Linc Housing’s Post

Summary: Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson highlighted Texas as the second-most popular state to move to, emphasizing its appeal of affordable homes and a high-quality life. The state has seen a significant influx of newcomers, particularly from California, drawn by the lower cost of living and abundant job opportunities. The housing market in Texas remains comparatively affordable, attracting young people and homeowners. Some movers are also motivated by political expression and safety concerns, finding a better cultural fit and greater freedom to express political views in Texas. Takeaway: Texas continues to attract a large number of newcomers, particularly from California, due to its affordable housing, job opportunities, and a better quality of life. The state's appeal extends to young people, homeowners, and individuals seeking a cultural and political fit, making it a desirable destination for relocation. Hashtags: #Texas #California #Relocation #AffordableHousing #QualityofLife #JobOpportunities #PoliticalExpression

As someone who just earned my 10-years-in-NYC “real New Yorker” badge, and as an education policy researcher who hasn’t done much on housing before, working on this year-long project, “How New York State Can Improve Schools by Fixing Housing Policy,” has been incredibly gratifying—personally and professionally. New York is currently losing more residents per year than any other state in the country. Why? The rent (or the mortgage) is too damn high! Exclusionary zoning policies lock working-class people out of neighborhoods and entire towns across the state. This isn’t just a housing crisis; it’s a racial justice crisis, a climate crisis, and an education crisis. Exclusionary zoning creates segregated neighborhoods and segregated schools, and that stifles educational opportunities. Over the past year, The Century Foundation produced a series of ten reports on the links between housing policy and educational opportunity in New York, and this week we released our summary report. I learned a ton working on this project from Richard Kahlenberg and Stefan Lallinger, as well as from the teams at NYU Furman Center and Karp Strategies, who also contributed research. And as a (finally) “real” New Yorker, raising New York-born kids, and wishing for the dream of a diverse, welcoming, and affordable city to be a reality… it all hits close to home.

Today I spoke at Philadelphia City Council in favor of a resolution introduced by Councilmember Rue Landau urging the Biden administration to release the final version of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's "Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing" Rule (AFFH). For those that don't know, The Fair Housing Act requires HUD and its grantees to take meaningful action to affirmatively further fair housing throughout the United States. In 2015, the Obama administration took an incredibly meaningful step in promulgating a federal rule to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing. The 2015 rule required HUD and its grantees to complete an Assessment of Fair Housing that was required to lay out issues around equitable housing and concrete steps to ensure that all families were given equal access to housing giving those families the opportunity to thrive. In 2023, the Biden administration published a proposed update to the AFFH, which further built upon the promise the Obama administration had begun to deliver. However, despite receiving hundreds of comments in support of the proposed rule, the Biden admin has failed to release the final rule. In enacting Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act, Congress recognized that "where a family lives, where it is allowed to live, is inextricably bound up with better education, better jobs, economic motivation, and good living conditions." Failure to release this rule ensures that many families, most of them Black and brown, will never be able to access the well resourced communities of their white peers. Decreasing segregation benefits every one of us. Evidence has long shown that educational outcomes, health outcomes, and criminal justice outcomes improve across every demographic the more that communities are successfully integrated with one another. Release of this rule is a move closer to realizing the dream of the Fair Housing Act to "provide fair housing throughout the United States."

As a student at UT Austin, navigating the challenges of finding affordable housing downtown is a issue that is incredibly important to me. In the midst of this struggle, attending the Austin City Council Special Meeting today became not just an opportunity but a necessity to advocate for equitable housing policies. On April 11th, 2024 Austin City Council held a meeting that provided a platform to voice concerns about the affordability crisis gripping our city and the proposed HOME (Home Options for Middle-Income Empowerment) initiative meant to address these pressing issues. It's clear that skepticism remains in our community regarding its ability to create truly affordable housing. While Phase 1 of HOME is a step in the right direction, it's imperative that we take the time to assess its impact before advancing to Phase 2. We need more than anecdotal evidence; we need concrete data and analysis to understand how these policy changes affect housing affordability and community dynamics. As we continue to advocate for inclusive and sustainable housing solutions, Austin City Council should prioritize transparency, thorough research, and community engagement. I encourage all community members in Austin to voice their opinions and concerns for the future of our city by participating in the opportunities these democratic processes allow us. It's crucial to ensure that our housing policies are not just symbolic gestures but effective solutions addressing the root cause of the affordability crises in our city. 

