Landlords are the focus of a proposed bill that would provide extra perks for accepting Housing Choice vouchers.

The reluctance of landlords to rent to recipients of the federal housing assistance program known as Section 8, writes Kriston Capps in Bloomberg CityLab, "locks families into cycles of poverty and segregation" as "landlords in more-affluent neighborhoods especially tend to hold households with assistance at bay." A bill proposed by Delaware Senator Chris Coons and North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer would create more incentives for participating in Section 8. "the bill is filled with carrots for property owners who have fled the program, as well as straightforward cash benefits for others who decide to join."
"The bill draws on recent research into what landlords want — a critical but often overlooked question in discussions about housing aid." Landlord incentives include signing bonuses and inspection reciprocity, as well as a hotline which will connect landlords to HUD. Increasing the number of landlords that accept Housing Choice Vouchers, says Sen. Coons, will give more Americans "greater choices and opportunities in finding a home to build their foundation upon." With the end of the federal eviction moratorium looming and many households teetering on the edge of homelessness, the bill could bring welcome reform to "a federal housing assistance program that has long been beleaguered by years-long waiting lists and administrative burdens."
FULL STORY: The Incentives That Might Make Landlords Take Section 8 Tenants

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power
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New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing
Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths
Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply
New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?
Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas
The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.
City of Madera
City of Santa Clarita
Borough of Carlisle
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Colorado Energy Office
Pima County Community College District
City of Piedmont, CA
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