Defining Affordable: A Housing Solutions Podcast

Transit-oriented development promises to connect housing, transportation, and opportunity—but simply building homes near a train or bus station isn't enough. Our first guest, Jacob Billitteri, Senior Project Manager at Affirmed Housing, joins us to explore what it actually takes to create successful transit-oriented communities and why thoughtful planning matters as much as the housing itself.

Using the Berryessa Transit Center development in San José as a real-world case study, we examine how affordable housing, public transit, zoning, financing, and infrastructure can work together to create more connected communities. We also discuss California's SB 79, the challenges facing transit-oriented development, and why reliable transit and long-term regional planning are essential if these communities are going to succeed.

Editor's Note: At the beginning of this episode, we revisit a correction from our previous discussion of institutional investors and the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Additional information and sources are included below.

• Urban Institute. Transit-Oriented Development. https://www.urban.org/tags/transit-oriented-development
• Urban Institute. Transit-Oriented Development Can Help Cities Grow. Which Urban Areas Are Doing Best? https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/transit-oriented-development-can-help-cities-grow-which-urban-areas-are-doing-best
• Reconnecting America. Case Studies for Transit-Oriented Development. https://www.njtod.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Briefing-Report-Number-3-Case-Studies-for-Transit-Oriented-Development-ReConnecting-America.pdf

• California Department of Housing and Community Development. SB 79 Transit-Oriented Development. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/planning-and-research/sb79-tod
• California YIMBY. SB 79. https://cayimby.org/legislation/sb-79/
• CalMatters. How California's SB 79 Could Reshape Housing Near Transit. https://calmatters.org/housing/2026/04/sb-79-implementation/

• City of San José. Berryessa BART Urban Village. https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/planning-building-code-enforcement/planning-division/citywide-planning/urban-villages/berryessa-bart
• Strategic Growth Council. Nearly 200 Affordable Homes Break Ground at Berryessa Transit Center. https://sgc.ca.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/nearly-200-affordable-homes-break-ground-at-berryessa-transit-center-in-san-jose/
• Live at Berryessa. https://www.liveatberryessa.com/home
• Strategic Growth Council. Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program. https://sgc.ca.gov/grant-programs/ahsc/

• SANDAG. 2025 Regional Plan. https://www.sandag.org/regional-plan/2025-regional-plan
• KPBS. Breaking Down SANDAG's $125 Billion Spending Plan. https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2026/02/09/breaking-down-sandags-125-billion-spending-plan
• SANDAG. Draft SB 79 Transit-Oriented Development Map. https://www.sandag.org/projects-and-programs/regional-initiatives/housing/draft-sb-79-transit-oriented-development-map

• San Diego History Center. Streetcars Collection. https://sandiegohistory.org/collection/photographs/streetcars/
• Streetsblog California. The Racist Legacy of San Diego's Trolley Limits Its Future. https://cal.streetsblog.org/2024/07/01/the-racist-legacy-of-san-diegos-trolley-limits-its-future
• NBC 7 San Diego. Lost Neighborhoods and the Legacy of Discrimination. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-history-center-lost-neighborhoods-discrimination/3906377/

• Multifamily Dive. Build-to-Rent Industry Wins Changes in ROAD to Housing Act. https://www.multifamilydive.com/news/build-to-rent-house-road-to-housing-bill/820391/
• Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Congress Limits Institutional Acquisition of Single-Family Homes. https://www.morganlewis.com/pubs/2026/07/congress-limits-institutional-acquisition-of-single-family-homes

• Jacob Billitteri, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-billitteri-50a60227a/

Congress has passed the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, one of the most significant federal housing bills in years. But unlike many housing bills, this isn't primarily about spending more money. It's about changing the rules that shape how housing gets built.

This episode breaks down what the legislation actually does, including reforms to Community Development Block Grants, environmental reviews, manufactured and modular housing, building codes, homeownership programs, and housing development incentives. It also explores where the bill makes meaningful progress, where it falls short, and why implementation by states and local governments will ultimately determine its impact.