Toronto is a city known for its vibrancy, diversity, job opportunities, and education. The city has around 246,000 students. Toronto has been experiencing an increase in rent prices recently which brings the problem of unaffordable housing to its students. The unaffordable housing problem is not just a financial problem, it also acts as a barrier for students to pursue higher education in Toronto. CBC News (2023) found that high rent prices force students to take multiple jobs in addition to school schedule so that they can afford rent. They even opt from pursuing higher education and concentrate on work only so that they can afford rent which prevents them from pursuing their academic aspirations. Imagine the dilemma students go through figuring our whether they will pay for rent or they should finance their higher education. The unaffordable housing is a problem which threatens dreams of our future generation. The challenge enhances continuation of poverty cycles which limits student opportunities, increasing levels of inequality in job market and in access to education. Students end up living in poverty increasing income inequality in Canada, making it necessary for the problem to be addressed. It is time for Mayor Olivia Chow (Municipal government of Toronto), landlords within Toronto, and all colleges to address the problem of unaffordable housing for students. By constructing cheap housing in Toronto city, colleges accommodating students, and landlords offering discounts to students, we can deal with the unaffordable housing problem which acts as a barrier to students’ higher education. Let’s advocate for affordable housing to college students in Toronto. #Toronto #TorontoStudents #TorontoColleges #AffordableHousing #HigherEducation #HighRentPrice

I'm concerned about the recent focus in the mainstream media on reducing international student numbers as an attempt to free up housing. Not only does this focus increase the risk of racist attitudes and behaviours toward international students, but it's a red herring. Housing insecurity and homelessness will end when we take the provision of housing, a human right, out of the "market." The market is designed to produce profits for investors, not to meet universal, basic human needs. Ricardo Tranjan, economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, illustrates this well in his book The Tenant Class: https://lnkd.in/gU43CSBH I encourage all who are concerned about housing insecurity to read this book and to write your MLA, your MP, and others to express your views, however briefly. If we all do a little, it adds up to a lot.

🚀 Exciting Development for Berkeley Real Estate and Its Impact on High-Net-Worth Individuals 🏗️ Berkeley's recent decision to raise height limits in the Southside neighborhood, adjacent to UC Berkeley, marks a pivotal moment in Bay Area real estate. The new zoning rules enable the construction of high-rise apartment buildings, potentially adding over 2,500 homes near the university campus. This move, a result of years of advocacy, aims to address the acute student housing shortage in Berkeley's densest neighborhood. 🌟 How does this impact our clients? Real Estate Investment Opportunities: With the allowance for higher buildings and the reduction in regulations like density caps, this creates lucrative opportunities for investors in residential properties. High-net-worth individuals seeking to diversify their portfolios might find this a golden chance to invest in a growing and dynamic market. Tax Implications: The development of new properties may influence local property values and tax assessments. It's crucial for investors to consider potential changes in property taxes and the impact on their overall tax strategy. California's Density Bonus Law: This law, continually refined, offers developers additional flexibility, particularly in constructing affordable and senior housing. Notably, AB 682 introduces "shared housing" as a new category eligible for a density bonus, potentially changing the landscape of housing development and investment strategies. Berkeley's Long-term Vision: The city council's openness to further streamlining the approval process for housing projects meeting certain criteria indicates a commitment to expanding housing development. This may signal a long-term trend, potentially beneficial for investors and the community. 🔍 It's vital for investors to stay informed and consult with tax and investment advisors to understand the full implications of these changes. 💡 Are you considering an investment in Berkeley's expanding real estate market? Let's discuss how this aligns with your financial and tax planning goals. #RealEstateInvestment #BerkeleyDevelopment #TaxStrategy #BayAreaRealEstate #HighNetWorthInvesting #DensityBonusLaw #CaliforniaRealEstate https://lnkd.in/gWw6bVns

🏫 🏡 State opportunity maps characterize neighborhood opportunity broadly via "resources". Our researchers Yasmin G. and Dan Rinzler wanted to zoom in one important, specific, dimension of neighborhood opportunity: schools. Here, they take a closer look at how school environments near family-serving affordable housing in California are faring following the introduction of opportunity area incentives. https://lnkd.in/gZggsYA7

🏡 🔧 More of my maintenance-related research was recently published in City & Community! Social scientists studying rental markets often focus on displacement due to pressures like rent increases, unit quality problems, evictions, and neighborhood violence (and with good reason!). However, moving is expensive, stressful, and uncertain, particularly for disadvantaged families. Some of these pressures force families to move (evictions), but others may not mechanically cause displacement (rent increases). What trade-offs do families endure to avoid an unwanted move, particularly when affordable alternatives are hard to find?   In this paper, I use interviews with 131 renters in Los Angeles to examine how families manage one commonly-theorized displacement driver: chronic disrepair at home. Poor housing conditions are common in this sample. However, instead of embarking on a long and uncertain housing search, most disadvantaged families engage in a process that I call negotiating neglect. Negotiating neglect involves forecasting landlord responses to repairs, following up with partial or inadequate fixes, investing their own money into critical home maintenance, and managing the health consequences of disrepair. In contrast, when middle-income families encountered poor conditions, they made concrete plans to exit disinvested units. The findings show how rental markets widen inequalities between families, above and beyond prompting displacement.   Check it out here, and let me know if you’d like a copy!

As of 2022, there were more than 5.8 million housing units in Pennsylvania, an increase of 4% since 2010. Of these, roughly 5.3 million units are occupied, 69% by homeowners and 31% by renters. Learn more in our Pennsylvania Comprehensive Housing Study: https://lnkd.in/eCZKiwqM.