History of Affordable housing in Timeline

Affordable housing is housing accessible to households with incomes at or below the median, as determined by government affordability indexes. It encompasses a range of housing options, from emergency shelters to affordable homeownership. The need for affordable housing rises when housing affordability decreases, such as through rent increases, which is also often associated with increases in homelessness. The landscape is very broad, ranging from informal rental agreements to more formal market and non-market options, even including indigenous housing.

1984: Decrease in quality rental units

In 1984, David Rodda noted that the number of quality rental units decreased as the demand for higher quality housing increased.

1991: Decrease in quality rental units

In 1991, David Rodda noted that the number of quality rental units decreased as the demand for higher quality housing increased.

1996: Effects of Student Mobility on Learning

In 1996, a technical report found that teachers with students who frequently moved had to slow down instruction and increase review to accommodate variations in student learning.

November 2007: Cost of "Right to Build" Study

In November 2007, an article in Atlantic Monthly, referencing a study by Harvard economists Edward Glaeser and Kristina Tobio, reported that the "right to build" (planning permission, red tape, bureaucracy, etc.) added approximately $600,000 to the cost of each new house built in San Francisco.

2011: Hamburg Agreement for Affordable Housing

In 2011, developers in Hamburg, Germany, agreed to build 3500 new housing units per year, with 30% reserved for low and middle income households. The city government supported this by providing city-owned land and acquiring private land.

2013: Homelessness as a Public Health Issue

In 2013, The American Journal of Public Health recognized homelessness as a public health issue. A survey identified a lack of affordable housing as the primary cause of homelessness among families with children and unaccompanied individuals.

2014: Berlin's Alliance for Housing Construction Established

In 2014, Berlin established the Alliance for Housing Construction, bringing together local government, private landlords, and public utility landlords to make rental units more affordable. Public utility landlords agreed to build 3000 new dwellings each year, and private landlords agreed to construct 6000 units each year, with a portion offered as "non-serviced rents."

2017: Adults Using Shelter

In 2017, 44 percent of all adults who used shelter at some point had a disability.

2018: Homeless Point-in-Time Count

According to the 2018 homeless point-in-time count, 111,122 homeless people (20 percent) had a severe mental illness and 86,647 homeless people (16 percent) suffered from chronic substance abuse.

2018: "Letter of Acknowledgement" Requirement in Los Angeles

Until 2018, in Los Angeles, an affordable housing development required a "letter of acknowledgement" from the city councilperson, allowing council members to block developments without providing a reason.

September 2019: The State of Homelessness in America Report

In September 2019, the Council of Economic Advisers published "The State of Homelessness in America" report, which found that over half a million people go homeless on a single night in the United States.

2019: Federal Funding for Homeless Assistance Programs

In 2019, the Federal Government, primarily through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), provided significant funding to communities for homeless assistance programs. HUD contributed $2.6 billion via the Continuum of Care (CoC) and Emergency Solution Grant programs, while the VA provided $1.8 billion for programs serving homeless veterans. Other federal, state, and local entities, along with private philanthropy, also contributed substantial funding.

2019: Reformation of the Housing First Approach

In 2019, the Trump Administration reformed the Housing First approach by allowing communities flexibility to impose service participation requirements for participants after they have been stabilized in housing, while maintaining a commitment to providing housing with no preconditions.

2021: Emergency Housing Vouchers Program Launched

In 2021, former President Joe Biden launched the Emergency Housing Vouchers program (EVH) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act to assist Americans experiencing domestic violence, homelessness, and human trafficking.

2021: Parking Requirements Increase Affordable Housing Costs

In California, in 2021, researchers estimated that parking requirements increase the cost of building affordable housing by up to $36,000 per unit, and up to $75,000 per unit in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

2022: LIHTC Projects Increase Neighborhood Land Value

According to a 2022 study, LIHTC projects in the United States increase land value in surrounding neighborhoods.

2022: Renters in the United States Income on Rent and Utilities

In 2022, researchers determined that about half of renters in the United States paid less than 30% of their monthly income on rent and utilities, about a quarter paid between 30% and 50%, and another quarter paid more than 50%.

2022: OECD Affordable Housing Database Estimates

In 2022, the OECD Affordable Housing Database estimated the percentage of housing related expenses including rent, imputed rent, energy, water and maintenance costs as a percentage of household final consumption expenditure by country.

2023: Adaptive Reuse as Primary Real Estate Growth

According to 2023 estimates, 90 percent of U.S. real estate growth by 2033 will entail the adaptive reuse of existing buildings rather than new construction.

March 6, 2025: Funding for Emergency Housing Vouchers Program Expected to End

On March 6, 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a letter announcing that funding for the Emergency Housing Vouchers program (EVH) is expected to end by 2026.

2026: Funding for Emergency Housing Vouchers Program Expected to End

In 2026, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that funding for the Emergency Housing Vouchers program (EVH) is expected to end.

2030: Slum Population Estimate

According to estimates, by 2030 1 in 4 people on the planet will live in a slum or other informal settlement.

2033: Projected Dominance of Adaptive Reuse

According to 2023 estimates, by 2033, 90 percent of U.S. real estate growth will entail the adaptive reuse of existing buildings rather than new construction.

2050: Urbanization Growth

By 2050, the World Bank reports that nearly 7 of 10 people in the world will live in cities, which brings challenges to urban development as cities are tasked with efficiently using resources in accordance with the global demand for affordable housing.