Editor's Note: During our discussion of the institutional investor provisions, we referenced a requirement that certain build-to-rent and renovate-to-rent homes must be sold to individual buyers after seven years. After recording, we learned this provision appeared in an earlier version of the legislation but was removed before the final bill became law. We'll discuss this correction at the beginning of our next episode.

• Congress.gov – H.R. 6644: 21st Century Road to Housing Act (Full Bill Text)
• https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6644/text
• Bipartisan Policy Center – Inside the Deal: What's in the Final 21st Century Road to Housing Act
• https://bipartisanpolicy.org/issue-brief/inside-the-deal-whats-in-the-final-21st-century-road-to-housing-act/
• National Low Income Housing Coalition – 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Explainer
• https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/21ST_Century_ROAD_Explainer.pdf
• VPM / NPR – Bipartisan Home Affordability Bill Passes the House
• https://www.vpm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2026-05-20/bipartisan-home-affordability-bill-passes-the-house
• National Council of State Housing Agencies – Changes in Store for Housing Programs After Congress Passes Comprehensive Housing Bill
• https://www.ncsha.org/blog/changes-in-store-for-housing-programs-after-congress-passes-comprehensive-housing-bill/
• JD Supra – ROAD to Housing Act Unlocks New Funding Opportunities and Regulatory Reforms
• https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/road-to-housing-act-unlocks-new-funding-7351328/
• LAist – What the Once-in-a-Lifetime Federal Housing Bill Means for California
• https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/what-the-once-in-a-lifetime-federal-housing-bill-means-for-california

• Nixon Peabody – HUD Environmental Review Reforms Under the ROAD to Housing Act
• https://www.nixonpeabody.com/insights/alerts/2026/06/30/hud-environmental-review-reforms-under-road-to-housing-act

• The Pew Charitable Trusts – Small Single-Stairway Apartment Buildings Have Strong Safety Record
• https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/02/small-single-stairway-apartment-buildings-have-strong-safety-record
• NFPA Journal – The Single-Exit Stairwell Debate
• https://www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-and-articles/NFPA-Journal/2024/08/06/The-Single-Exit-Stairwell-Debate

• Sullivan Law – Impact of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act on Institutional Investor Ownership of Single-Family Rental Homes
• https://www.sullivanlaw.com/viewpoints/impact-of-21st-century-road-to-housing-act-on-institutional-investor-ownership-of-single-family-rental-homes
• The New York Times – How the New Housing Bill Could Affect Affordability
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/business/economy/housing-bill-affordability.html

Affordable housing creates stability. But what should come next?

We've spent a lot of time discussing why homeownership has become increasingly difficult to achieve and what that means for wealth inequality in America. But if fewer people are able to build wealth through traditional homeownership, how do we create new opportunities for renters?

This episode explores innovative ideas that challenge the traditional path to wealth-building, including reporting rent payments to credit bureaus, renter wealth creation models, community land trusts, and limited-equity housing cooperatives.

These approaches don't replace the need for more affordable housing. They build on it by asking a bigger question: once someone has stable housing, how do we help them build financial security, assets, and long-term opportunity?

Housing stability matters. But maybe stability isn't the finish line. Maybe it's where opportunity begins.

• Renter Wealth Creation — Enterprise Community Partners
• https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/impact-areas/upward-mobility/renter-wealth-creation
• Investing Endowment Funds to Create Savings and Assets for Low-Income Families — Annie E. Casey Foundation
• https://www.aecf.org/blog/investing-endowment-funds-to-create-savings-and-assets-for-low-income-families

• Understanding Community Land Trusts — Shelterforce
• https://shelterforce.org/2021/07/12/understanding-community-land-trusts/
• Stewardship Works — Shelterforce
• https://shelterforce.org/2010/12/24/stewardship_works/
• Shared Equity — Shelterforce
• https://shelterforce.org/2018/05/07/shared-equity/
• Community Land Trusts: The Basics — Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
• [verify/update PDF link before publishing]
• How Community Land Trusts Are Powering Co-op Growth in Canada: Lessons for the U.S. — Grounded Solutions Network
• https://groundedsolutions.org/how-clts-are-powering-co-op-growth-in-canada-lessons-for-the-u-s/

