Senate approves housing affordability bill The US Senate on Monday, June 22, approved a bipartisan housing bill aimed at lowering housing costs by encouraging new construction, easing permitting rules and limiting the role of large investors in the single-family housing market. The measure, called the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, passed in an 85 to 5 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives. If approved there, it will be sent t

A homelessness prevention program that began in Santa Clara County is expanding nationwide with a goal of helping more than 10,000 families avoid eviction and remain stably housed. Nonprofit Destination: Home announced it is partnering with 10 organizations across the United States to replicate a rental assistance and case management model focused on preventing housing instability before it leads to homelessness. The expansion spans large and small cities, rural regions and tribal communities, including sites in Minnesota, Alaska, Atlanta, Georgia, and Asheville, North Carolina. Through the Right at Home initiative, Destination: Home will work with local partners to implement pilot programs based on its established homelessness prevention framework. The initiative is designed to demonstrate that eviction prevention and supportive services can be effectively scaled and adopted as part of broader housing policy. Destination: Home first launched its homelessness prevention program in 2017 after observing an increase in residents falling into homelessness in Santa Clara County. Backed by private funding, the nonprofit provided rental assistance, case management and supportive services to families at immediate risk of eviction. The approach aimed to stabilize households facing temporary financial crises, helping them maintain housing while addressing underlying challenges. In 2024, Santa Clara County formally incorporated the program into its countywide homelessness strategy and expanded it across the region. Since its launch, nearly 44,000 people in the county have avoided homelessness through the initiative, according to program data. A randomized control trial conducted by the University of Notre Dame’s Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities found that 90 percent of participants who received assistance remained housed two years later, highlighting the long-term impact of early intervention. The national expansion has raised $77 million to date. Under the plan, each participating community will receive at least $5 million over five years, with a target of serving approximately 1,500 households per location. The Lab for Economic Opportunities will collect and analyze data to measure outcomes such as housing stability and economic resilience. Funding partners include Cisco, Sobrato Philanthropies, the Valhalla Foundation and The Audacious Project. Researchers involved in the evaluation say prevention plays a critical role in addressing the affordable housing crisis and rising poverty. Eviction can trigger a chain of negative consequences, including job loss, financial hardship and increased reliance on emergency services. By providing eviction relief and community support before families lose their homes, the program seeks to reduce long-term social and economic costs. For some residents, the program has provided essential support during periods of instability. Desiré Campusano received rental assistance multiple times while navigating job transitions and significant rent increases. The assistance helped her remain housed and later move into an affordable apartment, with continued guidance from a case manager. Advocates argue that as unemployment and economic pressures affect households nationwide, homelessness prevention must be prioritized alongside emergency response systems. Supporters of the initiative say investing in rental assistance and case management before a crisis escalates offers a more stable and cost-effective solution to housing insecurity. By expanding its model nationally, Destination: Home aims to build momentum for broader federal funding dedicated to preventing homelessness before it begins.

India’s housing finance sector is witnessing a strategic shift as lenders begin treating defence personnel as a separate borrower category rather than grouping them under standard salaried profiles. With urban housing demand cooling and competition intensifying in metro markets, lenders are increasingly turning to defence families as stable, long-term borrowers who require customised solutions rather than generic home loan products. This change in approach has been highlighted by

A property collective known as Petra, which manages three apartment complexes in Washington, D.C., has been ordered to pay $700,000 after being found liable in a housing discrimination lawsuit. The legal action accused Petra of intentionally discriminating against lower-income residents in order to boost profits, violating several District housing laws. The outcome represents a significant step in the city’s continuing efforts to ensure equal access to affordable housing and to hold landlords

A plan to build one of Cupertino’s first 100 percent affordable housing projects, designed to support some of the community’s most vulnerable residents, has stirred opposition from neighbors concerned about safety and parking. The proposed project, located along Mary Avenue, aims to create 40 affordable homes on a 0.79-acre site. Out of these, 19 homes would be reserved for adults and families with children who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, while 20 u

As the nation continues to grapple with cuts to social safety nets, a new provision in the congressional budget bill has provided a significant boost to affordable housing efforts. The recently passed H.R. 1 includes an increase in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, which has long served as the primary federal tool for financing affordable housing projects. Starting next year, states will be able to permanently expand their tax credit allocations by 12 percent, giving developers new o

Portland leaders are heading overseas in hopes of finding solutions to the city’s growing housing affordability crisis. This week, around 20 people including three city councilors, their chiefs of staff, and members of the Portland Housing Bureau will travel to Vienna, Austria, to study the city’s internationally recognized social housing model. The trip is taxpayer funded and has already generated debate among residents and officials about its cost and purpose. Social h

