Even in the best of times, evictions are all too common and generate excessive public costs – but COVID-19 has brought the crisis to a boiling point. In recent months, housing security has not received the same degree of public attention as employment and health, though these issues are inextricably … Read more

Over the past few decades, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) has become the nation’s most important policy to incentivize the creation of affordable housing. LIHTC, administered in North Carolina through the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, allocates credits to private developers who t … Read more

For community developers and housing advocates, household overcrowding has long been a key concern. Across the country, housing needs assessments often list overcrowding as an economic outcome, an indication that affordable housing supply is unavailable. That is, individuals are forced to cohabitate … Read more

Durham County hired the Development Finance Initiative (DFI) in 2017 to help redevelop two county-owned parcels in downtown. Though currently serving as surface parking for county employees, the two sites are located adjacent to recent high-end residential development, government and institutional s … Read more

Income inequality is not a new issue for CED professionals. In November 2011, the Federal Reserve Board of San Francisco devoted an issue of its publication, Community Investments,to how income inequality was impacting community development. A Federal Reserve Board governor is quoted in the report, … Read more

Overview Part 1 of this two-part series discussed what micro-units are, where they are found, and the problem they seek to address. In Part 2 of this series, this blog will explore three criticisms of micro-units and provide a case for why micro-units should still be considered a viable housing opti … Read more

  The Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University recently published the “Housing America’s Older Adults” report, an overview of the changing dynamics and needs of the nation’s aging population.  The report highlights the need to address the evolving housing needs of the large … Read more

Micro-units have emerged as a popular and affordable solution for housing needs across the United States. However, some have raised concerns that micro-units may be reminiscent of tenement houses of the 19th and early 20th centuries and lend themselves to the same crowding and health concerns. Addit … Read more

Student loan debt in the U.S. is now the second highest consumer debt category, following mortgage debt. Americans owe over $1.48 trillion in student loan debt spread out across 44 million borrowers, and according to Student Loan Hero, the average student loan debt for 2017 graduates was $39,400. In … Read more

As communities begin the long recovery process in the wake of Hurricane Florence, many residents will need temporary housing. One challenge, though, is the zoning ordinance.  Most zoning ordinances strictly limit manufactured homes and recreational vehicles (RVs). As the Federal Emergency Management … Read more