Housing/Homelessness / Public News Service

Although citywide bans on camping and other laws disadvantaging homeless people grew widely from 2006 to 2019, homeless encampments grew by 1,300% in all 50 states. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

CT advocates dismayed by SCOTUS homelessness decision

Connecticut advocates are distressed about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v. Gloria Johnson. The ruling said public camping bans …

In 2022, fatal drug overdoses in Philadelphia hit a peak of 1,413, with people of color hit hardest. More than 80% of the overdose fatalities in 2022 involved opioids, almost always fentanyl. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, July 1, 2024

New Medicaid policy boosts 'street medicine' in PA

Philadelphia is addressing its opioid crisis by deploying mobile medical units to provide Medicaid-funded "street medicine" to the unhoused population…

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families provides subsidies to eligible families to help them pay for child care. (bernardbodo/Adobe Stock)

Monday, July 1, 2024

WA call center provides child care support for families experiencing homelessness

The high cost of child care in Washington can strain family budgets. It can be even harder when families are experiencing homelessness. A statewide …

Reports show newly constructed electric buildings can have lower energy bills than those with fossil-fuel systems. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, July 1, 2024

‘All-Electric Buildings’ law part of NY building code update

New York's Building Code Council is set to include the All-Electric Buildings Act in its 2025 code update. The 2023 law bans natural gas and other …

At the state level, Renew Missouri represents renewable and energy efficiency interests before the Public Service Commission. (Adobe Stock)

MO nonprofits join forces to help with power bills for those in need

Some Missouri nonprofit groups have teamed up to help those in need in the rural southeastern part of the state. Many households in these …

A tax-cut package, passed in an Arkansas special legislative session, also increased the homestead property tax credit in Arkansas from $425 to $500. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Opponents of latest state tax cuts say they benefit wealthy Arkansans

Leaders of some nonprofit organizations in Arkansas are not happy with a recent tax cut package passed by the Legislature. The law reduces the tax …

There is a shortage of almost 140,000 affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income Indiana residents, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. (Adobe Stock)

Hoosiers push for statewide commission to tackle housing crisis

By Marilyn Odendahl for The Indiana Citizen.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Indiana News Service reporting for the Indiana Citizen-Free Press…

'Death by a thousand cuts' for Bozeman's low-income renters

A group formed to fight for the rights of Bozeman's lower-income renters is pushing for mandatory legal assistance for people facing eviction…

Among 3- and 4-year-olds in Texas, 58% are not in school. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

Texas remains near bottom in kids well-being

Texas is near the bottom in this year's annual Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book, which studies trends in child well-being. The report …

The population in the Tucson metro area increased by 0.7% in 2023, bringing the total population to just over 1 million, according to the University of Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

AZ mayor sees federal investments pay off for Tucson

Regina Romero, mayor of Tucson, was one of many local leaders at the 92nd annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting, which wrapped up this weekend…

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. (Adobe Stock)

Montgomery mayor seeks public safety solutions at U.S. Conference of Mayors

More than 200 mayors, from cities in Alabama and across the country, gathered this weekend to tackle the nation's most prominent issues at the 92nd U.…

Housing among top priorities for Savannah at Mayors' Conference

More than 200 mayors, from cities in Georgia and across the country, gathered through this weekend to tackle the nation's most prominent issues at …

Rhode Island has one of the nation's highest percentages of students enrolled in early childhood education programs. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Building a brighter future for Rhode Island children

Rhode Island has ranked 12th in the nation for child well-being according to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The …

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up almost 6% of the Texas population. Texas ranks third among all states with the largest AAPI population, after California and New York. (Trueffelpix/Adobe Stock)

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in TX face health disparities

Almost half of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who live in Texas are skipping routine healthcare because of cost, according to a survey by …

Between 2012 and 2022, more than 2 million landlord-tenant cases were filed in Michigan. <br />(Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Most MI tenants cannot afford their rent

Michigan has 1.1 million renter households. According to the 2024 Michigan Statewide Housing Needs Assessment, more than half struggle to pay rent…

Organizations like Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota recommend bolstering tutoring programs and other out-of-school learning opportunities for kids to help address lagging test scores. (Adobe Stock)

Patience urged as MN policies evolve to improve outcomes for kids

Despite a handful of concerning results for child well-being in Minnesota, one policy expert says the state is well positioned to make structural …

The Annie E. Casey Kids Count Data Book finds 13% of Virginia kids live in poverty, a figure that has stagnated from previous years. However, it is lower than the national average of 16%. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA economic instability disrupts kids’ well-being

