Author: Chris Holden
-
What’s next for renters, now that the eviction moratorium is gone?
As the pandemic has dragged on, millions of low-income renters kept their homes because of the national eviction moratorium ordered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Now that the Supreme Court has struck down the CDC order, what can renters expect as they try to hold off eviction? The help that you…
-
Millions of renters at risk as Supreme Court overturns CDC eviction moratorium
The Supreme Court put millions of renters at risk of losing their homes after a ruling on Thursday to end the CDC eviction moratorium. Responding to an emergency petition by landlord groups, the court overturned the national eviction moratorium ordered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The court said that the…
-
Northwest heat waves spotlight emergency planning needs for homeless
Homeless person on a bench. Photo by piercecountywa.gov Homeless people have been the most vulnerable residents during this summer’s heat waves in the Pacific Northwest. Gaps in local emergency planning left homeless residents in many northwest communities without water and other assistance at their time of greatest need. The increasing number and severity of climate-related…
-
House passes FY 22 HUD spending bill with thousands of new vouchers
Thousands more low-income renters nationwide will have affordable homes if new voucher funding is passed for next year’s budget. Most affordable housing programs saw increased funding in the Fiscal Year 2022 HUD spending bill passed by the House of Representatives this month. The House approved $56.5 billion for HUD in FY 2022. This is $314…
-
Hot homebuyer market is hurting low-income renters
Buyers looking to purchase a new home in many areas of the country are facing skyrocketing home prices. In some hot markets, buyers are making all-cash offers thousands of dollars above the asking price. Many of these offers are being made without even an inspection of the property. But what does this frenzy in the…
-
Eviction diversion programs keep tenants out of court and in their homes
Some state and local governments are taking steps to keep low-income renters out of eviction courts as the national eviction moratorium nears its end. These state and local eviction diversion programs offer renters and landlords a less costly alternative to eviction court. Eviction diversion programs also help most renters who are behind on their rent…
-
Rising building costs could slow down new affordable housing development
The rising cost of lumber and other materials has slowed down housing production just as the nation is starting to reopen from the pandemic. This not only means fewer single-family homes and higher prices for homebuyers. It also means that fewer affordable rental properties will be built just as low-income renters need them the most.…
-
Reminder: The CDC eviction moratorium ends in two weeks
Millions of low-income renters have been protected from eviction during the pandemic because of a national eviction moratorium. Although the order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been extended several times, the eviction moratorium will expire on July 31 of this year. Some states and local jurisdictions may still have a…
-
Persistent poverty counties and the digital divide
There are hundreds of counties in the United States where poverty has been entrenched for decades. These are places where on average more than a quarter of the population lives in poverty. Although we tend to think of inner city urban areas when we think of extreme poverty, persistent poverty counties are overwhelmingly rural. What…
-
Supreme Court lets eviction moratorium stand
The Supreme Court on Tuesday let stand a national moratorium on evictions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently extended the eviction moratorium through July 31, 2021. The Supreme Court’s decision means that low-income renters will be protected from eviction until the CDC’s order expires. The CDC eviction moratorium had been overturned by…