• What Is Cooperative Housing? — Cooperative Housing International
• https://www.housinginternational.coop/what-is-a-housing-cooperative/
• Limited Equity Housing Cooperatives: Why They’re a Solution for Our Times — Nonprofit Quarterly
• https://nonprofitquarterly.org/limited-equity-housing-cooperatives-why-theyre-a-solution-for-our-times/
• Housing Co-ops — California Center for Cooperative Development
• https://www.cccd.coop/co-op-info/co-op-types/housing-co-ops
• Community Land Trusts vs. Co-ops: Resources — Bay Area Community Land Trust
• https://www.bayareaclt.org/clts-vs-co-ops-resources
• Limited Equity Housing Cooperatives — Sustainable San Mateo
• https://sustainablesanmateo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Limited-Equity-Housing-Cooperatives_202401.pdf

• Avanzando San Ysidro Groundbreaking — San Diego Housing Commission
• https://sdhc.org/news-release/avanzando-groundbreaking/

HUD recently released its 2026 Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), signaling a major shift in federal homelessness policy. In this special episode of Defining Affordable, Jaime and Robin examine the proposed changes, the evidence behind them, and what they could mean for communities across the country.

HUD argues that Housing First has failed and proposes a renewed emphasis on transitional housing, recovery-focused programs, and new measures of self-sufficiency. But do the data support that conclusion?

Drawing on decades of research, local experience, and examples from communities across the nation, Jaime breaks down the claims made in the NOFO and explores why many housing professionals are concerned that these changes could reverse hard-won progress in reducing homelessness and improving housing stability.

The conversation examines the real costs of homelessness, the effectiveness of Housing First and Permanent Supportive Housing, and the potential consequences of moving away from evidence-based approaches that have helped communities achieve measurable results.

Resources referenced during the episode, including opportunities for advocacy and further reading, are included below.

• HUD News Release — HUD Announces 2026 Continuum of Care Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
• https://www.hud.gov/news/hud-no-26-038
• HUD — FY 2026 Continuum of Care Competition Stakeholder Memo
• https://www.hud.gov/sites/default/files/OCHCO/documents/Stakeholder-Memo.pdf
• National Alliance to End Homelessness — FY 2026 Continuum of Care Competition NOFO Analysis
• https://endhomelessness.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FY2026-Continuum-of-Care-Competition-NOFO-Analysis.pdf
• National Coalition for the Homeless — HUD Policy Updates and Analysis
• https://nationalhomeless.org/tag/hud/
• Shelterforce — Judge Blocks HUD Overhaul of Federal Funding for Homelessness Services
• https://shelterforce.org/2026/01/23/judge-blocks-hud-overhaul-federal-funding-for-homelessness-services/
• Public Rights Project — National Alliance to End Homelessness v. HUD: Fact Sheet
• https://www.publicrightsproject.org/naeh-v-hud-fact-sheet/

• Urban Institute — Housing First Is Still the Best Approach to Ending Homelessness
• https://housingmatters.urban.org/articles-features/housing-first-still-best-approach-ending-homelessness
• National Alliance to End Homelessness — Cost Savings from Permanent Supportive Housing
• https://endhomelessness.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Cost-Savings-from-PSH.pdf
• Jamboree Housing Corporation — Permanent Housing Ends Homelessness
• https://www.jamboreehousing.com/pages/permanent-housing-ends-homelessness-presentations
• National Center for Biotechnology Information — Housing First Is Associated with Reduced Use of Emergency Medical Services
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6446444/

• California Policy Lab — Health Conditions Among Unsheltered Adults in the United States
• https://capolicylab.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Health-Conditions-Among-Unsheltered-Adults-in-the-US.pdf
• Voice of San Diego — Project 25: The Pilot Project Aimed at San Diego's Most Difficult Homeless Cases Showed Promise—Then Died
• https://voiceofsandiego.org/2022/10/17/project-25-the-pilot-project-aimed-at-san-diegos-most-difficult-homeless-cases-showed-promise-then-died/

