Dr. Raul Fernandez’s Post

Thousands of young people are missing out on a safe place to live each year because community housing providers get more rent from older adults, research has revealed. The lead author of the University of New South Wals research, Dr Ryan van den Nouwelant, said providers stood to lose 46% of the possible rental income if they chose a young person over an adult on a higher social security payment. Providers received $100 extra each week for housing someone on the aged pension compared with someone on youth allowance, and $22 more for housing a 22-year-old on the disability support pension than a 20-year-old on the same payment, he said. “If you’re on a lower income payment, because the rent is tethered to your income, you are charged less rent,” Van den Nouwelant said. “There’s this real disincentive. Comment: This is why Inclusionary Zoning requiring a substantial portion of all residential be affordable to families of lower moderate and workforce incomes is the only way to increase the supply of Affordable Housing along with increasing the supply of Market Rate Units. Anything that does NOT increase the supply of housing only increases the cost and price of existing supply.

An advocacy group in #Bozeman is calling on young people and low-income renters to take on the city's notorious housing crunch. More than half of the people who live in Bozeman are renters. The latest Community Housing Needs Assessment showed Bozeman needs up to 6,300 housing units in the next 5 years just to keep up with job growth. Jacqueline Aaron, voter engagement and housing organizer for the advocacy group Forward Montana, said people who can least afford it are paying more than 50% of their income on rent and even then, not living where they want to. "The units are being built out on the edges of town, sprawling into our agricultural land, getting pushed outside of the community," Aaron pointed out. "I think a lot of people who really thrive in our urban center and want to be participating in the parts of community life that they value here." Aaron argued Bozeman's development codes should reflect the desire for people to be able to live closer to town and said it was a common theme at a recent hearing. Officials will hold a work session Sept. 17 to discuss ways to address the housing shortage within the bounds of Bozeman's existing and future ordinances. Forward Montana said 60% of the housing units in Bozeman should be priced below market value to meet the full range of community housing needs. Aaron emphasized Bozeman's more established residents have had a large hand in shaping the town's housing ordinances, and she is encouraging young people to make their voices heard as the Bozeman City Commission considers what is next for the Affordable Housing Ordinance. "We're missing out on this over 55% of people who are renting, and a good chunk of those are these young people that are affected," Aaron stressed. Bozeman officials voiced support during a recent hearing for adding more than 1,600 affordable housing units in town, and there are more on the horizon. Communities now use incentives to encourage developers to build affordable housing. Disclosure: Forward Montana contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement, LGBTQIA Issues, Reproductive Health, and Youth Issues. 

In the past decade, Durham and Chapel Hill residents have seen apartment buildings, townhome complexes and mixed-use structures burst into view along highways and in city centers. But more housing hasn’t meant more housing for all. Even in the years since Durham residents passed a $95 million affordable housing bond in 2019, homelessness and the cost of living have continued to rise. Now, two University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty members and a local community partner are pooling their expertise to take a hard look at the effects of structural racism on affordable housing in Durham and Orange counties. Funded by RWJF, the team is conducting a 3-year study led by the CEF: Community Empowerment Fund, a local nonprofit that provides financial coaching and employment support to people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Drawing together a rich mix of historical policy data, environmental data, and interview data from CEF members, the study promises to bring fresh insights to CEF and local policymakers about the factors that are solving or amplifying housing needs in these two North Carolina counties. The team’s research into the histories shaping the affordable housing landscape in Durham and Chapel Hill provides a backdrop for their project’s current phase, which is assessing how structural racism in the housing system is affecting CEF members today. “We want to have some ideas about how we can suggest government dollars are spent on affordable housing: where it’s located, how it’s provided and how it’s maintained,” said Allison De Marco, the project’s third core member and an adjunct professor at #UNCSSW. Read more about this study ⬇️ UNC Research UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

Our mission addresses the diverse needs of various populations: youth aging out of foster care, transitioning youth, maternal populations, Medicaid recipients with chronic health issues, and older adults. Each group faces unique challenges, and we’re here with a spectrum of services—from home remediation and housing navigation to transitions to specialized care. Rethinking housing means embracing innovative solutions. At Upside, we envision a future where stable, affordable housing is a reality for all. https://lnkd.in/eyPbEBKV

Last week, Deputy Sam Mézec Minister of Housing in Jersey, announced the age threshold for social housing has been lowered from 35 to 30 with plans to decrease it to 25 later this year. In addition, the maximum annual income thresholds will be raised to £38,818 for single and £52,462 for joint applicants. These changes mark a pivotal step towards housing equality and ensuring that younger individuals without children have equitable access to housing support. Speaking about the move, Deputy Mezec said: “I am pleased to announce these changes to expand eligibility for social housing to more young people. "A key aspect of resolving our housing crisis is to ensure that all Islanders who need it are supported into affordable housing. Until now, younger people without children have had no choice but to pay high rents in the private sector, and potentially live in rental stress, because they were excluded from accessing social housing. “Because of the brilliant work of Andium Homes in developing more homes, we are now in a position to be able to offer social housing to more Islanders, without overwhelming the waiting lists. As even more new homes are delivered, I am hopeful we can continue to widen the eligibility criteria, so social housing can be a tenure of choice across our community for all who need it.” https://lnkd.in/eibzdTZi Andium Homes Government of Jersey

