Housing/Homelessness / Public News Service

The New Mexico Legislature passed a bill this year to provide free IDs for individuals experiencing homelessness. (Seventyfour/AdobeStock)

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Study: New Mexico Homelessness Up Nearly 50% in 2023

Rent for New Mexicans has increased 70% since 2017, while wages have only grown by 15%, which is one factor pushing more people into homelessness…

According to an Annie E. Casey Foundation report, the number of youths in foster care has declined steadily since 2006. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Report Highlights Need for Extended Transition Services for Older Youths

Teenagers and young adults in the foster care system in North Carolina and throughout the nation are not receiving sufficient services to successfully…

Community Action Agencies provide services that go beyond energy assistance and home weatherization. Many offer job training programs that take into account the barriers low-income individuals face in advancing in the workplace. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

With New Partners, MN's Poverty-Fighting Offices Expand Financial Reach

May is Community Action Month, and Minnesota agencies that help address poverty say demand for services isn't going away. To help clients thrive…

Community solar projects can make solar energy accessible to residents who may not be able to install solar panels on their own home, according to the National Association of Home Builders. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

In WV, Community Solar Gains Popularity Amid Rising Utility Bills

Amid rising energy costs and inflation, energy advocates said they have seen a jump in interest in community solar. Luanne McGovern, legislative …

Fewer than half of transition-age young people received one or more of the federally funded foster-care services meant to prepare them for success as adults between 2013 and 2021, according to a report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Fewer Youth Transition Out of MA Foster Care System

The number of children transitioning out of the foster care system has dropped significantly in Massachusetts, according to a new report. The number …

In 2020, 52% of U.S. homeowners who renovated their home were from the Baby Boomer generation, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)

USDA Makes Loans, Grants Available for Low-Income Iowans' Home Repair

AARP Iowa is working to raise awareness of loans and grants the U.S. Department of Agriculture is making available to very low-income seniors for …

Evictions are traumatic experiences for families, and new project in King County, Washington, is providing support to prevent them. (Rick/Adobe Stock)

Eviction Prevention Program Moves Upstream to Help Families

An eviction prevention program is working to ensure evictions do not happen in the first place. The United Way of King County has provided $500,000 …

North Dakota housing advocates said a landlord placing unreasonable occupancy standards on families is likely in violation of state and federal law. (Adobe Stock)

Settlement Reached in ND Housing Discrimination Case

A housing discrimination case in North Dakota dealing with occupancy standards has resulted in a settlement, and advocates say it underscores the …

If left unchecked, and without access to medications, chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure can turn into complications such as diabetic neuropathy and coronary vascular disease. (Adobe Stock)

Critical Medicines Closer to West Denver Metro Residents

After 18 months of planning and renovations, STRIDE community health center has opened its second pharmacy inside the Wheat Ridge clinic at 29th St…

Community action agencies help families with housing assistance in Massachusetts, where a critical shortage of affordable rental homes often forces low-income households to forgo other necessities<br />such as healthy food and medical care to pay the rent. (Adobe Stock)

Community Action Month Honors Agencies Across Commonwealth

Community action agencies in the Commonwealth are working with state lawmakers to ensure funding of their work to alleviate poverty continues…

A new survey found 92% of respondents age 45 and older say staying physically healthy is important. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Survey: Financial Strains Top of Mind for Older Oregonians

A new survey found older Oregonians are concerned about the cost of living in many aspects of their lives. The Vital Voices research program from …

Studies have shown that while Minnesota has an overall healthy population, there are glaring health disparities. That has prompted efforts to help racial and ethnic groups have equal access to necessities, in hopes of boosting health outcomes. (Adobe Stock)

MN Steps Outside Doctor's Office to Improve Health Outcomes

Research keeps emerging about social determinants of health, including a new study linking these factors to suicide risks. In Minnesota, nonprofits …

Park Plaza Cooperative, based in Fridley, has been a Resident-Owned Community for more than a decade. (Photo courtesy of PPC)