• American Academy of HIV Medicine — Syringe Exchange and Harm Reduction
• https://aahivm.org/syringe-exchange-harm-reduction/
• NPR — 5 Years After Indiana's Historic HIV Outbreak, Many Rural Areas Remain at Risk
• https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/02/16/801720966/5-years-after-indianas-historic-hiv-outbreak-many-rural-places-remain-at-risk

• ScienceDirect — Rent Control Effects Through the Lens of Empirical Research: An Almost Complete Review of the Literature
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1051137724000020

• Realtor.com — January 2026 Rent Report
• https://www.realtor.com/research/january-2026-rent/
• In2013Dollars.com — Historical Rent Inflation Data
• https://www.in2013dollars.com/Rent-of-primary-residence/price-inflation

Share your thoughts on the proposed FY 2026 Continuum of Care NOFO with your elected officials:

https://www.votervoice.net/CSH/Campaigns/137566/Respond

See how the proposed NOFO changes could affect communities across the country:

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/naeh1302/viz/FY26NOFOImpactAnalysis/Dashboard1#1

In our last episode, Work vs. Wealth: Why Homeownership Keeps Moving Out of Reach, we explored the widening gap between wealth and work, making homeownership increasingly difficult to attain.

In this follow-up conversation, Robin and Jaime zoom out to examine the broader economic forces behind that trend.

If inflation is under control, why do groceries, insurance, and housing feel so much more expensive? If the economy is booming, why do so many people feel like they're working harder just to stay in the same place?

To understand that disconnect, Robin and Jaime explore the concept of a K-shaped economy—a framework that helps explain why economic growth can feel very different depending on whether your income comes from assets or wages.

Along the way, they discuss the difference between asset inflation and real wealth, why economic indicators often feel disconnected from everyday experience, and how policies designed to stimulate the economy can produce very different outcomes depending on which side of the K you're on.

This episode provides the economic context behind the housing affordability challenges discussed in our previous episode—and helps explain why so many people feel like the numbers don't match reality.

• Encyclopædia Britannica: What Is a K-Shaped Economy?
• https://www.britannica.com/money/k-shaped-economy

• Pew Research Center: Wealth Gaps Within Racial and Ethnic Groups
• https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/12/04/wealth-gaps-within-racial-and-ethnic-groups/
• Pew Research Center: Economic Inequality Seen as a Major Challenge Around the World
• https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/01/09/economic-inequality-seen-as-major-challenge-around-the-world/

• Urban Institute: The Future of Homeownership and Housing Finance
• https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/The_Future_of_Homeownership_and_Housing_Finance.pdf
• Urban Institute: How Expanding Housing Supply and Supporting Demand Can Increase Homeownership
• https://www.urban.org/research/publication/how-expanding-housing-supply-and-supporting-demand-can-increase-homeownership

• NPR Planet Money: Is a 50-Year Mortgage Really That Much Crazier Than a 30-Year One?
• https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2025/11/18/g-s1-98040/is-a-50-year-mortgage-really-that-much-crazier-than-a-30-year-one

Robin references the work of former interest rate trader and economic commentator Gary Stevenson throughout this episode.

• The Economy Is Rigged for Billionaires (Prof G Podcast featuring Gary Stevenson)
• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-economy-is-rigged-for-billionaires-ft-gary-stevenson/id1498802610?i=1000766587939
• Gary's Economics (YouTube Channel)
• https://www.youtube.com/garyseconomics

Economist Gabriel Zucman is one of the leading researchers on wealth inequality, taxation, and global wealth concentration.

• Gabriel Zucman's Website & Research
• https://gabriel-zucman.eu/
• A Blueprint for a Coordinated Minimum Effective Taxation Standard for Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals
• https://gabriel-zucman.eu/files/report-g20.pdf

During the episode, Robin and Jaime discuss how other countries are grappling with many of the same challenges around housing affordability, inequality, and economic policy.

• Per Capita: New Zealand Shows Austerity and Interest Rate Hikes Won't Cure Australia's Sticky Inflation
• https://percapita.org.au/new-zealand-shows-austerity-and-interest-rate-hikes-wont-cure-australias-sticky-inflation/
• Associated Press: New Zealand Public Sector Job Cuts
• https://apnews.com/article/public-sector-job-cuts-new-zealand-willis-c862d58680c108ffa8bdb9095292f960
• Green Party of New Zealand: Public Housing Reform Cuts Costs at the Expense of Our Most Vulnerable
• https://www.greens.org.nz/national_s_public_housing_reform_cuts_costs_at_the_expense_of_our_most_vulnerable
• Radio New Zealand: Budget 2026 a Washout for Struggling Families, Advocates Say
• https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/596645/budget-2026-a-washout-for-struggling-families-advocates-say
• Radio New Zealand: Move-On Orders Will Criminalise Children Experiencing Homelessness, Public Health Experts Say
• https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/598256/move-on-orders-will-criminalise-children-experiencing-homelessness-public-health-experts

For decades, homeownership was one of the primary ways Americans built wealth. Today, even people with good jobs and steady incomes are finding it increasingly difficult to buy a home.

In this episode, Robin and Jaime explore how we got here. They unpack the housing boom and crash of 2008, the rise of mortgage-backed securities, and the role investors played in reshaping the housing market. Along the way, they examine a surprising reality of the pre-crash era: borrowers could often qualify for mortgages with little to no income verification and no down payment at all.

The conversation also challenges a common political talking point—that institutional investors are the primary reason homeownership is out of reach. While investors are certainly part of the story, the deeper issue lies in decades of policy decisions that have widened the gap between wealth and work.

As Robin puts it, opportunities created by wealth are growing exponentially, while opportunities created by work are shrinking. What does that mean for the future of homeownership—and is there still a path forward?

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we examine how we got here. In Part 2, we'll explore emerging models that could help more people build wealth and access homeownership in a changing economy.

• Handbook Chapter on Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS)
• https://www.fhfa.gov/Media/PublicAffairs/Documents/Handbook_chapter_on_MBS_slides_final.pdf

• Federal Reserve History: The Great Recession and Its Aftermath
• https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-recession-and-its-aftermath
• History.com: What Caused the 2008 Financial Crisis?
• https://www.history.com/articles/2008-financial-crisis-causes

• Encyclopædia Britannica: What Is a K-Shaped Economy?
• https://www.britannica.com/money/k-shaped-economy
• Federal Reserve Bank of New York: Explaining the K-Shaped Economy: What's Behind the Divide?
• https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2026/05/explaining-the-k-shaped-economy-whats-behind-the-divide/

What if everything you thought you knew about homelessness was wrong? Jaime and Robin tackle some of the most common — and most harmful — myths surrounding homelessness, using data and policy history to separate fact from fear-driven narratives. From the misconception that homelessness is caused by “bad choices” or drug use, to the belief that people “just don’t want help,” this conversation digs into the real drivers of housing insecurity: skyrocketing rents, a housing shortage, and decades of eroding social safety nets. Along the way, they unpack why veterans programs have succeeded, why homelessness is rising among seniors and families, and why compassion backed by evidence matters more than ever. If you’ve ever wondered how people end up unhoused — or why the crisis keeps growing — this episode will challenge assumptions and change the way you see homelessness in America.

