affordable housing

Most people who end up facing eviction simply can't afford to pay their rent. Many low-income tenants work, but their rent outpaces their wages. An unexpected bill or a lost job can mean homelessness.

The Landlord and Tenant Branch of Superior Court for the District of Columbia is where you can end up if you're poor, black and on the verge of being evicted.

Apartment buildings are going up all over Manhattan, but it's harder than ever to find an affordable place to live in New York. It's a scene played out nationwide as rents soar and wages stall.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.