Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are a growing factor in the demand for new housing. In the long term (or sooner), the Trump Administration's hard line on newcomers could lead to instability for the rest of us.
Who's renting or buying all that new suburban tract housing, especially in the Sun Belt? Increasingly, it is people who haven't been long in the United States, including some living here without documentation. In 2013, a Mortgage Bankers Association study found that "in this decade, immigrants nationwide will account for 32.2% of the growth in all households, 35.7% of growth in homeowners and 26.4% of growth in renter households."
It also found that foreign-born residents are buying homes at an increasing rate. And that's not just in your typical "immigrant" states. Edward Helmore writes, "while immigrants were once concentrated in a few gateway states, such as California, New York and Florida, the pattern of immigration after the 2007 economic crash is less concentrated."
The study's author warns that many immigrants pool incomes to purchase homes. Take away only one of those parties, and the purchase can no longer happen.
Another observer points out that while a crackdown on undocumented immigrants alone could chill the market, the real danger is a long-term drop in immigration of every kind. In time, that could critically depress both the housing market and the market for talent in this country.
FULL STORY: Deportation orders threaten Trump's own turf: the real estate market
Chicago Latino Corridor Hollowed Out Amid Deportation Fears
Foot traffic and business in the largely Latino Little Village neighborhood declined by as much as 50 percent, with many businesses staying closed on Tuesday.
Contested Property: Haunted Houses and the Anxiety of Ownership in America
Sometimes home becomes a place of fear for the least supernatural reasons.
U.S. Home Sales to Foreign Buyers Drop by Almost 10 Percent
International purchases of homes on the U.S. housing market slowed in the last year.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.
California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.
HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland