January 11, 2024

A recent report from the city of Alexandria in Virginia reveals a geographic and racial disparity in out-of-school services, with fewer programs available in the West End. One-third of Alexandria City Public Schools students participate in such programs, with 42 percent being white, despite only comprising 26.6 percent of the student body. The report underscores the challenges faced by families, including affordability of out-of-school programs.

Seattle's Copper Way housing development, funded by the Evergreen Impact Housing Fund (EIHF), is addressing the affordable housing crisis through a unique financing model. Supported by Washington credit unions, the EIHF is a public-private partnership that provides low-interest, long-term loans to make affordable housing projects that serve low- to middle-income families. “Credit unions not only have a commitment to place, but they have a commitment to people, their members and the community in which they are rooted,” said Kris Hermanns, fund manager at EIHF and chief impact officer at Seattle Foundation.

The Metcalfe Park Homeownership Initiative in Milwaukee aims to make homeownership achievable for low-income residents through a lease-purchase program. Thirty homes that were built 15 years ago on tax-foreclosed lots will be sold to tenants at discounted rates of $40 to $80,000 under the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit's tenant ownership model. The program aims to improve homeownership rates and address racial disparities in Milwaukee's homeownership landscape.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula, spanning 16,000 square miles, has just one shelter for Veterans experiencing homelessness. Rural communities face unique challenges to addressing homelessness. To address this, Iron Mountain VA's Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program takes a Housing First approach, focusing on providing stable housing before addressing other issues.