Shelterforce Magazine
Making Homeownership Work Better
Programs that help households of color buy homes haven't made much of a dent in the racial wealth gap. But some strategies could generate better outcomes for buyers.
Increased Homeownership Won’t Close the Racial Wealth Gap
Despite the hopes pinned on it, homeownership is still too affected by institutionalized racism at every turn to be an equalizer.
The Pandemic Housing Market Is Not Like the Great Recession’s
The pandemic housing market may be a different beast from the recession market, but the outcomes could be eerily similar.
How One of Boston's Top Evictors Changed Its Ways
A major for-profit affordable housing provider hasn't evicted a single tenant since early 2020. How did the company do it, and can its method be a model for other developers?
How Affordable Housers Perpetuate Past Harms, and How They Can Do Better
Some elements of affordable housing—from the development process to the way buildings are managed—are rooted in racist assumptions that dehumanize residents. Here are some simple ways you can be a better housing provider.
Minneapolis, St. Paul Voters Say ‘Yes’ to Rent Stabilization
Despite an all-out effort by the housing industry to stop them, two rent stabilization initiatives were given the green light following this month’s election.
What Is NIMBYism and How Do Affordable Housing Developers Respond to It?
NIMBYism is often expressed as concerns about crime, congestion, schools, property values, and “quality of life.” But when developments are built these fears rarely come to pass.
Could France's Approach to Combating NIMBYism Work in the United States?
France passed a law that required cities to have a certain percentage of social housing. Since then the country's most exclusionary cities and suburbs have seen a fivefold increase in the availability of social housing.
The Racial Reckoning in Public Spaces
Following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, there was an explosion of anti-racist street art across the country. “When we allow ourselves to release our emotions, oftentimes what is produced out of that is art.”
Minor Defendants: Kids Are Being Named in Evictions
Absurd as it may sound, minor children are sometimes named in eviction filings. If a child’s name makes in onto official court records—especially if those records are public and online—the damage can be irreversible.
Contracting with the Community
To connect with hard-to-reach communities, a Twin Cities agency diverted some of its consulting budget away from national firms and to organizations that already had those relationships.
In Defense of Asian American Neighborhoods
How do you address a history of anti-Asian housing discrimination? Not by destroying Asian American communities.
As Rent Relief Efforts Drag on, Treasury is Redistributing Funds
"This is not about reward and punishment … It’s about speeding up effective relief for families in need of housing security and eviction protection."
Affordable Housing: 'In the Direct Path of Climate Change'
Managers of affordable housing at the deadly northern end of Ida's path review what worked, what didn't, and what we might need to abandon altogether.
How to Make Universal Vouchers Actually Work
If Congress gave the Housing Choice Voucher program enough money to serve every income-eligible applicant, what other reforms would be needed so every voucher recipient could find a decent home in a suitable area?
New Public Housing? HUD Has Found a Way
For decades, the number of public housing units across the U.S. has been shrinking. But within the limits of the law and funding, HUD has figured out a way to get back some of the housing that has been lost.
How to Get Racial Equity Into Biden's Infrastructure Plan
Congress has an opportunity to acknowledge the racial inequity built into our failing infrastructure and to put into operation the promise of equity in Biden’s infrastructure plans.
Changing the Rules to Bring More Capital to Developers of Color
LISC and Enterprise, two large community development intermediaries, have announced major racial equity initiatives that emphasize how affordable housing gets built—and who builds it. We take a closer look at what they’re planning.
Rescue Plan has Billions Available for Housing, Advocates Urge Officials to Take It
With relatively few strings attached to the $350 billion in funds states and municipalities will receive, the door is wide open for governments to make a dent in their housing needs. But will they?
'Gentrification' Is Not the Real Problem
The conversation about gentrification continually repackages a set of debunked theories as reality and it obscures a set of real crises that need fixing.
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
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