A new report finds Virginia's economic instability disturbs kids' well-being. The Annie E. Casey Kids Count Data Book ranks Virginia 16th nationwide …

In Montana, one-third of fourth graders scored at or above proficient in reading in 2022, according to the new Annie E. Casey Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MT kids face poverty, lack reading and math proficiency

New data show Montana ranks 20th for the overall well-being of its children. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's "Kids Count Data Book" reported the …

Up to $31 trillion in U.S. economic activity hinges on helping young people complete learning delayed by the pandemic, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Research shows that students who don't advance beyond lower levels of math may be 50% more likely to be unemployed after high school. (Adobe Stock)<br />

High housing costs in MA impacting childrens’ overall well-being

Massachusetts is known for its quality education and health care systems, but high housing costs are straining family budgets and impacting …

Upon release from prison, Section 1115 waivers would offer individuals reentry services, case management, medication-assisted treatment and a minimum 30-day medication supply. (AliFuat/Adobe Stock)

PA aims to simplify health coverage for kids with Medicaid waiver

A proposed waiver would eliminate Medicaid issues by ensuring uninterrupted coverage for qualified children until they turn 6. If approved by the …

Two South Dakota drought resiliency projects will supply about 130 homes with high-quality drinking water. (Adobe Stock)

New federal funds earmarked for SD rural water projects

Some rural South Dakotans struggle to get good drinking water but the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded two local communities with grants to …

Over the last three years, the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund's CityStart program has focused specifically on racial wealth equality. (JonoErasmus/Adobe Stock)

AR capital receives grant money to improve Black wealth equity

The City of Little Rock is part of a national grant program designed to improve the financial status of Black communities. The Cities for Financial …

While 67.7% of Tennesseans are homeowners, a rate that ranks 29th in the country, nearly 20% of<br />homeowners are cost burdened. (D Guest Smith/Adobe)

New TN law tackles housing affordability with more multifamily homes

In response to Tennessee's critical housing shortage, a new law allows local governments to incentivize developers to build more affordable housing…

IL residents urged to prepare now for coming heat waves

A new report supports data on the effects of global climate change, finding that, within a one-year span starting in May 2023, the cause of frequent …

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the Arkansas State Guard could be called in to help with cleanup if necessary. (jetcityimage/Adobe stock)

Arkansans continue to clean up after deadly tornadoes

The National Weather Service continues to survey damage across northern Arkansas after tornadoes ripped through the state over the weekend. Crews …

Before the pandemic, evictions in Virginia peaked at almost 16,000 statewide. (Adobe Stock)

VA housing advocates upset with vetoes of tenant protection bills

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed several bills intended to do more to address the rights of renters in the Commonwealth. Along with …

In 2023, more than a third of Colorado high schoolers with major depression received no treatment, according to a recent Mental Health America report. (Adobe Stock)

More residential care coming for children with acute mental health needs

Colorado lawmakers are investing more than $15 million to ensure children experiencing complex behavioral challenges, including trauma, major …

At least half of the $32.8 million to replace lead pipes will be prioritized for areas overburdened by pollution and decades of underinvestment, including communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Infrastructure Law brings $32.8 million to Colorado to replace lead pipes

Nearly $33 million from President Joe Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Law is headed to Colorado to help locate and remove hazardous lead pipes from …

Despite recent increases, Wyomingites pay some of the lowest property taxes in the country. (Christopher Boswell/Adobe Stock)

WY governor to talk property tax shifts at 'TeleTown Hall'

Gov. Mark Gordon will address Wyomingites this week to detail new avenues for property tax relief. Following the pandemic, property values in …

Recent statewide figures look promising, but homelessness in South Dakota has risen more than 120% since 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (Adobe Stock)

Sioux Falls programs address rising homeless population

Homelessness in South Dakota may be down overall, but the state's urban areas are an exception. New programs in Sioux Falls aim to address it…

A new survey by the group Make the Road New York showed one-third of New York City migrant workers with steady jobs weren't getting minimum wage or timely pay, due to their immigration status. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: NYC needs to do more for growing migrant population

A new survey showed New York City's population of asylum-seekers is struggling, and makes suggestions for improvements. The survey by the group Make …

Refugees arriving via the Uniting for Ukraine program must secure support from a local sponsor to resettle in South Dakota. (Adobe Stock)

SD refugee resettlement spiked in 2023

South Dakota ranks fifth in the nation for its rate of refugee resettlements per capita and the rate increased dramatically in the last year…

