NPR: rents

One possible housing crisis solution? A new kind of public housing for all income levels

Jennifer Ludden — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0400

Housing Opportunities Commission, adjusts Maryland State Delegate Lorig Charkoudian's hardhat during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Hillandale Gateway housing development in Silver Spring, Md. The HOC says it owns more than 9,400 apartment, townhome and single-family home rental properties and provides subsidized housing for more than 9,300 households.'/>

Maryland's Montgomery County is building mixed-income apartments in which people who can afford to pay market rate allow other renters to pay less. Cities and states nationwide are taking up the idea.

(Image credit: Alyssa Schukar)

In a major shift, the U.S. government explores giving renters cash, not vouchers

Jennifer Ludden — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0400

Federal housing vouchers are the largest rental aid program, but many landlords reject them. Experiments will test whether cash helps more people sign a lease.

(Image credit: Elise Amendola)

DOJ accuses real estate software company of helping landlords collude to raise rents

Jennifer Ludden — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 11:25:32 -0400

The lawsuit says RealPage's algorithmic pricing software lets landlords effectively collude and set rents above market rate. The Texas-based company has denied the allegations.

(Image credit: Nam Y. Huh)

Housing is now unaffordable for a record half of all U.S. renters, study finds

Jennifer Ludden — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 05:10:11 -0500

A new Harvard analysis finds people across income levels got squeezed by rent hikes during the pandemic. The market has lost millions of low-rent places, and new construction is mostly high-end.

Voters approved more money for affordable housing around the country

Jennifer Ludden — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 13:12:29 -0500

Skyrocketing rents and home prices have been a major part of voters' economic pain. New spending will go toward building and subsidizing more housing, and helping people avoid homelessness.

Roommate wanted: Homeless people are pairing up as a way around the housing crisis

Jennifer Ludden — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 05:09:33 -0400

Given record high rents and low vacancy rates, housing providers are offering to match people up as roommates to get them off the streets. But it can be a tough sell for both renters and landlords.

There's a massive housing shortage across the U.S. Here's how bad it is where you live

Chris Arnold — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 05:00:20 -0400

Hundreds of cities and towns are seriously short of housing, both homes to buy and rentals, according to a new study. It's the main reason that home prices and rents are so high.

(Image credit: Luke Sharrett)

It's not just home prices. Rents rise sharply across the U.S.

Chris Arnold — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 10:04:59 -0500

Renting a place to live is getting a lot more expensive, according to a survey that tracks rental listings across the biggest 50 U.S. cities.