Housing Assistance

Trailer park and line of bare winter trees in the distance over a golden field on the Colorado prairie.

Study: Housing Assistance Programs Not Enough for Rural Renters

Many housing and human services providers say their programs are underfunded as the housing crisis in rural parts of America grows.

May 4, 2023 - Urban Wire

State capitol building in Albany, New York

Op-Ed: New York Housing Voucher Program Would Increase Housing Security

An op-ed in Gotham Gazette calls on the state legislature to enact a housing assistance program that could help tens of thousands of residents stay in their homes.

April 5, 2023 - Gotham Gazette

New York Apartments

What Is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?

Federal housing assistance vouchers subsidize the cost of rental housing, but high demand and long waiting lists mean many low-income families wait for years to access affordable housing.

March 27, 2023 - Diana Ionescu

California state capitol building dome with U.S., California, and POW/MIA flags on flagpole

Proposed Bill Would Strengthen California’s Renter Protections

The bill would improve on the 2019 Tenant Protection Act by further limiting rent increases and adding more eviction protections for California renters.

March 15, 2023 - KTLA

Washington D.C. - The White House

White House Budget Proposal Includes Over $175 Billion for Housing

The proposed budget seeks to expand the housing voucher program, incentivize housing production, and promote zoning reform, but will likely face strong opposition from congressional Republicans.

March 13, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Colorful high-saturation view of downtown Houston, Texas with pink and blue dusk sky

Houston Reopens Affordable Housing Wait List

For the first time in almost five years, Houston residents can apply for housing assistance.

January 18, 2023 - ABC 13 News

Close-up of house key on table and corner of envelope from Chicago Housing Authority

Housing Voucher Recipients Find Themselves With Fewer Options

Americans relying on federal rental assistance are struggling harder than ever to find affordable housing, braving years-long wait lists and reluctant landlords.

January 8, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Aerial view of Reno, Nevada against snow-capped mountains in winter

Nevada Makes Historic Affordable Housing Investment

The state announced $500 million in grants to agencies and organizations building or preserving affordable housing in the state.

December 13, 2022 - Tahoe Daily Tribune

Buckhead, Atlanta

Atlanta Poised to Pass Protections for Voucher Holders

The city council will vote on a proposal to require publicly subsidized landlords to lease units to recipients of housing assistance vouchers.

November 14, 2022 - Atlanta Civic Circle

Single-family homes in a suburb of Dallas, Texas

North Texas HOA Effectively Bans Section 8 Recipients

Housing and civil rights advocates warn that the community’s rule instituting fines on landlords who rent to housing voucher recipients will disproportionately affect Black families.

July 27, 2022 - Texas Tribune

New York City Air Conditioners

New York City Issues Nearly All Its Housing Vouchers

After a slow start to the program, the city has distributed 91 percent of the housing vouchers issued through the American Rescue Act. Now housing agencies must help recipients actually find housing.

July 19, 2022 - City Limits

Hand holding house keys on house-shaped keychain

What Is Area Median Income?

Frequently used to determine eligibility for housing assistance programs, Area Median Income measures the midpoint of an area’s income distribution.

April 24, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Baltimore Rowhouses

Study: Housing Market Instability Requires Robust Policy Response

A report from the Urban Land Institute calls for a multi-faceted approach to stabilizing the housing market and protecting tenants and homeowners.

December 29, 2021 - Smart Cities Dive

HUD

Opinion: The Housing Crisis Isn't Going Away With the Pandemic

As the housing crisis rages on, the housing assistance infrastructure put in place during the pandemic can provide a model for long-term aid programs.

November 30, 2021 - Governing

Housing Construction

Opinion: Biden's Housing Plan is 'Both Necessary and Excellent'

The housing programs proposed in the reconciliation bill could help millions of Americans who desperately need housing assistance and begin to mitigate the damage of a stagnant housing supply.

October 20, 2021 - The Week

Washington Monuments

D.C.'s Flexible Rent Subsidy Helps Families Avoid Homelessness

The program gives households a rent subsidy that can be used flexibly over time, making it a valuable tool for workers with fluctuating incomes.

August 12, 2021 - Urban Institute

Robert Weaver Building

HUD Secretary: Administration Must Restore Depleted Staff

To take on President Biden's ambitious housing goals, the agency needs to restore the staff lost during the Trump era.

July 2, 2021 - New York Times

Harlem

Debt Piles Up for Low-Income Renters

As the end of federal and state eviction moratoriums looms, renters who fell behind on payments during the pandemic now face "staggering" amounts of debt.

June 1, 2021 - New York Times

Portland Condo High-Rise

Housing Vouchers Prove an Effective Tool Against Homelessness

The Biden administration plans to expand the federal housing voucher program, which currently provides rental assistance to 2.3 million U.S. households.

April 27, 2021 - Next City

Carew Tower

Cincinnati Program Helps Renters With Security Deposits

For low-income renters, security deposits can be a hurdle they cannot overcome. Cincinnati's “renters’ choice” program aims to help with that challenge by providing alternatives to traditional security deposits.

August 31, 2020 - Huffpost

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.