Regional science

Housing Rights Advocates Take on Billionaire Landlord Sam Zell in Socially-Distant Protest

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 26, 2020
Construction & Property, Infectious diseases, REIT, Public policy, Government, Philanthropy, State, Local, General Health, Health, Foundation, Residential Building & Real Estate, Real property law, Sam Zell, Tribune Publishing, Economy, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Landlord, Equity Residential, Land law, Regional science, Landlord–tenant law, Affordable housing

A coalition of tenants' rights advocates that include Housing Is A Human Right ( HHR ), the housing advocacy division of AIDS Healthcare Foundation ( AHF ) will stage a socially-distant protest calling out the predatory housing practices by Sam Zell, Co-Founder and Chairman of Equity Residential, a Chicago-based real estate investment trust (REIT).

Key Points: 
  • A coalition of tenants' rights advocates that include Housing Is A Human Right ( HHR ), the housing advocacy division of AIDS Healthcare Foundation ( AHF ) will stage a socially-distant protest calling out the predatory housing practices by Sam Zell, Co-Founder and Chairman of Equity Residential, a Chicago-based real estate investment trust (REIT).
  • The Billionaire landlord owns 303 properties totaling 78,280 apartments in San Francisco, Southern California, New York, and other cities.
  • Despite owing his vast wealth to millions of tenants across the country, Zell uses the money gained from his rental properties to stop efforts to implement meaningful tenants protections.
  • HOUSING RIGHTS PROTEST: housing and health care advocates call on billionaire landlord Sam Zell to stop his predatory real estate practices that fuel Californias housing affordability and homeless crises.

Tenants in Public and Affordable Housing Paying Rent, Staying Put During COVID-19

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Housing, Regional science, Economic inequality, Public housing, Affordable housing, Affordable housing by country, Affordable housing in Canada

In May 2020, rates of payments by residents of public housing dropped only 2% from May 2019.

Key Points: 
  • In May 2020, rates of payments by residents of public housing dropped only 2% from May 2019.
  • For residents of affordable housing, which serves a relatively higher income group, rent payments declined 10% year over year for May, while improving 3% from pre-pandemic levels in February 2020.
  • The decrease for all three metrics reached nearly 40% in public housing and similarly ranges between 30% and 40% in affordable housing.
  • "Like tenants of market-rate units, tenants of affordable and public housing units seem to be staying in place while also prioritizing rent over other expenses."

Rental Affordability Act Endorsed by Our Revolution

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 19, 2020
Public policy, Government, State, Local, Residential Building & Real Estate, Other Government, Construction & Property, Elections, Campaigns, Affordable housing, Rent regulation, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Our Revolution, Rent Is Too Damn High Party, Politics of the United States, Politics by country, Regional science

Housing justice advocates and backers of the Rental Affordability Act (RAA), a November 2020 state ballot initiative that will allow for expansion of rent control throughout California, are proud to announce that Our Revolution has endorsed the ballot measure.

Key Points: 
  • Housing justice advocates and backers of the Rental Affordability Act (RAA), a November 2020 state ballot initiative that will allow for expansion of rent control throughout California, are proud to announce that Our Revolution has endorsed the ballot measure.
  • Our Revolution is proud to endorse the Rental Affordability Act.
  • Californians must pass the Rental Affordability Act in November because the rent is too damn high, said Brandon Harami, of San Francisco Our Revolution.
  • The Rental Affordability Act is sponsored by Homeowners & Tenants United, with significant funding by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Managing land uses for environmental benefits

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 19, 2020
Articles, Academic disciplines, Ecological economics, Natural environment, Land management, Land use, Regional science, Environmental degradation, Natural capital, Natural resource management, Environmental certification

Understanding the combined impacts of land use on environmental benefits could better inform decision-making and land management frameworks.

Key Points: 
  • Understanding the combined impacts of land use on environmental benefits could better inform decision-making and land management frameworks.
  • This POSTnote summarises the challenges of managing landscapes on a large scale to deliver multiple environmental benefits, the evidence needed, and the policy approaches that could be used to achieve this.
  • Increasing pressures such as climate change, population growth and habitat fragmentation (driven by human land use) are affecting the delivery of environmental benefits, such as clean water, carbon storage and provision of food, essential for human health and wellbeing.Fragmented land management approaches have failed to protect the biodiversity that underpins the provision of these benefits, withpatches of isolated semi-natural habitat vulnerable to damaging events and degradation, and species may be unable to move between them.The Natural Capital Committee have stated that managing land uses without overall coordination will contribute further to environmental degradation.
  • To safeguard delivery of environmental benefits an integrated approach is required, rather thanmanaging land uses in isolation.

Housing Affordability Trust Awards $5 Million to 19 Local Organizations

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Homelessness in the United States, Affordable housing, Housing, Regional science, Economic inequality, Family Promise, Public housing, Economy, Affordable housing by country, Housing trust fund

The ZooSchool is a critical part of STEM-based programming for seventh-grade students from low- to moderate-income families.