Resident-Owned Communities Intersect Housing and Climate Justice

By Ray Levy Uyeda for Prism.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Se…

HUD's Office of Multifamily Housing Programs administers programs providing housing linked with onsite and community-based supports, including for low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children. (Adobe Stock)

Housing Advocates Push Back on GOP Budget Bill

Advocates for Montana's most vulnerable residents are pushing back on a budget plan passed by the U.S. House, saying it would have disastrous …

Domestic violence survivors are less likely to report their abuse when they fear eviction, and being evicted can impede the ability to financially escape abuse, according to the Urban Institute. (Adobe Stock)

New Program Rapidly Houses Rural Ohio Domestic-Violence Survivors

In Ohio's rural counties, a widespread shortage, discrimination and cost all stack up against domestic-violence survivors and their children seeking …

The Nevada Legislature is considering the Windsor Park Environmental Justice Act, which would establish a program for relocating residents of the North Las Vegas neighborhood of Windsor Park. (Adobe Stock)

NV Senator Aims to Help Owners of Sinking Homes in North Las Vegas

A Nevada senator is trying to help relocate residents of Windsor Park in North Las Vegas for a unique reason - their homes are sinking. State Sen…

For the mutual aid organizers in Asheville, part of their solution to what they say is

NC 'Mutual Aid' Groups Face Legal Challenges

By Shane Burley for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for North Carolina News Service reporting for the Yes! Media-Public News …

A new report found the nation's child population count fell from 74.2 million in 2010 to 73.1 million in 2020. During the same time frame, 27 states including New Hampshire saw their total child count fall. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NH Sees Significant Decline Child Population

New Hampshire experienced one of the country's greatest percentage declines in child population over the past decade, according to a new report…

According to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, 41% of rural renters are cost-burdened, meaning they pay more than 30% of their income for housing. (Adobe Stock).

Local Governments Work to Address West Virginia’s Housing Crisis

In Parkersburg, West Virginia local government officials have an innovative plan to address the region's housing crisis - getting 50 families into …

Some 21,134 existing housing units in Denver are currently unoccupied, more than enough to house all the estimated 10,000 people experiencing homelessness across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Colorado's Housing Affordability Crisis Calls for Strategic Investments

Housing affordability has become a top priority for Colorado lawmakers and voters, and a new report from an organization with nearly four decades of …

The scholarship initiative was created with the Colorado Department of Higher Education to increase the attainment of postsecondary credentials and degrees for underserved students in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

CO Scholarship Initiative Invests in Students Experiencing Homelessness

More than 15,000 students in Colorado have experienced homelessness, and a new grant from the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative will help …

Across the United States, child populations have declined from 74.2 million to 73.1 million between 2010 and 2020, according to a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This contrasts with the child population between 2000 and 2010, which increased by 1.9 million. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT Child Population Continues to Decline

A recent report finds Connecticut's child population declined over the last decade. According to a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

In January 2019, the United States had a shortage of 7 million affordable homes for low-income renters, resulting in only 37 affordable rental homes for every 100 low-income renter households, according to the Center for American Progress. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates in Iowa Work to Make More Housing Available

Advocates are working to make 42,000 new homes available to Iowans by 2030, which is spearheading efforts to create more affordable living …

Recognizing urgent maternal warning signs, providing timely treatment, and delivering respectful, quality care can prevent many pregnancy-related deaths. (Adobe Stock)

Drilling Down Into Social Factors Linked to Unequal Health Outcomes

Black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy than white women, even though more than eight in 10 pregnancy-related deaths are …

Granite Staters younger than age 40 make up 26% of the state population but only 2% of state legislators, while Granite Staters age 76 and older are 11% of the population but 32% of state legislators, according to 603 Forward. (Adobe Stock)

NH Organization Invests in Young Candidates Seeking Local Elected Offices

Young people interested in running for local office in New Hampshire are learning the ins and outs of organizing a successful campaign with the help o…