Sources and Further Reading:

American Addiction Centers. “Substance Abuse by City.” American Addiction Centers, 2023, https://americanaddictioncenters.org/blog/substance-abuse-by-city

Addiction Center. “Top 10 States With the Highest Overdose Rates.” AddictionCenter.com, https://www.addictioncenter.com/community/top-10-states-highest-overdose/

California Health Care Foundation / CalMatters. “Federal Homelessness Report Delayed Amid National Housing Crisis.” CalMatters, May 2026, https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/05/homelessness-report-delayed/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Drug Overdose Deaths by State.” CDC National Center for Health Statistics, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/drug-overdose.html

Culhane, Dennis, et al. “California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH).” National Library of Medicine / NIH, 2023, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10574586/

National Alliance to End Homelessness. “State of Homelessness: 2024 Edition.” EndHomelessness.org, https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-homelessness/

National Alliance to End Homelessness. “Employed and Experiencing Homelessness: What the Numbers Show.” EndHomelessness.org, https://endhomelessness.org/blog/employed-and-experiencing-homelessness-what-the-numbers-show/

NBC San Diego. “Nevada Settles ‘Homeless Dumping’ Lawsuit.” NBC San Diego, https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/nevada-settles-homeless-dumping-lawsuit/62120/

Pew Charitable Trusts. “How Housing Costs Drive Levels of Homelessness.” Pew Research & Analysis, Aug. 22, 2023, https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/08/22/how-housing-costs-drive-levels-of-homelessness

Los Angeles Times. “West Virginia vs. Los Angeles: Addiction and Homelessness.” Los Angeles Times, Oct. 5, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2023-10-05/drug-addiction-homelessness-opioids-west-virginia-vs-los-angeles

Los Angeles Times. “Police Moved Homeless People Out of Downtown San Diego.” Los Angeles Times Archives, May 10, 1990, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-05-10-me-1536-story.html

Kaiser Family Foundation. “Five Key Facts About People Experiencing Homelessness.” KFF, https://www.kff.org/medicaid/five-key-facts-about-people-experiencing-homelessness/

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. “Data & Trends.” USICH.gov, https://usich.gov/guidance-reports-data/data-trends

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “How We Can End Veteran Homelessness.” VA.gov, https://department.va.gov/homeless/how-we-can-end-veteran-homelessness/

California’s housing shortage and affordability problems are front and center in the 2026 governor’s race. In this episode of Defining Affordable, Jaime and Robin break down where the top candidates stand on housing affordability, homelessness, zoning reform, accountability, and development policy.

From deregulation and transit-oriented development to tenant protections and first-time homeownership, the candidates offer very different solutions to the same crisis. We unpack the policies, discuss what feels realistic, and share our thoughts on what the candidates gets right — and wrong — when it comes to housing.

CalMatters. “California’s Top Governor Candidates Are Finally Talking About Housing.” CalMatters, May 2026.

https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-housing-2026-yimby/

CalMatters. “Where California Governor Candidates Stand on Homelessness.” CalMatters, May 2026.

https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/ca-governor-candidates-homelessness/

CalMatters. “HUD PIT Count 2024.” CalMatters, January 2025.

https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/01/hud-pit-count-2024/

Los Angeles Times. “2026 California Governor Candidate Housing & Homelessness Guide.” Los Angeles Times, May 2026.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-05-01/2026-california-election-governor-candidates-housing-homelessness-voter-guide

Politico. “Buckshot or Moonshot? Democratic Candidates to Replace Newsom Offer Grand Plans for More Housing.” Politico, May 2026.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/07/buckshot-or-moonshot-dem-candidates-to-replace-newsom-offer-grand-plans-for-more-housing-00909349

RAND Corporation. Building Affordable Housing in California Faster and More Efficiently. RAND, 2025.

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3743-1.html

Regional Task Force on Homelessness. “New RTFH Data Shows That in November the Number of People Who Moved Off the Streets and Into Housing Outpaced the Number of People Who Fell Into Homelessness.” RTFHSD.org.

https://www.rtfhsd.org/new-rtfh-data-shows-that-in-november-the-number-of-people-who-moved-off-the-streets-and-into-housing-outpaced-the-number-of-people-who-fell-into-homelessness/

Xavier Becerra

https://www.xbvolunteer.com/

Steve Hilton

https://stevehiltonforgovernor.com/

Chad Bianco

https://www.biancoforgovernor.com/

Matt Mahan

https://www.mahanforcalifornia.com/

Katie Porter

https://katieporter.com/

Tom Steyer

https://www.tomsteyer.com/

In this episode of Defining Affordable, Jaime and Robin explore why the cost of housing is the single strongest predictor of homelessness — and how policy decisions helped create today’s crisis.

