A new White House policy to reduce homelessness seeks to address the root issues that cause people to lose housing and stimulate housing production.
Writing for NPR, Jennifer Ludden reports on the Biden administration’s new plan to address the nation’s homelessness crisis. As Ludden explains, while hundreds of thousands of unhoused Americans have moved into housing in the last five years, roughly the same number have become homeless in the same period, canceling out any progress. “Over the course of this year, more than a million individuals and families were without housing at some point, and they were disproportionately people of color, a disparity the plan aims to address.”
The White House plan calls for a 25 percent reduction in the number of unsheltered people in the next three years. “The new plan includes a range of ways to boost the supply of affordable housing, as well as increase the number of emergency shelters and support programs. But its biggest change is a call for the ‘systematic prevention of homelessness,’ focusing on those who are struggling to keep them from losing their housing.”
The policy signals a shift toward addressing the root causes of homelessness and developing interventions that help people stay in their homes. In San Diego, a pilot program subsidizes rent for low—income seniors and others, distributing relatively small amounts of money—up to $500—that can make a crucial difference for households struggling to keep up with rent.
The article describes other programs designed to identify people at risk for losing their housing and providing assistance early on. Advocates say this not only helps keep people housed, but reduces the cost of interventions.
Meanwhile, the policy acknowledges the impact of the country’s housing shortage. “Among many other things, the Biden administration's plan on homelessness includes ongoing efforts to make it easier to use federal tax credits to build low income housing, and encourages communities to rezone for denser development.”
FULL STORY: It is the obvious thing.' The White House tries a new tack to combat homelessness
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.