Low Income and Affordable Housing

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Video of 73-year-old boarded up inside his apartment sparks investigation

HARVEY, Ill. (AP) — Rudolph Williams says he was home in a Chicago suburb when he realized the doors and windows to his courtyard-style apartment had been boarded up with plywood, locking him inside.

https://apnews.com/article/illinois-low-income-apartments-boarded-up-ff376b041f7800e85b802902cf9a617b?

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Micro-apartments are back after nearly a century, as need for affordable housing soars

SEATTLE (AP) — Every part of Barbara Peraza-Garcia and her family’s single-room apartment in Seattle has a double or even triple purpose.

https://apnews.com/article/micro-apartments-affordable-housing-homelessness-716346460edde132dd3701f8eda74331?

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Old-school apartments (literally)

By Sami Sparber and Brianna Crane

Data: RentCafe; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios The next in-demand apartment could be inside an old Washington school. The big picture: Former schools accounted for 3% of U.S. apartment conversions in 2023, data shared with Axios shows. Former offices and hotels dominate the national conversion trend, comprising 28% and 36% of newly completed projects, according to a RentCafe analysis. Why it matters: As cities and developers seek to repurpose empty space into much-needed housing, a mix of building types are on the table. Zoom in: D.C. is among metros leading school and office-to-apartment conversions across the U.S., per RentCafe data shared with Axios. Most recently, the former Elizabeth G. Randall Junior High School project in Southwest D.C. was converted into The Rubell Museum and an apartment complex called Gallery 64. While turning cafeterias and gyms into homes is easier said than done, state and federal historic preservation tax credits can incentivize school flips. School buildings can also offer more of the natural light renters want, compared to offices, developers say. State of play

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Most-flipped building types

By Simran Parwani

Data: RentCafe; Note: Includes buildings with at least 50 units; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios In 2023, U.S. apartment conversion projects were up 17.6% from the year before, per the RentCafe analysis. Flashback: After stalling amid the 2008 recession, so-called adaptive reuse projects picked up in the 2010s, partly because of new financing incentives and the increasing need for affordable housing options, researchers say. Between the lines: Businesses closing or downsizing during the pandemic also created many vacant commercial spaces, sparking a surge in adaptive reuse projects. What's next: Around 150,000 apartment conversions are in development, with over one-third from former office spaces, RentCafe found.

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Biden's staff panic after debate

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

President Biden's debate performance has left many of his own aides worried about his mental fitness and angry about what they see as a lack of candor from Biden's senior advisers, Axios' Alex Thompson reports. "Everyone is freaking the f*** out," one official said. ? Behind the scenes: Senior White House officials addressed the president's lackluster performance with staffers last Friday, the day after the debate. Many officials felt they were given talking points, with no real explanation of why Biden appeared unable to string sentences together or articulate a case for himself over former President Trump. The lack of answers from senior aides has continued this week, leading to growing anger and resentment among many inside the White House and the Biden campaign. ? "It's dark," said an official involved in the campaign. "It feels like there is zero leadership or information. People are being told to keep their heads down and keep working, but they're not seeing the president or being given any reason why they should have faith in him." ? The other side: Many of Biden's most trusted aides believe the debate was just one bad night and expect it to blow over. It would hardly be the first time he's defied critics even within the Democratic party who say he's too old, they note. "We have a lot of experience keeping — and spreading — the faith in moments where we're counted out; by staying focused on delivering for the American people and building on the most successful record of any modern presidency," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said. Go deeper.

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Developer eyes Osceola County for more affordable housing

One of the nation’s largest owners and developers of for-profit affordable housing has a 67-acre site in the ChampionsGate-Reunion area of Osceola County under contract for a combination senior and family housing development.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/07/25/dominium-eyes-championsgate-area-for-more-affordable-housing/?