Foundation Funding for Housing
Nine of the nation’s largest private foundations have joined forces to create the Funders for Housing and Opportunity (FHO) collaborative with the goal of ensuring individuals and families who spend more than half of their income on rent—or have no homes at all—will be able to afford safe, stable rental housing in thriving communities. Together, FHO members will commit grant dollars that will be used to catalyze systemic change. The new organization announced that it has committed $4.9 million to four grantees over the next three years.
Multifamily Housing
The cost of construction is rising rapidly for apartment developers and contractors. “I expect contractors to pay 4 percent to 5 percent more in 2018 than in 2017,” says Ken Simonson, chief economist with the Associated General Contractors of America. That includes both construction materials and services, such as truck transportation, subcontracting and leasing.
Homeownership
Freddie Mac has released its February Insight, which looks into the effects of higher mortgage rates on homebuyers, homeowners wishing to refinance, mortgage lenders, home builders and real estate agents. The Insight delves into the past to review periods when interest rates spiked and analyze the effects on the housing industry.
This article provides a brief case example of the use of manufactured housing in San Bernardino, CA on scattered in-fill lots to help in providing affordable homeownership and revitalize city neighborhoods.
An analysis by Urban Institute research staff looks at costs of homeownership versus renting, and shows that homeownership remains highly beneficial for most families, offering both financial gains and a way to build wealth. Homeownership is shown to be especially beneficial for those who expect to own their home for a long enough period to overcome the sizable transactions costs and the cyclical volatility of home prices.
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