Rationale for Obama’s Tax Policy
On the campaign trail, Barack Obama was asked a question about his increasing taxes for those making more than a quarter million a year. In his impromptu exchange with the now famous “Joe the...
Harnessing Immigrant Entrepreneurship for Economic Growth
Last week’s release of Bread for the World’s new paper on immigrant small businesses was marked by racial tension from unexpected quarters, as audience members and presenters at a...
New CDC Trade Association Lays Infrastructure
As sequestration takes hold and Congress wrestles with FY 2014 budget negotiations, the affordable housing and community development field is in a fragile state. With HOME funds recently cut by more than a...
Building Children Out of Our Cities
It’s been said that children are the indicator species of urban health and great neighborhoods, and by this measure, Oakland is in trouble.
Housing Policy Must Change in Wake of COVID-19
COVID-19 will hurt the low-income and housing insecure the most. We must act now to protect them—and ensure safe housing for all going forward. Here's how.
Public Benefits and Bank Mergers
Community organizations are generally aware that when a bank wants to acquire another bank, it must submit a merger application to a federal agency. But many community organizations may...
New Public Housing? HUD Has Found a Way
For decades, the number of public housing units across the U.S. has been shrinking. But within the limits of the law and funding, HUD has figured out a way to get back some of the housing that has been lost.
Out of the Limelight, But Still Hanging in the Balance
Housing and community development have been glaringly absent from both of the presidential campaigns and all of the debates this election season, as many Rooflines bloggers have pointed out.
...
Making The Stimulus Work For You
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was enacted at lightning speed under intense political pressure. Substantively, it was a hodgepodge of programs and initiatives with no pretence to consistency or cohesion. Procedurally, it was...
Preserving Communities: Live From New Jersey Future
Rooflines is reporting from the annual redevelopment forum held by New Jersey Future, a statewide research and advocacy organization today. The even highlights advancements and analyses on many of the policies and policy proposals...
What Happened to Those Build Back Better Housing Investments?
Build Back Better would have made huge new investments in housing. But most of what it promised isn’t going to happen. Would any housing plan have a chance of making it through Congress?
Trading Bullets for a Better Future
Youth violence scars lives, turning America's streets into war zones. How do we transform killing fields into training grounds for stronger communities?
Study: NJ Land-Use Patterns Increase Exclusionary Zoning and Sprawl
All too often, we hear how sprawl development continues to eat up the last remaining open spaces across New Jersey, and residents continue to express confusion about how this keeps...
Does Public Housing Have a Future?
Everybody hates public housing, except the low-income people who live there and the people on the long waiting lists to get in. After years of neglect, the Obama administration wants to save public housing for future generations. Let's let them.
Trump’s Empty Shell of a Promise to Renters
Diane Yentel slams President Trump's latest executive order as "reckless and harmful."
Where Do Houses Go When They Die? (Apparently, Pennsylvania)
The late George Carlin once quipped that “Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.” When homeowners die, or are foreclosed on, or just...
Can Housers Unite Around the Warren Proposal?
Every once in a while someone says: "What would it look like if we came together and were united on a federal policy for housing?" It seems like the answer to "who would actually do it?" might currently be Senator Elizabeth Warren.
PETRA Perspectives: National Low-Income Housing Coalition
The National Low Income Housing Coalition wants to be able to support PETRA, but has some concerns.
New York’s Property-Tax Cap: Pitting Homeowners against Children
A New York State commission established by Governor Eliot Spitzer recently recommended ways to lower property taxes, which are putting a world of hurt on homeowners. Fair enough. Some of the commission’s recommendations, like...
Obama’s Budget is Good for Public Land
Over the next few weeks we'll be hearing from a range of stakeholders about how they feel President Obama's proposed $3.8 trillion budget will effect the nation.
One group that has already chimed in is the Trust...