Housing

Few Homeowners in Forbearance in April; Number Expected to Grow
The Mortgage Bankers Association surveyed the U.S. home mortgage servicing market for indications about how the nation's 26.9 million home loans were holding up during the first weeks of the pandemic.

Texas Losing its Housing Affordability Advantage
Trends pre-dating Covid-19 showed housing affordability slipping away from many residents in Texas. The pandemic will likely only exacerbate the trend, according to this analysis.

Strengthening the Safety Net With Universal Housing Assistance
The Urban Institute simulated a model to predict the cost of a universal housing assistance program to support those who face homelessness.

Experts Expect Rent to Drop, Along With Incomes
There is no silver lining in the news that experts expect the cost of rental housing to decline as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Office-to-Residential Conversions Considered as Workers Go Remote
Reduced demand for office space after coronavirus could lead New York landlords to consider the conversion of offices to residential spaces.

Safe At Home: Securing Affordable Housing in a Pandemic
An interview on the critical importance of securing quality affordable housing during the pandemic, coupled with the challenge of responding to the operational needs of ongoing development projects.

Using Inmate Labor to Build Affordable Housing
How do we balance the need to provide job training to those incarcerated with the need to ensure that prisoners are not exploited for their work?

Friday Funny: An Adorable Housing Shortage in Cupcake Kingdom
A satirical article from last year, written by the Onion, offers a bit of satire as either a distraction from the public health crisis or as a reminder of the crisis that existed before the novel coronavirus.

Planning More Important Than Ever During the Pandemic
The work of planners might seem unimportant during the pandemic, according to this article, but some of the skills and expertise of planning are more important than ever.

Rent Crisis Deferred
One-third of tenants didn't pay rent in April, according to a data released today by the National Multifamily Housing Council.

Shipping Delays Causing Construction Slowdown
Materials procured overseas are taking longer to arrive in the United States, and the delays are causing a ripple effect in the construction industry.

Court Strikes Down Portion of New York's Rent Control Law
A controversial statewide rent control law passed into law by the state of New York last year has suffered a setback in the state's highest court.

Housing Market Showing Signs of the Coronavirus Pandemic
A high-ranking federal official also issued a warning about the potential for the pandemic to affect mortgage borrowers.

Stoops as a Respite in These Challenging Times
As New York City has shut down and people remain physically isolated, stoops provide spaces where residents can safely connect with others and the city itself.

How the Pandemic Is Stressing the Mortgage System
As the outbreak continues, the country’s housing finance system faces a number of serious threats and challenges.

Deciding Not to Rebuild After Climate-Related Disasters
Officials in cities along the East Coast are realizing that maybe they shouldn’t rebuild on land that repeatedly floods. But that’s easier said than done.

Multifamily Housing Industry Reacts to Congressional COVID-19 Package
The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) on the law's impact on multifamily housing.

HUD Urged to Make Tenant Income Adjustments Automatic by April 1
Preventing catastrophe when eviction moratoriums lift requires major waivers and changes of policy—but ones advocates say are fully within HUD's power.

The Disruption of 'Safer at Home' for L.A.'s Unhoused
Alisa Orduña shares her insight on Santa Monica's COVID-19 response and the pandemic's disruption both on the lives of L.A.'s unhoused and the approach cities take towards crises of public health, safety, and wellbeing, going forward.

Disparate Impact Won't Save Us From Exclusionary Zoning
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) imposes liability upon landlords and governments whose policies have a discriminatory effect against racial minorities. However, the courts have interpreted this doctrine narrowly.
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