About 2.5 million homes have been converted into rental units since 2007 as homeowners try to wait out the loss in value of their properties, according to a new study.
"There are three main causes behind the shift, said Cynthia Kroll, senior regional economist at the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
Homeowners unable to keep up with monthly mortgage payments are renting out their homes or rooms in their homes to help cover costs, recently-built condominiums originally slated for sale are instead being converted into rental apartments and buyers of foreclosed properties are renting out the homes rather than selling them."
FULL STORY: Unable to Sell Their Houses, Millions of Homeowners are Turning Into Landlords

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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