Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

Former inmates face housing discrimination during the pandemic

By Chris Holden on May 22nd, 2020

Tagged As: Affordable Housing News, Editorials

Prisons and jails around the country have become COVID-19 hot spots. In an effort to decompress correctional facilities, many state and local governments are allowing early release of some inmates. Those being released face the same problems finding housing as anyone else leaving the criminal justice system. However, they can also face discrimination because landlords … Continue reading Former inmates face housing discrimination during the pandemic

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

HEROES Act would give a lot of support to low-income renters

By Chris Holden on May 15th, 2020

Tagged As: Affordable Housing News, Editorials

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) unveiled the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act this week. This is the House’s latest aid package to help people and businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. At $3 trillion, it would surpass the recent CARES Act as the largest aid package in U.S. history. … Continue reading HEROES Act would give a lot of support to low-income renters

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

Housing experts say landlords cannot reject or evict tenants over coronavirus fears

By Chris Holden on May 8th, 2020

Tagged As: Editorials

Low-income renters face all kinds of roadblocks to finding affordable housing. For many, discrimination has historically been an obstacle to getting and keeping a decent place to live. With fears growing as the coronavirus pandemic spreads, can landlords evict tenants or deny applicants because they might be at risk for COVID-19? Most fair housing experts … Continue reading Housing experts say landlords cannot reject or evict tenants over coronavirus fears

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

House lawmakers push national eviction ban and rent suspension

By Chris Holden on May 1st, 2020

Tagged As: Affordable Housing News, Editorials

Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are pushing legislation that will ban evictions and suspend rent payments for all renters nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of renters are not covered by a patchwork of local, state and federal eviction moratoria. Even renters in places with eviction protections will still owe crippling back … Continue reading House lawmakers push national eviction ban and rent suspension

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

Homeless persons face the worst of the coronavirus pandemic

By Chris Holden on April 23rd, 2020

Tagged As: Affordable Housing News, Editorials

Many state and local governments are recognizing that if COVID-19 spreads among the homeless population, it would be a public health disaster. Cities nationwide are making efforts to help the homeless, but there’s a lot of uncertainty when looking into the future. Shelters do not have the space for safe social distancing. Unsheltered people have … Continue reading Homeless persons face the worst of the coronavirus pandemic

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

Need for emergency rental assistance grows during the coronavirus pandemic

By Chris Holden on April 15th, 2020

Tagged As: Affordable Housing News, Editorials

Some members of Congress are calling for a bold federal commitment to emergency rental assistance during the coronavirus pandemic. Although many states have temporarily suspended evictions, just protecting low-income renters during the crisis is not enough. When the eviction orders are eventually lifted, renters will still be on the hook for months of unpaid rent, … Continue reading Need for emergency rental assistance grows during the coronavirus pandemic

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

Housing Wait List Recap: April 13, 2020

By Nathan Brunet on April 13th, 2020

Tagged As: Waiting List Openings

This week’s recap highlights Section 8, Public Housing, and other affordable housing waiting lists that are open and have been recently announced for the week of April 13, 2020. COVID-19 Notice Due to concerns of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, some waiting list openings may be postponed until further notice, or submission instructions may be adjusted. … Continue reading Housing Wait List Recap: April 13, 2020

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

Infrastructure program at risk of Trump cuts gets big boost to help communities during pandemic

By Chris Holden on April 10th, 2020

Tagged As: Affordable Housing News, Editorials

A public infrastructure program that President Trump has tried to get rid of since he took office is showing its usefulness during the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite the president’s opposition to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, Congress just gave CDBG a $5 billion increase in its most recent coronavirus stimulus package. The new funding … Continue reading Infrastructure program at risk of Trump cuts gets big boost to help communities during pandemic

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

Housing Wait List Recap: April 6, 2020

By Nathan Brunet on April 6th, 2020

Tagged As: Waiting List Openings

This week’s recap highlights Section 8, Public Housing, and other affordable housing waiting lists that are open and have been recently announced for the week of April 6, 2020. COVID-19 Notice Due to concerns of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, some waiting list openings may be postponed until further notice, or submission instructions may be adjusted. … Continue reading Housing Wait List Recap: April 6, 2020

Housing News - Affordable Housing Online

Calls grow for rent forgiveness as governments order businesses to close

By Chris Holden on April 3rd, 2020

Tagged As: Affordable Housing News, Coronavirus

Congress has suspended evictions in federally assisted housing during the coronavirus pandemic. Many states have also halted all evictions during the crisis. But people can face thousands of dollars in back rent payments when eviction suspensions are lifted. State lawmakers and Democratic presidential candidates have called for cancelling rent payments during the pandemic. At the … Continue reading Calls grow for rent forgiveness as governments order businesses to close