May/June 1998

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Studies Show Growth in Affordable Housing Gap

Rental Housing Assistance – The Crisis Continues: The 1997 Report to Congress on Worst Case Housing Needs from HUD finds that more than 5 million households with very low incomes face a crisis of unaffordable rents – defined as costing more than half the income of a family earning less than half the area's median income – and substandard living conditions. These families, a full one-seventh of all renters in the country, are eligible for federal housing aid but haven't received such assistance due to a lack of funding, says the report. The report, which includes data through 1995, says that as low-income families' needs have increased, the number of available affordable units decreased by 900,000 between 1993 and 1995.

The problem is not isolated in the cities, according to the report. The number of suburban households with critical housing needs jumped by 146,000 from 1991 to 1995 – a 9 percent increase – which represents faster growth than in cities. Renters who rely on public assistance are not solely the source of this increase either, since the number of families with worst case needs and at least one full-time worker skyrocketed by 265,000 to nearly 1.4 million from 1991 to 1995, as low wage jobs failed to keep pace with rapidly rising housing costs. The report estimates that 5.3 million families pay at least half their income in rent.
 

• HUD USER, P.O. Box 6091, Rockville, MD 20849; 800-245-2691; www.huduser.org/publications/affhsg/rental3.html

In Search of Shelter: The Growing Shortage of Affordable Rental Housing for Low-Income Families reports a substantial shortage of affordable housing in recent decades. The number of available low-income units has gone from a surplus of 300,000 in 1970 to a shortage of 4.4 million in 1995, according to the report. At the same time, the amount of funds appropriated for federal low-income housing programs has declined. The report examines a number of policy responses to address this growing gap and suggests that targeted housing subsidies to increase the supply of affordable housing would be the best response.
 

• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 20 First Street, N.E., Suite 510, Washington, DC 20002; 202-408-1080; www.cbpp.org; center@center.cbpp.org

The State of the Nation's Housing: 1998, an examination of economic and social trends affecting housing in America, discusses the strength of America's housing market in recent years and projects a similar trend for the future. At the same time, the report examines the growth in unmet housing needs among low-income households.
 

• Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University, 79 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge, MA 02138; 617-495-7908. www.jchs.harvard.edu

• Home Work: The Quiet Success Story of Affordable Housing in Connecticut from the Connecticut Housing Coalition. This book profiles 15 nonprofit-sponsored developments, as described through the eyes of families who have realized their dream of living in quality affordable housing. $10 (free for members). Connecticut Housing Coalition, 30 Jordan Lane, Wethersfield, CT 06109; 860-563-2943.
  
  
• Helpful Resources for Small Communities, a free listing of guidebooks and other resources. National Center for Small Communities, 444 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite 294, Washington, DC  20001; 202-624-3550; kjackson@sso.org
  
  
• Welfare Reform Impacts on the Public Housing Program: A Preliminary Forecast and Making Homeownership a Reality: Survey of Habitat for Humanity International Homeowners and Affiliates. $5 each. HUD USER, P.O. Box 6091, Rockville, MD 20850; 800-245-2691; www.huduser.org
  
  
• Federal Housing Assistance and Welfare Reform: Uncharted Territory looks at the relationship between housing subsidies and income subsidies in light of the new laws. The Urban Institute, 202-833-7200; paffairs@ui.urban.org; www.urban.org
  
  
• Partners in Prosperity: The Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation in New Jersey. New Jersey Housing Trust, PO Box 404, Trenton, NJ 08625-0404; 609-984-0473; njht@dep.state.nj.us
  
  
• Building Healthy Communities: Resources for Compatible Development. $20. Corporation for Enterprise Development, 202-408-9788.
  
  
• Building Affordable Housing: An Analysis of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit contains data and analysis from 2,544 LIHTC developments. City Research, 617-367-4390; www.cityresearch.com
  
  
• Data Now, a software package for tracking the housing counseling process and case management, is available for PC computers. James Frazier Associates, 412-362-7326; www.datanow.org
  
  
• 1998 Advocate's Resource Book, includes chapters on federal housing programs, a directory of advocacy groups, and background information on issues ranging from homelessness to transportation to lead poisoning. $20. National Low Income Housing Coalition, 1012 14th St., NW, Ste. 610, Washington, DC 20005; 202-662-1530; www.nlihc.org/advocates/
  
  
• How to Tell and Sell Your Story: A Guide to Developing Effective Messages and Good Stories about Your Work, Part II. $10 (less for more than one). Center for Community Change, 1000 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20007; 202-342-0567.
  
  
• Due Credit: Increasing Homeless Workers' Earnings through the Earned Income Tax Credit. $17. National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, 918 F St., NW, Ste. 412, Washington, DC 20004; 202-638-2535.
  
  
• Life After Welfare Reform: An Interim Report is based on a project that tracked 2000 Maryland families who left the welfare roles in 1996-7. Richard Larson, 410-767-7150.
  
  
• Strengthening Community Voices in Policy Reform. Center for Community Change, 1000 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20007; 202-342-0519.
  
  
• Community Organizing: The Missing Piece in School Reform? National Coalition of Education Activists, PO Box 678, Rhinebeck, NY 12572.
  
  
• Financing AIDS Housing, a comprehensive guide to sources of funding and technical assistance to develop and operate supportive housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. $10. AIDS Housing of Washington, 2025 First Avenue, Ste. 420, Seattle, WA 98121; 206-448-5242; info@aidshousing.org; www.aidshousing.org
  
  
• The Border Colonias Region: Challenges and Innovative Approaches to Effective Community Development. $5. Housing Assistance Council, 1025 Vermont Ave., NW, Ste. 606, Washington, DC 20005; 202-842-8600; www.ruralhome.org; hacnews@ruralhome.org
  
  
• A Report on Transitional Housing for Emancipated Foster Youth in Los Angeles County, and A Report on Domestic Violence Shelters in the City and County of Los Angeles. $10 each. Shelter Partnership, 523 West Sixth St., Ste. 616, Los Angeles, CA 90014; 213-688-2188.
  
  
• Children of Poverty, edited by Eugene M. Lewitt (Summer/Fall 1997) presents analyses of policies and programs that contribute to children's well-being. Center for the Future of Children, 300 Center St., Ste. 102, Los Angeles, CA 94022; 415-948-3696; www.futureofchildren.org
  
  
• Consequences of Growing Up Poor explores the link between poverty and children's well-being. $49.95 + s/h. Russell Sage Foundation, c/o CUP Services, P. O. Box 6525, Ithaca, NY 14851; 800-666-2211.

• The State of America's Children Yearbook 1998. $16.95. Children's Defense Fund, 25 E. St., NW, Washington, DC 20001; www.childrensdefense.org
  
  
• 1998 Guide to US Foundations lists a wide range of information on more than 40,000 grantmakers. $219.50. Also available on CD-ROM ($1,195). Foundation Center, Dept. NW7, 79 5th Ave., New York, NY 10003-3076; www.fdncenter.org 

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