Key Points: 
  • The ZooSchool is a critical part of STEM-based programming for seventh-grade students from low- to moderate-income families.
  • Family Promise of Birmingham will use the funding to provide three months of housing for four homeless families living in extended-stay hotels, due to COVID-19 shelter restrictions.
  • Since 2017, the board has awarded nearly $15 million to housing-related projects and programs.
  • ABOUT HAT:Based in Birmingham, Alabama, the Housing Affordability Trust was established by the Jefferson County Housing Authority and Navigate Affordable Housing Partners.

Monarch Private Capital Finances New Affordable Housing Development In Georgia

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Economic inequality, Public housing, Apartment, Regional science, Affordable housing, Academic disciplines, Economy, Homelessness in the United States

The development contains 44 low-income housing units with one one-story apartment building, five two-story apartment buildings, and a one-story accessory building with brick exteriors.

Key Points: 
  • The development contains 44 low-income housing units with one one-story apartment building, five two-story apartment buildings, and a one-story accessory building with brick exteriors.
  • Our mission at Gateway is to provide a gateway to affordable housing for working Americans, said Jason Freeman, President at Gateway Development Corporation.
  • Monarch Private Capital positively impacts communities by investing in tax credit supported industries.
  • The company is a nationally recognized tax equity investor providing innovative capital solutions for affordable housing, historic rehabilitations, renewable energy, film, and other qualified projects.

Elevating Affordable Housing Investments In Emerging Markets With Green Building

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Regional science, Articles, Affordable housing, Sustainability, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Academic disciplines

VICTOR, N.Y., May 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- International provider of affordable housing solutions, EchoStone, recently completed a community of 252 houses, Peridot Parkland Estate .

Key Points: 
  • VICTOR, N.Y., May 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- International provider of affordable housing solutions, EchoStone, recently completed a community of 252 houses, Peridot Parkland Estate .
  • This affordable housing community is the first in Nigeria, and among the first in Africa, to achieve EDGE Advanced certification at the final construction stage.
  • "Building sustainably is critical to the affordable housing market because it ensures homeowners the best value for their investment.
  • Understanding and identifying the value of green building is essential to development in emerging markets.

Elevating Affordable Housing Investments In Emerging Markets With Green Building

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Regional science, Articles, Affordable housing, Sustainability, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Academic disciplines

VICTOR, New York, May 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- International provider of affordable housing solutions, EchoStone, recently completed a community of 252 houses, Peridot Parkland Estate .

Key Points: 
  • VICTOR, New York, May 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- International provider of affordable housing solutions, EchoStone, recently completed a community of 252 houses, Peridot Parkland Estate .
  • This affordable housing community is the first in Nigeria, and among the first in Africa, to achieve EDGE Advanced certification at the final construction stage.
  • "Building sustainably is critical to the affordable housing market because it ensures homeowners the best value for their investment.
  • Understanding and identifying the value of green building is essential to development in emerging markets.

UNANIMOUS: All Elected Rent Board Members Across California Endorse Rental Affordability Act

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Other Consumer, Commercial Building & Real Estate, Construction & Property, Urban planning, Public policy, Government, State, Local, Consumer, Public policy, Other Policy Issues, Residential Building & Real Estate, Affordable housing, Rent regulation, Landlord–tenant law, Housing, Rent control in Ontario, Real property law, Regional science, Costa–Hawkins Rental Housing Act, Rent control in the United States

Housing justice advocates and backers of the Rental Affordability Act (RAA), a November 2020 state ballot initiative that will allow for expansion of rent control throughout California, are proud to announce that the ballot measure has received the support of every elected rent control board member in California.

Key Points: 
  • Housing justice advocates and backers of the Rental Affordability Act (RAA), a November 2020 state ballot initiative that will allow for expansion of rent control throughout California, are proud to announce that the ballot measure has received the support of every elected rent control board member in California.
  • Rent control boards monitor rent protection laws in many cities in California.
  • The endorsement from the elected rent board members is a sign of confidence that the RAA will help renters across California and complement existing renter legislation, such as the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (known as AB 1482) which is designed to prevent the most egregious rent hikes across California.
  • The RAA has now been endorsed by the following elected rent board members:
    The Costa Hawkins Act has been strangling our communities for far too long.

Great Recession Data Suggests LIHTC Properties Suited to Survive Economic Downturn

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 11, 2020
Economy, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Taxation in the United States, Regional science, Articles, Affordable housing, Great Recession, Recession

LIHTC Lessons from Great Recession: Data Shows Occupancy Rates, Rental Income for Affordable Housing Properties Were Steady During Last Economic Downturn ," a special report from Novogradac, reveals that occupancy rates and rent received at LIHTC properties took a slight dip during and in the immediate aftermath of the Great Recession, but recovered quickly.

Key Points: 
  • LIHTC Lessons from Great Recession: Data Shows Occupancy Rates, Rental Income for Affordable Housing Properties Were Steady During Last Economic Downturn ," a special report from Novogradac, reveals that occupancy rates and rent received at LIHTC properties took a slight dip during and in the immediate aftermath of the Great Recession, but recovered quickly.
  • The data comes from Novogradac's proprietary database of surveys of affordable and market-rate rental housing properties, containing more than 100,000 individual properties.
  • "Affordable rental housing becomes even more important during a recession and if the Great Recession is an indicator, a vast majority of LIHTC properties will remain occupied and financially viable.
  • The ability of those properties to withstand an economic downturn means low-income tenants can retain affordable housing at restricted rents."