Seizing the Opportunity for Affordable Housing Nationwide

July 16, 2019                       By: Emily Cadik

AHTCC's Emily Cadik says it's a critical time to advocate.

Emily Cadik

Advocates of affordable housing have an important opportunity in today’s political climate. Despite legislative gridlock and deep partisan conflict, affordable housing has emerged as one of the few topics met with bipartisan support.

Rent is skyrocketing in nearly every corner of the United States. From rural farm regions to our densest cities in red and blue states alike, paying the rent has become increasingly burdensome. Rental rates soar as wages slowly creep, still below prerecession benchmarks in many states. As a result, over 10 million American households pay more than half their monthly income on rent. For particularly vulnerable demographics, including people with disabilities, veterans, and senior citizens, the situation can be even more dire.

And while white-hot housing markets in urban centers continue to make headlines, housing affordability challenges extend far beyond metro regions, where rents are driven upward by scarcity and rising demand. As the crisis spans more and more of the U.S., so has the recognition among members of Congress that something must be done to address it................Read More