially biased appraisals. There’s still a long way to go.
NCRC Claims KeyBank Broke Promises, Failed Black Homeowners
Who is responsible for evaluating whether groups adhere to promises made in a community benefits agreement (CBA)? Is there any recourse for those who don’t get what they were promised? And what lessons can we take away from the KeyBank CBA?
The Shift to Using More Electricity Will Change How Affordable Housing Is Built
Policymakers and building designers have gone from pushing for energy efficiency to focusing on reducing carbon emissions by using more electrical-based systems. What are some of the benefits and challenges of going all-electric, and how can affordable housers move forward?
The Racists Next Door: Black Homebuyers Face Discrimination After Purchasing, Too
The danger of unwelcoming neighbors should not be underestimated.
Going Home: LGBTQ Renters Find Housing on Facebook
Niche groups on Facebook help the LGBTQ community find affordable housing with folks who share their values.
Corporate Landlords Profit from Segregation, at Cost of Black Homeownership and Wealth
As more and more affordable homes are gobbled up by corporate landlords, prospective Black homebuyers are seeing opportunities for homeownership dry up.
How Tax Assessments in a Supposedly Progressive County Are Reinforcing Racism
Buncombe County in North Carolina was one of the first places in the U.S. to support reparations for Black residents. So why is the county not doing a better job of addressing property tax inequities that directly impact residents of color?
Developing Radical Goals for Black Homeownership: An NCRC Panel Discussion
What can be done to significantly advance Black homeownership and access to affordable housing? Watch the panel discussion.
Considering Geographic Equity
When we talk about equity, we’re typically talking about individuals or neighborhoods. But what about the imbalance in power and access to resources between entire metropolitan areas?
Residents Owning Their Local Economy
In the face of extractive "investments," communities are exploring creative models that let them both exert control and earn returns themselves.
Affordable ADUs: How It’s Being Done
In the face of limited financing options, local governments, nonprofits, and social enterprises are experimenting with ways to make affordable ADUs a reality.
Are Urban Planners Staying Silent on Climate Gentrification?
Holmdel, New Jersey, moved its affordable housing to flood-prone land, raising a question about planners' ethical obligations to speak up against such moves.
Putting in the Labor to Support Affordable Homes
With notoriously high housing costs in San Francisco pushing workers across occupations out of the city and into long commutes, the value of alliances between housing advocates and labor organizers are becoming increasingly clear.
Push Back on the Racial Wealth Gap—A Shelterforce Webinar
Authors from Shelterforce’s recent series about the racial wealth gap and other experts talk wealth building, wealth extraction, and the tools available to help close the gap.
Say It With Your Chest: Race Matters in Lending
The Community Reinvestment Act was created to address racist lending practices, but it doesn’t specify race. Special purpose credit programs could help.
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?
Rethinking the Racial Wealth Gap With Anne Price
A lot of conversations about the racial wealth gap focuses too much on homeownership as the only solution. It's much more complex. Shelterforce's Miriam Axel-Lute talks with Anne Price, president of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development.
Maurice Jones on Job Creation, Community Development, and Wealth Building
Seventy-one percent of jobs that pay $40,000 and above require a four-year degree, says Maurice Jones. That requirement is "having a huge, huge adverse impact on Black talent earning their way into the middle class."
