New data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shows that the rental market is improving for the most at-risk populations in the country.
According to an article by Lydia DePillis, the country's poorest renters are finally seeing better prospects for their housing needs. DePillis explains the findings of a report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:
"…after more than a decade of housing being out of reach for more and more low-income renters, the number of people with severe housing problems started to ease off between 2011 and 2013, according to the federal department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) analysis of those with severe housing needs."
The HUD report counted people with "worst case housing needs." In other words they meet all three of the following criteria: 1) income lower than 50 percent of the area median income, 2) rental costs totaling more than half their income, and 3) no housing subsidies. The article includes some discussion of why fewer people are meeting those criteria.
According to DePillis, HUD is careful to note that the country still has an affordable housing problem, though hopefully this data means the country is turning a corner.
FULL STORY: America’s poorest renters are finally catching a break

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

OKC Approves 7.2 Miles of New Bike Lanes
The city council is implementing its BikeWalkOKC plan, which recommends new bike lanes on key east-west corridors.

Preserving Houston’s ‘Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing’
Unsubsidized, low-cost rental housing is a significant source of affordable housing for Houston households, but the supply is declining as units fall into disrepair or are redeveloped into more expensive units.

The Most Popular Tree on Google?
Meet Rodney: the Toronto tree getting rave reviews.
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.
Florida Atlantic University
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service