Housing
The nation’s last refuge for affordable homes is in Northeast Ohio
There are no states left where everybody could afford to buy a home.
Can Bozeman provide affordable housing and preserve its small-town past?
As Montana cities face an affordability crisis, some state policies limit what local governments can do to support affordable housing.
South Carolina Is considered a model for ‘managed retreat’ from coastal areas threatened by climate change
The state has identified hundreds of thousands of homes that will need to be abandoned. But at one flagship buyout, only one in 10 eligible homeowners signed up.
Homelessness can’t be cut big-time? Don’t tell Sacramento.
COMMENTARY | Since 2022, overall homelessness in the city and county has decreased by more than a quarter. Officials credit intergovernmental collaboration and commitment.
Housing finally becomes a focus in a presidential campaign
With home prices at record highs, the Harris-Walz campaign has outlined a policy agenda that it says will spur construction of 3 million new units in four years.
Amid increases in evictions, cities are turning to right-to-counsel programs
Richmond, Virginia, is the latest city to try providing lawyers for tenants facing eviction if they can't afford one. The approach has shown success in keeping people in their homes.
A prescription for housing?
Maryland is investing $5.4 million to help expand a promising pilot program that connects housing and health care statewide.
See how your state uses zoning codes to control land use
A newly expanded online tool makes it easier for policymakers and the public to understand their states' zoning landscape.
Ballot questions tackle high property taxes that come with rising home values
Colorado’s new cap on property tax revenue isn’t enough for some activists. Conservatives elsewhere agree.
California’s aging population is on the front lines of extreme heat
By the end of this decade, 10.8 million Californians — or one quarter of the state’s population — will be over 60 years old. That could change the way the state prepares for rising temperatures.
Featured eBooks
A year after the Maui wildfires, are new housing policies keeping locals housed?
Hawaii has adopted several laws to head off disaster gentrification and ensure affordable housing is available to local residents. The nation is watching to see how those efforts play out.
States, cities want to help Generation Z buy their first home
Many Gen Zers see homeownership as an “unattainable dream.” Cities and states are stepping in to invest in programs to help them become homeowners.
A tweak to the tax code could break “honest graft” and fix the housing crisis
COMMENTARY | Antiquated tax policies have long rewarded speculators who sit on vacant land and penalized landowners who build something on it. A land value tax could change that.
States, cities consider ‘mansion taxes’ to fund affordable housing
From sales taxes to real estate transfer taxes, governments are desperately trying to identify dedicated funding tracts for homelessness and housing initiatives.
Zoning reform made way for an explosion of smaller homes in California. Will it work elsewhere?
Encouraged by California’s success, states across the country are passing laws to allow for more accessory dwelling units to address a shortage of affordable homes. But a slew of factors can keep the housing solution from taking off.
This housing fix could help build more homes. But firefighters are sounding the alarm.
At the center of the housing debate are building codes, and whether states’ bids to update them to address the affordable housing crises poses safety risks to the individuals they are trying to help.
A swing constituency could help allow more homes
A survey could help illuminate for policymakers which housing reforms are more popular than others with a swing group of voters.
Building emergency housing to meet the unique needs of older adults
A silver tsunami of older adults experiencing homelessness is starting to crash across the U.S. Here’s how one state is trying to soften the blow.
How matchmaking can address two housing needs
As America’s population rapidly ages and housing costs soar, some states are playing matchmaker and matching young people in need of affordable housing with older adults with room to spare.
Platform lets cities, residents shop granny flat options
Like an Etsy for accessory dwelling units, an online platform displays preapproved designs and specs for ADUs, giving local governments a tool for streamlining construction and reducing the housing shortage.
