Author: Chris Holden
-
HUD guts another Fair Housing rule
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a rule that will make it harder for low-income renters to make housing discrimination claims. The rule changes how plaintiffs prove that policies or practices cause discriminatory effects in housing, even if that was not the intent of the policy. This “unintended discrimination” is called…
-
Trump Administration rule punishes immigrants who use public benefits
The Trump administration has issued a new 837 page rule that will severely reduce the number of legal immigrants. The rule changes how officials determine if an immigrant is likely to depend on public benefits in the future. Under the new regulation, poor immigrants, those with limited education and those who have received public benefits…
-
Are mobile homes a good affordable housing option?
Mobile homes, or manufactured housing, have long provided shelter to low-income families in the U.S. The quality of these housing units has substantially improved since 1976 when HUD implemented industry manufacturing standards. In the midst of a rental housing crisis, mobile homes may look like a good alternative for low-income renters. But mobile homes can…
-
HUD Secretary defends Trump’s racist comments about Baltimore
This week, HUD Secretary Ben Carson defended President Trump’s characterization of Baltimore as “rat and rodent infested,” and a place “no human being would want to live there.” The controversy arose through a series of tweets by Trump attacking Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD), whose district includes part of Baltimore. Representative Cummings is African-American, and the…
-
Budget deal will raise spending caps for next two years
Congressional leaders and the White House reached a two-year budget deal this week. The deal raises the budget caps that would have resulted in severe cuts across the government, including affordable housing programs. The deal also suspends the debt ceiling until after the presidential elections. If the House and Senate approve the measure, it would…
-
Why do landlords reject vouchers, and what can be done?
For low-income households struggling to pay the rent, receiving a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher can be like winning the lottery. There are not enough vouchers available for all the families that need them, and many families spend years on a waiting list before they receive assistance. Finding an apartment where that voucher can be…
-
House passes bill to help voucher holders move to better neighborhoods
The House of Representatives recently created a demonstration program whose goal is to help households with Section 8 vouchers move to areas of greater opportunity. The Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act of 2019 was introduced by Representatives Sean Duffy (R-WI) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO). It was adopted by the full House in March with…
-
HUD proposes rolling back protections for homeless LGBTQ persons
HUD recently announced it will propose a new rule to limit Equal Access protections for LGBTQ persons who are homeless. If the rule is implemented, homeless LGBTQ persons could be turned away from shelters because of their gender identity. This action follows on the heels of the administration’s proposal to evict thousands of mixed-immigration status…
-
HUD issues notice on carbon monoxide detectors after Public Housing deaths
HUD recently issued a notice regarding the need for carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in all HUD-assisted housing. The notice comes in the wake of two deaths due to gas leaks at a South Carolina public housing property, covered by Affordable Housing Online here. HUD regulations do not currently require CO detectors. Up until now, HUD…
-
Senator Warren introduces bold affordable housing bill
Ambitious new legislation could provide a major boost for low-income renters looking for an affordable home. Re-introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), The American Housing and Economic Mobility Act would substantially boost production and preservation of affordable rental housing. It would also lower rents, reduce segregation, and help homeowners hurt by the Great Recession. In…