All articles tagged with #affordable housing
A Build America, Buy America law that requires domestic sourcing for federally funded construction is delaying affordable housing projects and adding costs, contributing to the ongoing U.S. housing crisis with slowed timelines in developments across states like Maine and Colorado.
Portland’s zoning overhaul legalized duplexes, fourplexes and backyard homes and then removed the barriers to building them, turning “middle housing” into a practical, cheaper path to homeownership; the city’s incentives and streamlined permitting have spurred more construction, a model that other cities are watching and copying.
Republicans and Democrats back a sweeping housing bill that would streamline environmental reviews, speed up construction, modernize factory-built homes, and bar large investors from buying more single-family homes, in a bid to ease a 60% price rise since 2019 and a roughly 4-million-home shortage ahead of elections.
The U.S. Senate is nearing passage of a White House-backed, bipartisan package to lower housing costs, featuring new grants and a ban on large institutional investors from buying hundreds of homes in an effort to boost affordability ahead of the midterm elections.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s second Oval Office meeting with President Trump reportedly involved keeping the encounter secret at the White House’s urging, as Mamdani pitched a massive Queens housing project at Sunnyside Yard—an estimated $21 billion in federal grants to deliver about 12,000 affordable homes plus parks and services. The talks reflect a rare alliance that could yield a legacy project while testing Mamdani’s progressive base, with the mayor softening his stance toward Trump and signaling more cooperation if it benefits New Yorkers; Trump praised him and the schedule hinted at further discussions, even as immigration issues and political optics loom large.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump plans to outline a housing affordability strategy backed by billionaire investors and international commitments, while critics argue his focus remains on the wealthy and foreign deals rather than working-class relief.
New York City Comptroller Mark Levine says Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces a cumulative $12 billion budget gap—about $2 billion this year and roughly $10 billion next year—and vows to be an activist watchdog, outlining plans to triple the pension funds’ investment in subsidized housing to $3 billion, resume Israeli-bond purchases for the pension portfolio, and audit the Housing Preservation and Development agency to speed housing, while noting tax increases are unlikely unless Hochul includes them in her budget.
California lawmakers are moving a $10 billion housing bond (SB 417) to fund affordable housing, wildfire prevention, and down-payment assistance, aiming for a June ballot with the governor backing the pro-housing agenda; a separate rent-control measure (AB 1157) died in committee, while lawmakers also grapple with SB 79’s implications for transit-oriented development and displacement near mobile-home parks.
The Philadelphia Housing Authority plans to invest $84 million to transform over two dozen vacant properties in Germantown into 121 affordable rental units, with work expected to start by spring 2027. The project aims to revitalize blighted properties, including historic sites, and provide deeply affordable housing for households earning at or below 30% of the area median income. The initiative follows a history of neglect and legal battles involving previous ownership, and is part of broader efforts to improve neighborhood housing.
Outgoing NYC Mayor Eric Adams vetoed 19 bills passed by the City Council, including measures on housing, street vending, and police oversight, citing concerns over bureaucracy and law enforcement. He also convened a new charter revision commission, sparking controversy and potential conflicts with the incoming administration and City Council, which may seek to override some vetoes.
A contentious dispute over the Venice Dell affordable housing project in Los Angeles involves city officials, developers, and state authorities, with the state threatening to cut funding and strip zoning powers if the city continues to block the project, which has faced nearly a decade of opposition and legal battles.
The San Francisco Community Land Trust purchased a five-unit building in the Mission District, securing long-term housing for its tenants and preventing displacement, with the city supporting the $1.55 million purchase through various programs, providing relief and stability to longtime residents.
The mayor of Barcelona warns that Europe's soaring housing costs are a 'new pandemic,' urging the EU to allocate billions for affordable housing to address a social emergency impacting millions and threatening democratic stability.
A billionaire investor group purchased and renovated the Riverview apartment complex in Steamboat Springs, offering below-market rents to local workers without income qualifications, aiming to address the housing shortage and preserve community culture. The initiative highlights a potential model for rapid affordable housing solutions in high-cost mountain towns, driven by private investment and swift execution.
Residents of the deteriorating Northmere SRO building in Uptown were forced to leave after a court-ordered vacate due to unsafe conditions, leaving many with nowhere to go and highlighting the ongoing loss of affordable housing in the area.