WORT 89.9FM Madison · Low Income Housing Tax Credit the Good, the Bad and the Complicated

Born out of the conservative “trickle down” economics of the Reagan Administration, the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit, has – somewhat improbably – become the single largest creator of affordable housing in the United States.  Since 1986, the tax credit program has created some 2.5 million rental units and about 90 percent of the affordable housing built across the nation.  The program continues to receive  bipartisan support in Congress.  But, as evidenced by the dearth of housing affordable to all sectors of American society and the exploding affordability crisis in urban areas across the nation, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit has its flaws and shortcomings.  Dan Emmanuel is a Research Analyst with the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here