Tag: Washington DC

Can Residents Get More Out of Tax Credit Housing?

Arrangements in which LIHTC tenants share in the development’s financial benefits, or become partial or full owners, are rare—but some properties have pulled them off. This scan of several examples shows the possibilities—and the conditions needed for them to succeed.

Landlords on Notice: Section 8 Discrimination Will Cost You

Landmark lawsuits in D.C., New York, and California make source of income discrimination risky for landlords. 

Black Congregations Are Developing Housing on Church Land

Many Black churches in the U.S. are developing housing on their property, and becoming stronger activists in the fight for affordable housing.

Tenant Protections 101

Tenant advocates have long been pushing for a “tenants bill of rights” to codify rules that protect renters from landlords. Here’s a rundown of the top protections housing justice activists say need to be included.

“My City’s So White, I Moved”

We sit down with Carlynn Newhouse, a spoken word artist, to discuss her latest poem on gentrification in Seattle and D.C.

A Way for Investors to Save Affordable Housing, Not Harm It

Investors have helped preserve more than 1,700 affordable housing units in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

Tenant Screening Companies Profit from Eviction Records, Driving Housing Insecurity

Sealing eviction records at the point of filing is an urgent step toward dismantling harmful tenant screening practices.

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.

A Homeownership Program that Takes Health into Account

A 10-city initiative to boost homeownership also aims to align required fair housing and health needs assessments. Can it be done?

A Once Reliable Way to Refinance Older Affordable Housing Gets Harder...

It had been relatively easy for a developer to get 4 percent tax credits, but that’s no longer true in many places. How is this affecting nonprofit housing developers—and could the human infrastructure bill help?

Keeping Community Control as Community Land Trusts Grow

When a CLT grows, the “community” it represents can sometimes be more difficult to define. But to some extent it always was.

First a Park, Then a Citywide Land Trust in D.C.

Douglass Community Land Trust began with a desire to prevent a new park from displacing neighborhood residents—but it soon got much bigger.

Scaling Up: How Some Community Land Trusts Are Getting Bigger

The community land trust model is in a time of dramatic growth and creativity. Some CLTs are aiming for larger scale than has been typical. How are they doing it?

Rescue Plan has Billions Available for Housing, Advocates Urge Officials to...

With relatively few strings attached to the $350 billion in funds states and municipalities will receive, the door is wide open for governments to make a dent in their housing needs. But will they?

Affordable Housing for LGBTQ Seniors

LGBTQ seniors are more likely than peers their age to experience discrimination, leaving them more likely to be poor and have chronic health problems. What does it take to create affordable, LGBTQ-friendly senior housing?

Lessons from 20 Years of Enabling Tenants to Buy Their Buildings

As cities across the country consider giving tenants the right of first refusal, municipalities must be meticulous in crafting policies that preserve and expand tenants' ability to form housing cooperatives.

Funding to Purchase Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing

A closer look at three funds that have helped preserve NOAH properties and kept them affordable for years to come.

Giving Tenants the First Opportunity to Purchase Their Homes

Versions of a law known as the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act are being proposed across the country—in places like New York, Massachusetts and California. Could giving tenants a first right of purchase further protect renters?

Right on Target: Reaching New Heights In DC

Vacant land gives way to residential and commercial development is a classic urban renewal storyline, but DC's Columbia Heights is getting more than just retail and residential: it’s reclaiming its history.

Strong Centers Make Healthier Regions

The signs continue to mount that the housing market continues to move in favor of central locations, and away from sprawl. It’s all a...