High housing costs are squeezing a record number of American households.
Roughly half of all American renters spend more than a third of their income on housing costs, according to data from the U.S. Census, with costs rising sharply since 2021. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, “the amount of housing that low-income renters can afford declined nationwide from 2019 to 2022, and that the trend has the biggest impact on extremely low-income Americans—a majority of whom live with disabilities, are caretakers for someone else, or are older adults.”
An article in the Lexington Herald Leader outlines how Kentucky compares to the rest of the country. “In Kentucky, where more than 579.1 thousand people rent their homes, 40.4% are considered rent-burdened, while 20.6% of renters are severely rent burdened.”
High rents not only make it difficult for renters to afford other household needs — they also trap renters in a cycle of tenancy by preventing them from saving for homeownership. And affordable housing is becoming less available for low-income renters, putting many at risk for eviction and homelessness.
Rents Rose Between December and January
After dropping to a three-year low, U.S. rent costs grew in many major cities.
Report: More Than Half of Harris County Households Cost-Burdened
Using a measurement that takes into account more factors in addition to housing costs, a new report from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research sheds light on the true crisis facing Houston-area renters.
Spiking Rents Putting More People at Risk of Eviction
Housing costs across the country are becoming more and more unaffordable for low- and moderate-income households, a trend that began even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
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Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service