Vouchers fall short as affordable homes sit empty in America’s cities

The AP reports that despite federal subsidies, only a fraction of eligible families receive housing vouchers, while many affordable units sit vacant in cities like Austin, Denver, and Portland. As 60% AMI rents edge toward market-rate, landlords favor quicker market-rate approvals and bureaucratic hurdles for affordable housing persist, highlighting a funding shortfall and access barriers that leave the poorest still without homes even when units exist.