In Linden, New Jersey, concerns are mounting over the condition and management of the Edward J. Murawski Towers, an 11-story senior housing complex on Dill Avenue that has stood since the 1970s. The building, which contains 150 units, is meant to provide safe and affordable housing for seniors, yet many of those apartments are sitting empty, some for years. City officials say at least 62 units are currently uninhabitable but could be repaired immediately if a

In a major move aimed at alleviating housing challenges faced by students, the Foothill-De Anza Community College District has officially taken ownership of McClellan Terrace Apartments in Cupertino. The $65.6 million acquisition was finalized on July 31 in a strategic attempt to convert the existing 94-unit apartment complex into roughly 332 affordable student beds. While the project is touted as a game-changer for student housing access, it comes at a cost: dozens of current residents will

Rising housing costs in the West Valley are pushing young civic leaders out of their communities and local government roles. This growing issue adds another layer to the region’s escalating housing crisis and is quietly reshaping the face of public service. One such example is Yuyi He, who dedicated her evenings to serving on a housing commission after her day job in the tech sector. She worked to represent renters and young residents in housing policy decisions, including a

In a significant move to combat homelessness in the Austin area, Travis County Commissioners Court has unanimously approved an $11.5 million contract to help fund a new affordable housing project. The contract, awarded to the Austin Area Urban League, supports the nonprofit’s Urban Empowerment Zone I, a supportive housing development that will bring 80 new affordable units for adults along with vital on-site services.

Palo Alto is taking steps toward a significant transformation of its downtown neighborhood through a new housing plan that targets increased residential development in the city’s transit-rich areas. For years, the downtown region has seen almost no new housing, adding only seven units since 2013 while also losing dozens of apartments due to conversions. Now, with the approval of an ambitious Housing Element and funding of $800,000 from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, city le

In a decisive move to expand its housing stock and reshape its urban landscape, Palo Alto has approved a 368-unit apartment complex on El Camino Real, at the former location of a long-time restaurant. This development is one of the city’s most significant recent housing projects and reflects a shifting approach toward accommodating higher-density residential buildings along major corridors. The project, located at 3150 El Camino Real and led by Acclaim Companies, symbolizes

Residents of the Birchwood at Fairmount Hotel senior living complex in Jersey City are grappling with the unsettling possibility of being temporarily relocated from their homes. Ingerman Development Company, the owner of the property, has announced a major rehabilitation plan for the aging facility, slated to begin in September. While the upgrades are being lauded as necessary to ensure safe and modern living conditions, the process has sparked concerns among the elderly residents and their f

Homeowners looking to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in Dublin now have a golden opportunity to offset construction costs. Thanks to the Senate District 7 ADU Accelerator Program, residents can qualify for rebates of up to $15,000 to encourage small-unit construction and ease the local housing crisis. How the Rebate Works The total funding pool of

San Jose has updated its long-standing rent control policy to clearly include recreational vehicles (RVs) located on mobile home lots, following disputes over illegal rent increases by mobile park landlords. The clarification addresses recent cases where property owners raised rents beyond legal limits, claiming RVs were not covered under the city’s mobile home ordinance. The rent control regulation, which has been in effect for over 40 years, prohibits rent increases of mor

In a significant shift from earlier commitments, google is now exploring the sale of middlefield park, a major development site in the east whisman area of mountain view. The 40-acre property had been slated to become a centerpiece of the city’s residential expansion plans, with a proposal that included 1,900 housing units, a 2.4-acre affordable housing dedication, and 1.3 million square feet of office space. Now, the tech company is reconsidering its role in the project and is seeking

Just steps away from Santa Clara’s bustling Santana Row and Valley Fair shopping centers lies the Agrihood Sustainable Community, a housing development originally praised for offering dignified, eco-friendly living for low-income and formerly homeless seniors. Promised as a place of healing and nourishment, the complex boasts a 1.5-acre urban farm meant to foster community through shared gardening. But nearly two years since its much-celebrated opening at 76 N. Winchester Boulevard, the

  A new affordable housing project is in the pipeline for downtown Sunnyvale, but not all local residents are welcoming the idea. The city is planning to build 126 affordable apartments at 295 South Mathilda Avenue, a 1.04-acre city-owned parcel, in collaboration with MidPen Housing. While city officials and developers see this as a necessary step toward solving the region’s affordable housing crisis, some neighbors, particularly those living in nearby single-family homes

After years of planning, revisions, and community debates, the second phase of the North 40 development project in Los Gatos is finally gaining momentum. The proposal, spearheaded by developers Grosvenor and Eden Housing, would bring 450 new housing units and more than 15,000 square feet of retail space to a prime 15.6-acre site located along Los Gatos Boulevard and Burton Road. At the heart of the project is a focus on affordability and accessibility, two issues that have long been points of