The Answer Archives — Page 2 of 2 — Shelterforce: The Voice of Community Development

The Answer

The Answer is a one-page response to questions many of our readers find themselves being asked over and over, whether by colleagues, potential partners, funders, policymakers, or the public. It’s easy to download and print and it’s free to distribute with our credit on it. We want to hear how you are using The Answer, and also to get your suggestions for other questions to address: let us know about both at theanswer@shelterforce.org.

A four-person family stands in a maze leading to a house. Around the maze are various answers to the question "Why doesn't the market produce enough affordable housing?" Image links to a pdf version.

Q: Why doesn’t the market produce enough affordable housing where people want it?

The Answer Shelterforce Staff - October 16, 2013

A: The market is supposed to meet demand, but the importance of location, location, location, plus other factors, keep this from working for affordable housing.

One-pager starts with "Does affordable housing lower property values? No!" Image shows 56 green document icons, 5 striped, and 1 gray to represent research that found positive, mixed, or negative effects and a map of the United States with dots to represent where those studies took place. Includes citations. Image links to pdf version.

Q: Does affordable housing development lower nearby property values?

The Answer Shelterforce Staff - July 18, 2013

A. No. No. No. Is 56 studies enough no for you?

A drawing of a house with a red roof and a red path leading from door is accompanied by text explaining reasons why shared-equity homeownership makes sense in weak-market areas. Image links to pdf version.

Q: What’s the Point of Shared-Equity Homeownership in Weak Market Areas?

The Answer Shelterforce Staff - February 12, 2013

Shared-equity homeownership is best known as a tool to fight displacement in hot-market areas. But in fact, it has many advantages in weak-market areas too.

Does shared-equity homeownership build assets? Yes. And keeps them safer than traditional homeownership does. Various graphs and charts follow to back up this assertion. Image links to pdf version.

Q: Does Shared-Equity Homeownership Build Assets?

The Answer Shelterforce Staff - October 10, 2012

A: Yes! And keeps them safer than traditional homeownership does.

Did the housing crisis prove that low-income people can't be successful homeowners? No! Infographic follows showing delinquency and foreclosure rates for two at-scale low-income homeownership lending programs, which are below the general population. Image links to pdf version.

Q: Did the housing crisis prove low-income people can’t be successful homeowners?

The Answer Shelterforce Staff - July 22, 2012

No! Two at-scale, long-term lending programs show that if the process is done right, low-income homeowners can be as successful as prime borrowers--or more.

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