June 29, 2023

A new University of California, San Francisco, study on the state’s homelessness challenges and solutions is the largest of its kind since the mid-1990s and the first large study to use surveys and in-depth interviews. It found 9 in 10 participants lost their last housing in the state and that most participants wanted permanent housing, but cost was the primary barrier. “We really hope that we’ve done justice to the stories people have shared with us and can really help shape narratives about the true causes of homelessness,” said coauthor Tiana Moore.

Intensifying rains from climate change put US infrastructure and homeowners at greater flood risk, according to new calculations by the First Street Foundation. The research shows severe rainstorms can deliver 50 percent more rain per hour than drainage s

A federal lawsuit argues that New York City’s community preference policy, which reserves half of below-market-rate units in new developments for residents in the same community, limits housing choices and perpetuates racial segregation. Though the original goal was to limit displacement, the complaint argues the city’s policy makes it harder for people of color to move to historically white, wealthier communities.

The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank will provide financing for climate-friendly affordable housing and retrofitting existing buildings to improve energy efficiency and reduce fossil fuel dependence. The "green bank" functions as a financial institution that offers loans and leverages federal and private capital to support green projects, making a small amount of state funding go further.