Public Housing

A dense neighborhood, with the long island expressway running through it.

Long Island public housing applicants face longest wait times in America

Applicants to large, medium and small housing authorities in Long Beach all face exceptionally long waiting periods.

September 6, 2026 - Newsday

Grey two-story identical apartment buildings in a row in Houston, Texas.

Troubled Houston housing agency announces plan to resolve 'material deficiencies'

The newly renamed Housing Alliance Houston has created a new accounting team and instituted new tenant file inspections, per a recent update required by HUD.

July 28, 2026 - Houston Chronicle

Cover of Homes for Living book.

Book review: Co-ops, commons and the conundrum of cashing in on the American dream

Jonathan Tarleton’s "Homes for Living: The Fight for Social Housing and a New American Commons" shows what happens when a loophole in housing legislation opens the door to the privatization of a common good — and when an affordable home suddenly becomes a commodity.

June 29, 2026 - Stephanie Rouse

Seven-story apartment building in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle social housing agency can now issue bonds

The new Seattle Social Housing Developer funds affordable housing through a tax on the city's highest-paying companies.

June 24, 2026 - The Center Square

Red brick high-rise public housing buildings in Queens, New York City.

NYC mayor announces plan to repair, restore and build new public housing

Roughly 300,000 New Yorkers live in the city's public housing system.

May 27, 2026 - The New York Times

Apartment building built by Seattle Social Housing Developer in Seattle, Washington.

New Washington State Law Lets Cities Give Social Housing Developers City-owned Land

In its current form, HB 1687, which authorizes local governments to assist social housing agencies with land or other resources, only applies to Seattle.

March 23, 2026 - The Urbanist

High-rise red brick public housing buildings in New York City.

Report: Hundreds of Vacant NYC Public Housing Units ‘Taken Over’ by Squatters

The city’s housing authority says it often takes months to renovate apartments for new tenants, leading to hundreds of empty units that pose safety risks to neighbors.

March 6, 2026 - City Limits

Seattle City Hall facade with stairs up to building and red and orange fall leaves on trees.

Seattle Social Housing Tax on Highest-paid Jobs Will Bring in Close to $115 Million in First Year

A 5 percent tax on the highest-paying jobs has brought in twice as much new revenue for social housing as originally predicted.

February 22, 2026 - Publicola

Three-story modern apartment buildings in Houston, Texas.

HUD Orders Houston to Submit Plan for Fixing Mismanaged Affordable Housing System

The Houston Housing Authority recently rebranded with a new name, a new CEO, and a new financial team after years of complaints about mismanagement and a lack of transparency.

February 5, 2026 - ABC 13 News

Round modernist concrete public housing towers with arched windows in Chicago, Illinois.

HUD Threatens Sanctions for Housing Authorities That Don’t Verify Resident Immigration Status

The Trump administration continues its crackdown on undocumented immigrants, claiming it is “rooting out abuse of taxpayer-funded resources.”

January 27, 2026 - The Seattle Times

Brick public housing building in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

HUD to Investigate Minneapolis Over Allegations of ‘Racial and Ethnic Favoritism’ in Housing Policy

The Trump administration says the city’s housing policies and support of ‘cultural districts’ are racially discriminatory, while city leaders call the investigation politically motivated.

January 23, 2026 - Multifamily Dive

Window AC units on a brick building.

New NYC Law Requires Landlords to Provide AC Units — But not in Public Housing

Building owners are required to install AC units for tenants who request them in the next four years, but tenants are on the hook for electricity costs.

January 23, 2026 - Brick Underground

Two-story public housing building with dark red wood cladding on leafy street in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

How Cambridge Restored its Public Housing

In Cambridge, Massachusetts, residents speak positively of the renovations to their public housing stock. The housing authority attributes its success to an innovative mix of RAD with other funding sources.

December 31, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Group of seniors doing tai chi in park in New York City.

How a NYC Teen is Helping Chinese Seniors Navigate the Affordable Housing System

For low-income seniors with limited English and tech proficiency, navigating New York City's affordable housing systems is a challenge. To help, we must think beyond affordability.

November 21, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Tall brick public housing project in Bronx, New York City.

Two Weeks After Explosion, HUD Lays off Entire Building Inspection Staff

The move risks leaving subsidized housing with no oversight just weeks after a Bronx building partially collapsed.

October 16, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Eviction notice with bold red "Eviction Notice" text taped to brown wooden door.

DC Evictions Surge to Record Levels

Washington D.C. renters are losing housing aid and pandemic-era protections, leading to a wave of evictions.

October 16, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Bird's eye view of large apartment complex under construction next to four-lane road near Atlanta, Georgia.

How Atlanta Built 7,000 Housing Units in 3 Years

The city’s comprehensive, neighborhood-focused housing strategy focuses on identifying properties and land that can be repurposed for housing and encouraging development in underserved neighborhoods.

April 9, 2025 - Governing

Rendering of National Public Housing Museum in brick building in Chicago, Illinois.

Museum of Public Housing Opens in Chicago

The museum highlights the history of public housing in the United States using displays intimately woven with family artifacts.

April 2, 2025 - Block Club Chicago

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Aerial view of Rhode Island state capitol in Providence, Rhode Island.

How Will Rhode Island Spend a $120M Housing Bond?

Voters approved a bond measure that includes up to $10 million for creating a public housing entity.

December 15, 2024 - Governing

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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