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

One-pager reads Do Section 8 voucher holders increase crime in a neighborhood? No! Shows two graphs illustrating the point. Image links to pdf version.

Q: Do Section 8 voucher holders increase crime in a neighborhood?

The Answer Shelterforce Staff - February 5, 2015

A: No! This is a perennial fear, but research shows that additional voucher holders don't change the crime rate at all. However it does show that . . .

One-pager showing differences between municipal land banks and community land trusts. Image links to pdf version.

Q: Is a Land Bank the Same As a Land Trust?

The Answer Shelterforce Staff - October 2, 2014

A: Nope. They are totally different, though complementary tools. This chart will walk you through the differences.

One-pager shows a repeating image of a manufactured home down the center, with myths on the left about why they are bad, and facts on the right. Image links to pdf version.

Q: Are manufactured homes a bad form of affordable housing?

The Answer Shelterforce Staff - March 26, 2014

A: Not any more! There are many myths out there about manufactured (or "mobile") homes, but in fact they can be a very important source of quality affordable housing...

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.