News Roundup

  • Dallas-Based Corporate Landlord Skirted Eviction Moratorium during Pandemic
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    According to a congressional investigation, Invitation Homes, a Dallas-based corporate landlord, filed evictions against tenants during the federal eviction moratorium and declined money from federal rental assistance programs. Invitation, which owns more than 80,000 homes across the United States, saw its profits grow to record highs during the pandemic, and the average monthly rent for their homes increased 10 percent from the start of 2020 to the end of 2021.

  • In Tampa, Section 8 Vouchers Can’t Keep Pace with Rising Rents
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    Section 8 federal rental assistance vouchers haven’t kept pace with skyrocketing rents in the Tampa Bay area. Compounding the issue, many landlords are leaving the Section 8 program. “I have looked... from South St. Petersburg all the way to New Port Richey,” says Section 8 recipient Delria Hayes. “It has been just one rejection after another.”

  • Formerly Incarcerated Californians Have Limited Housing Options
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    Despite state and federal initiatives to reform the criminal legal system and reduce obstacles for people with criminal records, formerly incarcerated Californians are experiencing substantial barriers to finding housing. On top of discrimination, criminal background checks, and restrictions on accessing federally subsidized housing, they’re also facing a competitive rental market.

  • Sun Valley, Idaho, Housing Crisis Represents Impending Economic Crisis
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    In the Idaho resort town of Sun Valley, rents have increased considerably, forcing resort workers to live in trailers, trucks, or tents. A housing shortage is precipitating a larger economic crisis, with businesses unable to hire enough workers. The town is a destination of choice for billionaires, whose real estate purchases have caused house prices in Sun Valley to increase by more than 50 percent to a median price of $1.2 million over the past two years. “I came back here to this community to give back to the community. And I kind of see it slowly dwindling away. It’s pretty heartbreaking,” says former resident Ricky Williams.