Shelterforce

Housing First has been the U.S.'s main homelessness policy since the Bush administration. Experts says it works—and that the Trump administration's alternative doesn't measure up. Franklin Schneider reports for Shelterforce.

Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/10/14/homelessness-experts-want-housing-without-strings-attached/

Music by ℗ ComaStudio

These are challenging times for fighting homelessness. Who's doing the work, and what's holding back their progress? Shelterforce's Lara Heard explains what you can expect in our new Under the Lens series, Shifting Ground.

Read Lara's editor's note here: https://shelterforce.org/2026/10/13/homelessness-in-an-age-of-criminalization/

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Public housing authorities and other affordable housing landlords are turning to tech meant for short-term rentals to enforce smoke bans and noise rules—but a new lawsuit has evidence they are also constantly tracking tenants' movements. Sean Keenan reports for Shelterforce.

Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/10/07/public-housing-tenants-sue-over-use-of-invasive-monitoring-devices/

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In Evanston, Illinois, and Minneapolis, tenants organized against the same private-equity-backed landlord. In Evanston, the city provided financial support for tenant organizing while Minneapolis did not. Might this explain the difference in tenant outcomes? Re'Dreyona Walker reports for Shelterforce.

Read the full story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/10/08/how-city-funded-organizing-helped-evanston-tenants-take-on-private-equity-landlord/

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The affordable housing nonprofit acknowledged its power over the for-profit commercial mortgage lender subsidiary after Shelterforce pressed it about questionable loans the lender was making to corporate buyers of manufactured home parks. Now Enterprise says the sale will seed an endowment. Shelterforce's Shelby R. King reports.

Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/09/25/enterprise-is-selling-its-stake-in-the-lender-it-said-it-couldnt-control/

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In the ROAD to Housing bill, passed in July, Congress included a section ensuring long-term disaster recovery support for the first time, a vital response to growing climate-related disasters. Now comes the challenge of implementation. Noah Patton, director of disaster recovery at the National Low Income Housing Coalition, explains.

Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/10/07/how-will-the-new-housing-bill-impact-federal-disaster-response/

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A proposal from two federal banking regulators would reduce both the scale and scope of federal Community Reinvestment Act oversight. Jesse Van Tol, the president and CEO of NCRC, explains what could change and how communities can respond. Comments are due Oct. 13.

Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/09/17/whats-at-risk-under-the-cra-proposal-and-how-communities-can-respond/

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The law was designed to boost the nation's supply of housing. But delivering on its promises will depend on at least three things: Congress funding it, a hollowed-out HUD implementing it, and private developers building. Reporting by Roshan Abraham, a freelance reporter; read by John Ludas, a freelance audio producer.

Read the story at https://shelterforce.org/2026/10/01/will-the-road-to-housing-act-deliver-on-its-promise/

Music by ℗ ComaStudio

Longer lifespans, evolving household structures, and growing care demands are changing people’s housing needs. In this webinar, moderated by Shelterforce's Steve Dubb, panelists highlight policies and practices that can support housing and community in an aging society.

Watch the video and read the transcript here: https://shelterforce.org/2026/10/02/building-homes-and-communities-for-when-we-age-a-shelterforce-webinar/

HUD’s recent efforts to gut Housing First have sought to apply the logic from the addiction recovery industry to homelessness funding. Applying Housing First’s autonomy-centered logic to addiction recovery could be far more effective. Daniel Bahman Shad, the founder and executive director of A Beautiful You, explains.

Read the piece at https://shelterforce.org/2026/09/30/control-isnt-care-why-recovery-and-housing-systems-fail-without-autonomy/

Music by ℗ ComaStudio