According to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, New Yorkers would have to make almost $80,000 a year to afford a fair-market two-bedroom rental. (Adobe Stock)

Experts Consider Solutions to NY’s Affordable-Housing Crisis

From Buffalo to Montauk, New York State is in the midst of an affordable-housing crisis. The National Low-Income Housing Coalition's Out of Reach …

Gender affirming care can improve the mental health of young people. (AngelHerrezuelo/Adobe Stock)

WA Bill Supports Trans Youth as Attacks Across US Increase

As legislation across the country targets transgender people, Washington state lawmakers are moving in the opposite direction. The Legislature …

Maine labor law allows tipped employees to be paid a lower cash wage than the standard minimum wage by their employers, as up to $5.50 in tips earned per hour can be deducted from their wage as a

ME Lawmakers Aim to Raise Minimum Wage to $24 by 2033

Maine lawmakers are considering legislation to raise the state's minimum wage to $24 an hour by 2033. The current minimum wage of $13.80 would jump …

Maine Attorney General Aaron Fry says recovery houses and the people in them are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the federal Fair Housing Act, and suggests that repealing protections could put Maine in violation of those laws. (Adobe Stock)<br />

ME Lawmakers Study Regulations Surrounding Addiction Recovery Homes

Public opposition to legislation requiring stricter fire-safety standards at Maine's recovery residences has led lawmakers to consider studying the sy…

Currently, Michigan has no statewide law protecting families from discrimination based on their use of Housing Choice Vouchers or other non-wage sources of income. (Adobe Stock)

Bill Aims to Curb Discrimination for MI Families with Housing Vouchers

A new report found thousands of Michigan families using Housing Choice Vouchers are often left out in the cold by landlords who refuse to rent to them…

A 2022 report from the National Fair Housing Association found private fair housing organizations across the U.S. processed 2.6 times the number of fair housing complaints processed by local, state and federal agencies. (Adobe Stock)

VA Fair Housing Law Needs Better Enforcement

As Fair Housing Month gets underway, a Virginia group feels more can be done to enforce fair housing laws. Along with the federal Fair Housing Act…

Former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed a landmark climate law in 2021 which requires utilities like Eversource and National Grid to increase their renewable-energy portfolio by at least 3% every year. (Adobe Stock)

Boston Moves to Implement Climate-Friendly Building Code

Boston is set to become the eighth and largest city in the Commonwealth to implement a new state climate-friendly building code to reduce the use of f…

Senate Bill 68 would raise real property taxes statewide by 20 cents per $500 of value to bolster supportive housing. (Adobe Stock)

NV Disability Community Feels Lawmakers Are 'Missing the Mark' on Housing

While some Nevada laws such as Senate Bill 68 aim to increase supportive housing for those with behavioral, mental and physical disabilities…

Circle Up Indy says it plans to accomplish its ambitious goal of building 2,000 3D-printed homes in Indiana within the next five years. (Adobe Stock)

Is 3D Printing Key to Solving Indianapolis Housing Shortage?

A plan to build 2,000 homes using a robot could hold the key to unlocking one solution to Indiana's affordable-housing shortage. The differences …

Native American advocates in Bismarck say new housing development is often built in communities separated from their populations, and a lot of infrastructure funding goes to improve those areas, leaving older neighborhoods to deteriorate. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed HUD Rule Underscores Housing Access Woes in ND

Public comment is winding down for a proposed federal rule on inclusive affordable housing. Native American voices in North Dakota's capital city …

President Lyndon Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act into law a week after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassiniation. (Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons)

55 Years Later, Fair Housing Act Could Go Further

April is national fair housing month and this marks 55 years since the federal Fair Housing Act was signed into law. The Act gives people an avenue …