Fair Housing News | HUD Awards Over $32 Million to Fight Housing Discrimination; Funding will support and promote fair housing nationwide WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $31.7 million from its FY 2024 budget to support 75 fair housing organizations across the nation through the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). These funds are being directed to second- and third-year multi-year grantees of the Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) to continue their ongoing fair housing enforcement endeavors on a national scale. The grant funds will empower the recipients to carry out fair housing enforcement through a range of activities, including conducting thorough investigations, implementing fair housing testing to uncover instances of discrimination in both rental and sales markets, and taking the necessary steps to file fair housing complaints either with HUD or equivalent state and local agencies. The grantees will also engage in educational and outreach initiatives to educate the public, housing providers, and local government bodies about the rights and obligations outlined in the Fair Housing Act and the fair housing services that grantees provide. “Ensuring fair access to quality and affordable housing for people who have been historically discriminated against is one of the foundations of our mission,” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “As part of our commitment to promote inclusive communities around the country, we support local governments and private organizations to ensure they have the tools they need to enforce the Fair Housing Act. Today’s awards are providing significant resources to our private partners on the ground.” HUD is also extending financial support to an additional five grantees -- the Family Housing Advisory Services, Rogers Park Community Council, Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence (HOPE), Inc., Intermountain Fair Housing Council, Inc., and Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc. under the Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) component -- using $500,000 in unspent funds from the FY 2023 budget. “The Fair Housing Initiative Program continues to be a bedrock for empowering our state and local partners in advancing fair housing at the grassroots level,” said Diane M. Shelley, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “The funds provided today will drive meaningful progress and create lasting positive impact within the communities we serve.” To learn more, go to https://lnkd.in/eqaThHF.

It is imperative we see what we can be, and when you see it, you can also feel it. This Cleveland native modeled the focus, passion and the leadership we all need in housing. "This is not a red or blue issue, ...Its and American issue." Yes, yes it is...and a gender issue, and a youth issue, and an elderly issue, and a race issue, and a resource issue, and a violence issue, and a health care issue, and an education issue, and an affordable housing issue, and a heart issue and a... https://lnkd.in/gFUTDxU5

"..only 6% of the 74 individuals who were interviewed were able to access formal housing support. 33% said that they were forced to find other means of survival – which meant relying on friends and family." — Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis: Elevating the Voices of Young People, Dalio Education Connecticut's housing affordability crisis is impacting our children's futures. A safe, affordable home isn’t only a place to live – it’s a platform for opportunity and social mobility. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dhvCer #HereForHousing #HousingAffordability

For Immediate Release April 30, 2024 ICYMI – Ranking Member Waters' Op-ed: “Dear America, it’s Time to Fulfill the Promises of the Fair Housing Act.” WASHINGTON, D.C. - As Fair Housing Month draws to a close, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Com., published an opinion piece for The Grio reflecting on the ongoing legacy of housing discrimination & inequality 56 years after the Fair Housing Act was signed into law. In the op-ed, Waters calls for long-overdue investments in fair & affordable housing & equitable community development to help finally fulfill the promises of the Fair Housing Act for all Americans & address our nation’s worsening housing & homelessness crisis. Over the years, the Dept Housing and Urban Development and local fair housing organizations have received record-breaking levels of reported housing discrimination complaints each year, including over 33,000 in 2022 alone. However, we know that discrimination goes woefully underreported. In 2018, at least 1 in 4 people, or 68 million, believed they had been treated differently in their search for housing because of their status as a member of a protected class under the Fair Housing Act. Other barriers, such as redlining, exclusionary zoning & land use ordinances, continue to lock members of protected classes out of equitable housing opportunities. Many communities across the country are also more segregated today than they were in 1990, which further entrenches poverty & wealth and homeownership gaps across racial and ethnic lines. Indeed, Black & Latinx renters are twice as likely to face eviction compared to white renters & are overrepresented among the homeless population. Our nation also faces widening racial wealth and homeownership gaps with the average net worth of homeowners — who are more likely to be white — 40 times greater than that of renters. Meanwhile, for people with disabilities, integrated and accessible housing opportunities are severely limited, with data showing that less than 1% of homes in the U.S. are wheelchair accessible and just 5% are accessible to people with moderate disabilities. We have even seen some local governments continue to use federal housing and community funds in discriminatory ways that violate the Fair Housing Act. …Last year, I reintroduced my historic housing package to continue building on our efforts, including the “Housing Crisis Response Act,” the “Ending Homelessness Act,” and the “Downpayment Toward Equity Act.” Together, these bills represent the single largest and most comprehensive investment in fair and affordable housing in U.S. history. I call on our nation’s leaders to work with me to help deliver on the urgent need to end the U.S. housing crisis and fulfill the promise of fair housing for all. Sent from the Committee on Financial Services 4340 O'Neill House Building, Washington, DC 20515 | T (202) 225-4247

I am always interested in who can access services and who doesn't. Thus what caught my eye was the Canadian paper, "Access to Community Support Services among Older Adults in Social Housing in Ontario" Christine Sheppard Matthew Yau Claire Semple Candy Lee, Dr. Jocelyn Charles Andrea Austen & Sander L. Hitzig The study was conducted in Toronto, Ontario, specifically focusing on older adults living in social housing provided by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC). 🔍 The study highlights significant overlaps in community support services for older adults in social housing, revealing a lack of coordination among agencies. This duplication leads to inefficiencies, making it hard for seniors to access the help they need. Key challenges include: Low Utilization Rates: Only about one-third of older tenants were receiving available services. Siloed Services: The separation of housing and health services creates barriers to access. Lack of Awareness: Many seniors lack access to medical providers who can guide them to necessary services. Social Factors: Age, ethnicity, and language barriers further complicate access. Addressing these issues is crucial for improving support for older adults. Let's work towards better coordination and awareness! 💪 #CommunitySupport #OlderAdults #SocialHousing https://bit.ly/47RgEcB