March 25, 2021

In the 1990s, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) disbursed grants to tenant-focused nonprofits that helped them bolster their staffs and do more organizing. But for most of the 2000s, HUD froze much of that spending and restricted the rest. Today, tenant rights advocates want those restrictions removed so they can better advocate for the needs of tenants in HUD-funded buildings. “We know what the programs look like that work, so work with us to restore those kinds of programs and finally get these resources out to local groups around the country so that we can save and improve the HUD housing system,” says Michael Kane, executive director of the National Alliance of HUD Tenants. Many wonder whether the Biden administration will restore the funding. 

The City of Vallejo, California, severed ties with the Crime Free Multi-Housing program after an NBC Bay Area investigative report revealed the program’s training material encouraged discriminatory behavior against formerly incarcerated people, who (because of overpolicing in their communities) are disproportionately people of color. “Anytime you have poverty and crime intersect, we have to make sure the outcomes align properly. [Meaning] intelligence-led, being data-driven and making sure we’re precise in our approaches,” said Vallejo police captain Jason Potts.

Boston now requires projects funded by the city’s Department of Neighborhood Development to meet higher construction standards as part of an initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The city’s Zero Emissions Building standards follow the city’s announced $34 million in funding for 14 affordable housing projects. “For these buildings, we’re really looking at how do we build the most efficient, low-carbon, low-energy, well-designed building and then power it with renewable sources,” says Alison Brizius, Boston’s director of climate and environmental planning.

A new Street Ambassador Program, launched on Monday, will provide spot cleanups and trash collection to people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. The program aims to provide an alternative to the city’s mandatory encampment sweeps. “In the middle of a deadly pandemic, we need to take every necessary step to protect public health. That means giving unhoused people a safe place to stay—and refraining from displacing them when we fail to provide them a place to stay,” said councilman Mike Bonin.