The Pikes Peak Challenge helps provide support to brain injury survivors, including stroke victims, in Colorado, one of just two states in the nation with a brain injury organization. (Adobe Stock)

Brain injury survivors aim to defy the odds climbing Pikes Peak

Several hundred hikers are expected to climb to a summit of over 14,000 feet for this year's Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, an annual …

Deconstruction, basically construction in reverse, is helping cities reduce materials ending up in local landfills. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado embraces deconstruction to keep materials out of landfills

By Syris Valentine for Grist.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News…

Between October 2022 and November 2023, there were 136,295 eviction filings in Virginia, about 466 eviction filings on an average day. (Adobe Stock)

Eviction Defense Center helps VA renters fight eviction

As Virginia evictions rise, one group is helping low-income renters fight back. Before the pandemic, evictions peaked at 16,000 in January 2020…

A Marist Poll found 31% of rural New Yorkers want increased state funding for developing new homes. (Adobe Stock)

NYS budget bolsters rural housing preservation programs

New York's 2025 budget takes proactive steps to address rural housing. In the budget, $10 million was allocated for improvements to rural housing …

About 6,000 Michigan short-term rental hosts earned roughly $146 million in 2021. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

MI short-term rental owners may face new long-term costs

Proposed regulations in Michigan could have a major impact on the state's tourism industry. The series of 10 bills introduced by House Democrats …

An estimated 65% of occupied housing units in Newburgh have renters living in them. Less than 35% are owner-occupied. (Adobe Stock)

Newburgh tenant protections overturned by county Supreme Court

Orange County's Supreme Court reversed a decision letting the city of Newburgh implement state tenant protections. The city declared a housing …

Some places with camping bans preventing people from sleeping in public areas include Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, and the cities of San Diego, Calif., and Portland, Oregon. (Adobe Stock)

SCOTUS homelessness case can have ripple effects in CT

The Supreme Court case Grants Pass v. Gloria Johnson could upend homeless populations in Connecticut and nationwide. The case centers around whether …

Though Connecticut's benefits cliff persists, there are other programs helping people maintain benefits of some kind when their income pushes them over the limit. (Adobe Stock)

CT Day of Action raises awareness on 'benefits cliff'

Today, groups working with lower-income families in Connecticut are raising awareness about the state's "benefits cliff" with a day of action…

Grass-fed beef is prepared for serving at an industry event called the Meat Summit. (Roots of Change)

'Regenerative' beef gets boost from California universities

By Naoki Nitta for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public Ne…

According to Zillow, the typical value of homes in North Carolina is about $329,225. North Carolina home values have gone up 4.6% over the past year. (Adobe Stock)

Rural North Carolina town gets pathway to homeownership

Residents in a rural North Carolina town grappling with economic challenges are getting a pathway to homeownership. In Enfield, the average annual …

Estimates find 3.4 million New York renters are left out of the state's new

Advocates: NY budget erodes tenant, housing protections

New York State housing advocates say they are furious about the so-called "good cause eviction bill" in the new state budget. It grants tenant …

A housing package passed in Salem aims to create more housing in Oregon cities of all sizes. (RG/Adobe Stock)

Next steps after OR legislators make 'groundbreaking' housing investments

Oregon lawmakers passed a major housing package in this year's session, but said easing the state's housing crisis will take more work. Bills passed …

More than 400,000 people live in poverty in Arkansas, according to the Center for American Progress. (W.Scott McGill/AdobeStock)<br />

'Day on the Hill' in Arkansas calls for investment in families

Family advocates are at the State Capital for a "Day on the Hill" rally today, to voice their concerns to lawmakers about issues affecting Arkansans' …

The majority of women veterans are not enrolled in Veteran Health Administration care, yet these women have experienced a more than sixty-percent increase in suicide rates over the past two decades. (Adobe Stock)

ME women veterans request counselors for military sexual trauma

Advocates for women veterans, who've experienced sexual trauma while serving in the military, are asking state lawmakers for much-needed funding…

Montana's homelessness problem is a combination of unprecedented growth, mental health problems and higher housing costs, according to groups working to shelter more people. (2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report)

MT homeless population increase leads the nation

A new report shows Montana has the nation's most rapidly rising homeless population. Advocates for more affordable housing call the situation …

More than 650,000 Americans experienced homelessness on a single night in 2023. (Victoria/Adobe Stock)

SCOTUS to hear Oregon case on criminalizing homelessness

A case out of Oregon soon to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court could have a major impact on how cities treat homelessness. Oral arguments for …

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