A weekly digest of current trends in housing and community development. The discussion examines topics from infrastructure to community fabric.
Address Merger Concerns Before the Merger
(RECAP: The Virginia Housing Coalition and the Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness both began in the early 1980’s as grassroots statewide advocacy organizations. A merger plan was refined over the summer of 2015, and with a name change to the Virginia Housing Alliance. The future of affordable housing education and awareness in Virginia looks brighter than ever due to our well planned and timed merger, and the Virginia Housing Alliance is already making waves in our state.)http://www.rooflines.org/4401/address_merger_concerns_before_the_merger/
The qualified mortgage rule hasn’t chilled lending
(RECAP: The qualified mortgage (QM) rule introduced in January 2014 was designed to prevent borrowers from acquiring unaffordable loans and to protect lenders from potential litigation. Many worry the rule has contributed to the reduction in mortgage credit availability that has hit low-income and minority borrowers hardest. But updated analysis finds the rule has had little impact on the availability of mortgage credit, largely because the market had changed well before the rule took effect.)http://www.urban.org/urban-wire/qualified-mortgage-rule-hasnt-chilled-lending
Joining hands across sectors: developing community potential together
(RECAP: Within NeighborWorks and among professionals who look to us for training and support, the debate rages about the extent to which we should be defined as “housers.” After all, providing housing that is affordable to those with lower incomes was NeighborWorks’ founding “reason to be,” and is the basis of continued funding by Congress. However, to truly serve people and the places they call their community, housing should be seen as a “portal” through which other opportunities can be created for a more holistic approach to quality of life.)http://www.neighborworks.org/Blog/It-takes-a-village-to-develop-community-potential
Opinions on Housing
The views and opinions expressed in Opinions on Housing are solely those of the original authors, and do not necessarily represent those of VHDA, our stakeholders or any/all contributors to this blog.
Calculating the True Cost of Affordable Housing
(RECAP: Transportation costs are not always considered in discussions of affordable housing. As defined by HUD, affordable housing costs less than 30 percent of a household’s income. But when necessary transportation costs — gas, car maintenance, monthly transit passes, etc. — are added into the mix, those percentages go way, way up.)http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/03/calculating-the-true-cost-of-affordable-housing/471141/
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