Through the history of housing policy in the United States — from the New Deal and deinstitutionalization to the loss of SRO housing and major federal funding cuts — they unpack how rising rents and the shortage of deeply affordable homes create the homelessness crisis we see today.

The conversation covers:

• Why rent prices are the strongest predictor of homelessness
• The loss of low-cost housing options
• How policy decisions shaped today’s crisis
• What “Housing First” means and why it works

This episode connects the dots between housing affordability, public policy, and homelessness.

Colburn, Gregg, and Clayton Page Aldern. Homelessness Is a Housing Problem: How Structural Factors Explain U.S. Patterns. University of California Press, 2022.

Burt, Martha R. “Helping America’s Homeless: Emergency Shelter or Affordable Housing?” Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin–Madison, https://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/focus/pdfs/foc52b.pdf.

“Brief History of Homelessness in the U.S.” Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Magazine, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2026, https://magazine.publichealth.jhu.edu/2026/brief-history-homelessness-us.

“Federal Housing Cuts Left Millions Without Homes.” WRAP, 28 July 2023, https://wraphome.org/2023/07/28/federal-housing-cuts-left-millions-without-homes/.

Hartman, Chester, and David Robinson. “Reagan’s Legacy: Homelessness in America.” Shelterforce, 1 May 2004, https://shelterforce.org/2004/05/01/reagans-legacy-homelessness-in-america/.

“How Housing Costs Drive Levels of Homelessness.” The Pew Charitable Trusts, 22 Aug. 2023, https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/08/22/how-housing-costs-drive-levels-of-homelessness.

“How States and Cities Decimated America’s Lowest-Cost Housing Option.” The Pew Charitable Trusts, July 2025, https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2025/07/how-states-and-cities-decimated-americans-lowest-cost-housing-option.

“Homelessness in America.” Places Journal, https://placesjournal.org/article/tent-city-america/.

“State of Homelessness: 2025 Edition.” National Alliance to End Homelessness, https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-homelessness/.

Tsai, Jack, et al. “Housing and Homelessness in the United States.” National Library of Medicine, 2023, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10574586/. Accessed 12 May 2026.

In this episode of Defining Affordable, Jaime and Robin unpack LIHTC—the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program—and explain why it is the main way affordable housing gets built in the U.S. today.

Using simple analogies, they break down how tax credits incentivize investors, why developers need them to make affordable housing projects financially viable, and how AMI, or Area Median Income, determines who qualifies. They also explore a key tension: housing can be “affordable” as a program category, but still not be affordable for the person living there.

Calculate your housing cost burden using HUD’s definition of affordability:

Housing Cost ÷ Gross Monthly Income × 100

• 30% or under = Affordable
• 31%–50% = Rent burdened
• Over 50% = Severely rent burdened

Look up your city's AMI limits :

• https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il/il2025/select_geography.odn

Affordable Housing Basics

• https://ebho.org/study-room/what-is-affordable-housing/

How LIHTC Works

• https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/98758/lithc_how_it_works_and_who_it_serves_final_2.pdf
• https://www.adventuresincre.com/inside-an-lihtc-investment/
• https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il/il2025/select_geography.odn

Housing Affordability Research

• https://nlihc.org/gap – The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes (NLIHC)

San Diego Salary Data Referenced

• Public School Teacher Salary: https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/public-school-teacher-salary/san-diego-ca
• Social Work Case Manager Salary: https://www.indeed.com/career/social-work-case-manager/salaries/San-Diego--CA
• Mechanic Salaries: https://www.indeed.com/career/mechanic/salaries/San-Diego--CA
• https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/what-jobs-in-san-diego-pay-for-essential-expenses/509-805ff991-a37b-4550-b096-029e1e7f5a4c