Transit-Oriented Preservation
Affordable housing already exists near transit, but without action it will be lost.
How to Get Racial Equity into Biden’s Infrastructure Plan
Congress has an opportunity it must not squander to acknowledge the racial inequity built into our failing infrastructure and put into operation the promise of equity in Biden’s infrastructure plans.
Working up a Sweat with the Self-Help Housing Program
Fifty-four years and 52,000 homes later, the future of the Self-Help Housing Program for low- and very-low income households is uncertain after it was eliminated in a budget proposal for next fiscal year.
The Foreclosure King Ascends to Treasury
There is considerable unease in the housing and community development world about the future of federal policy, including support for vouchers, fair housing,...
Housing the Political Agenda
It's official, at least it is to you. In order to get housing on the agenda this election cycle,...
Q: Who Enforces CRA?
Why are there three different agencies enforcing the Community Reinvestment Act, or CRA? Who does each agency enforce it on?
Tobacco Causes Cancer. Can it Also Build Housing?
“Sin taxes” usually fund health and education programs. Will Colorado add housing to that list? And should they?
Who’s Pulling for Struggling Americans?
Everyone should be outraged that the proposed economic bailout package passed by the Senate on Wednesday night and being debated in the House...
How Will We Leverage Stimulus Dollars?
The stimulus has created a rare opportunity to transform America’s carbon footprint, metropolitan landscape, and its low-income communities in the years ahead.
Breaking Down Walls: Who’s on First on the Banking Committees?
This entry is the third in a series of attempting to demystify the “new” Congress. My last two posts looked at the membership of...
Fair Housing and Zoning: Toward a New Boston?
How Boston became the first city to add fair housing to its zoning regulations.
The Housing Policy We Need: An Interview with Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston
Thomas M. Menino, now serving his third term as mayor of Boston, became president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in May and quickly...
Candidate (and Tenant) Perry’s Housing Record
In June, Rooflines published a piece by Kevin Jewell, a consultant for the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service outlining Texas Governor Rick Perry’s...
Stimulus Funds Can Transform Homeless Assistance
We face the most challenging economic climate and the most promising opportunity for dramatic improvements to homeless assistance in a generation. Through the American...
Watching the Numbers
When I was a kid, I loved watching presidential election returns. Every four years I’d get to rush home and sit in front of...
Beware the Scammers
This weekend I encountered a representative of an energy service company on my porch. He was flashing a badge at...
Bair: Mortgage Crisis Shows We Need a Level Playing Field
FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair emphasized the “common goal” that should exist between banks and consumers regarding access to credit and healthy lending for the...
It’s Time for a “Justice” Movement for Affordable Housing, Led by Low-Income People, People...
Neoliberalism is not the answer to our problems; but neither is a poorly thought out populism.
As Affordable Housing Units Expire, Los Angeles Lags in Preservation Efforts
As thousands of affordable housing units expire, L.A. lags behind other cities in its preservation efforts. But one group of tenants may be victorious.
ADUs: Defined, Disambiguated, and Debated
Accessory dwelling units are being touted as a way to provide more affordable rental units for tenants, and additional monthly income for homeowners. But some cities allow them, others don’t. So what are ADUs exactly?