A report from AARP New York finds older New Yorkers living in rural areas are struggling to age in place because of how expensive modifications to homes would be. While they can utilize New York's Access to Home for Medicaid Recipients program, it only gets enough funding to handle $1 million in improvements, but has received requests totaling $12 million. (Andre Carrotflower/Wikimedia Commons)

NY Mayor Eager to Address Numerous Issues After Conference

A New York state mayor is eager to implement new initiatives he observed during the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference. …

According to Abbott, about 110,000 people call Sparks home. (Adobe Stock)

NV Councilmen Eager to Discuss Infrastructure Projects with Federal Officials

Close to 3,000 city leaders from across the country were in Washington D.C. this week for the National League of Cities' Congressional City …

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, from October 2021 to September 2022, Pennsylvania has received a record $480.5 million for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program available this fiscal year. (Andreykr/AdobeStock)

PA Leaders Focus on Infrastructure, Transportation During NLC Conference

City leaders from Pennsylvania and across the country convened in Washington, D.C., this week for the National League of Cities Congressional City …

A report based on federal data shows New Mexico's rate of homelessness is 12 individuals per 10,000 people, compared with 18 per 10,000 nationwide - lower than neighboring Colorado, also at 18 per 10,000, but higher than Texas at eight per 10,000. (M-SUR/AdobeStock)

NM Homelessness Declines, But Rural Folks Face Barriers

In the past two years, homelessness in America has risen only 1%, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - which …

Nevada is the only state with what is known as a summary eviction process. (Adobe Stock)

NV Lawmakers Look to Expand Renters' Legal Protections

The Nevada Housing Justice Alliance, tenants, lawmakers and community leaders gathered at a news conference outside the Capitol in Carson City this …

More than one in ten transgender people in the U.S. have been evicted from their homes because of their gender identity contributing to higher rates of food insufficiency among this population. (Adobe Stock)

Study Finds High Food Insufficiency Rates Among LGBTQ+ New Englanders

A new study from the University of New Hampshire found New England's LGBTQ+ residents experience higher rates of food insufficiency, the measure of …

At a rally in Harlem, members of Citizen Action of New York call for a bevy of changes to public money in Albany. They want taxes raised on the wealthiest New Yorkers, to increase the state's minimum wage, and to end 'pay-for-play' by reducing state subsidies for corporations. (Citizen Action New York)

NYC Group Calls for Significant Community Investments

Community leaders in Harlem are calling on local and state elected officials to make significant community investments. As part of their 2023 …

Kiplinger rates Missouri, and nine other U.S. states, as

MO Lawmaker Proposes Raising "Circuit Breaker" Tax Credits

Every Missourian knows property values and property taxes have risen dramatically in the past 15 years, as well as the cost of rent. State lawmakers …

According to a report from Connecticut Voices for Children, Connecticut households are more likely to face housing-cost burdens than households across the United States as a whole. Data on evictions shows the high cost of rent relative to income is directly linked to the eviction filing rate in Connecticut towns. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Policy Options to Alleviate CT’s Eviction Crisis

A recent report examines Connecticut's eviction crisis and addresses some solutions to it. The report from Connecticut Voices for Children finds 39% …

Housing availability has been squeezed by a near-record increase in the number of American homeowners in 2020, according to the Pew Research Center.(Adobe Stock)

Report: Ohio’s Affordable Housing Shortage is Worsening

Ohio's affordable housing shortage has worsened over the past year, according to new data from the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio and …

Washington state lawmakers will begin crafting their budgets as the session begins to wind down in April. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

Housing Assistance on Docket for Lawmakers in Olympia

Affordable housing is a major concern in Washington state and lawmakers in Olympia are considering a slate of measures to address it. One option is …

As part of a new bill up for consideration by the Connecticut General Assembly, landlords would have to provide tenants with 90 days' notice before implementing a rent increase. (Adobe Stock)

CT General Assembly Considers Legislation to Aid Renters

Connecticut's General Assembly is considering legislation to establish fair and equitable housing opportunities. Senate Bill 4 aims to establish a …

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