affordable housing

Wall (left) listens to violinist Fain perform during the Make Room concert at Wall's apartment in Annapolis, Md. The concert is a fundraiser to help Wall pay his rent and shine a light on the growing lack of affordable housing.

Modern Rent Parties Highlight The Need For Affordable Housing

6:10pm January 26, 2016

by Pam Fessler

There's no dancing or passing the hat at these new rent parties. There is music — and online fundraising. Recently, a classical violinist played a concert in an Annapolis apartment to help the tenant.

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Jennifer Carter, 30, stands in a dormitory area that she shares with her two young children at The Road Home Community Winter Shelter facility in Midvale, Utah.

There's Shelter, And Then There's Housing. Utah Claims Muted Victory

10:19am December 15, 2015

by Kelly McEvers

Utah has reduced its chronically homeless population by 91 percent since 2005. But like many places, it lacks affordable housing, leaving more than 14,000 people in the state homeless this year.

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A rendering of the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence in Washington, D.C.

Sanctuary, Not Just Shelter: A New Type Of Housing For The Homeless

2:49pm November 04, 2015

Combating homelessness isn't just about shelter. Lately, some affordable housing projects are getting decidedly upscale — to help residents heal, adjust and build bonds with their new neighbors.

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National

Tide Starts To Turn Against The 'Crime' Of Being Homeless

5:35pm November 03, 2015

by Pam Fessler

Some local laws make it illegal to sleep or eat outside. Advocates have fought these laws in court. Now, the federal government is taking a stance, pushing ways to help, not criminalize, the homeless.

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Kyra Brooks, 8, strokes her mother's head. After years in and out of various programs, McClellan finally received a permanent housing voucher for the apartment she and her three children live in now. That means she has to pay up to 30 percent of her incom

National

For Homeless Families, Quick Exit From Shelters Is Only A Temporary Fix

1:17pm July 08, 2015

by Pam Fessler

The rapid rehousing program provides the homeless with short-term rental assistance. But many recipients ultimately face the same problems as those who stay in shelters, a new government study finds.

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The city of Hollywood, Fla., bought the Homeless Voice shelter from its owner, a longtime advocate for the homeless who agreed to stay away from the city for the next 30 years.

National

Lowering A City's Homeless Population — By Forcing The Homeless Out

11:19am April 05, 2015

by Greg Allen

Officials in Hollywood, Fla., have long battled a controversial homeless advocate. Now they've bought his shelter — and made a deal for him and the homeless people who stayed there to go elsewhere.

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A resident of Lathrop Homes leaves one of the few occupied buildings in the development. The city wants to redevelop the public housing as mixed use, and offered vouchers to encourage residents to relocate.

A Chicago Community Puts Mixed-Income Housing To The Test

2:38pm February 05, 2015

by Cheryl Corley

Chicago plans to replace its Lathrop Homes public housing project with a mix of condos and affordable housing. Residents say it doesn't need a revamp — and that the overhaul will displace too many.

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Ephraim Benton, a former resident of Tompkins Houses in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, is now an actor. Benton started a community-based organization called Beyond Influencing Da Hood, which puts on health fairs, film festivals and various fr

An Exhibit Offers A Different Angle On Life In Public Housing

5:20pm January 13, 2015

by Pam Fessler

An exhibit in Brooklyn aims to upend stereotypes about public housing by profiling residents and their achievements. The curators know their subject well; they once lived in public housing themselves.

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Zhuang Qiuli and her boyfriend Feng Tao sit on the bed in their basement apartment two floors below a posh condominium. Since this photo was taken, the couple has moved above ground.

'A Universe Beneath Our Feet': Life In Beijing's Underground

5:47pm January 02, 2015

by NPR Staff

In China's capital city, even the humblest apartment can cost a fortune. But more affordable housing hides below the city's bustling streets, in tiny (and illegal) basements and bomb shelters.

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Affordable housing condo buyer Marilyn Phillips says she had to jump many hoops before purchasing her unit in D.C.'s Anacostia neighborhood.

Bureaucratic Hoops Make D.C. Affordable Housing Units Hard To Sell

6:31pm November 25, 2014

by Rebecca Sheir

This problem exists nationwide, but in the nation's capital, there are more requirements and restrictions. For example, D.C. limits the maximum resale price and makes homeowners wait before they sell.

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