Chicago’s two-, three- and four-flats are a key source of affordable housing. The pandemic might be changing that.
Chicago Tribune, March 5, 2022
This article summarizes an HCRC report by researchers from the American Bar Foundation and the University of Illinois at Chicago, which examined small, independently-owned rental properties in Chicago, such as two- and three-flats. The report, published December 6, 2021, describes the experiences of small-building landlords in Chicago and how they have responded to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Understanding Who Owns Rental Stock Can Ensure Tenants and Small Landlords Get the Support They Need Urban Institute, March 23, 2022
In this blog, the authors present steps city policymakers can consider to improve their rental data collection and transparency. Despite the increased attention on landlords over the past two years, data on rental property ownership are still hard to come by, though the information could help cities more effectively target rental assistance and eviction prevention programs to help renters and small landlords. They propose that cities (1) propose rental licensing ordinances, (2) make rental property ownership data publicly available, and (3) identify property ownership patterns to create policies to better support small landlords.
Millions of Renters Fall Short of Comfortable Standard of Living Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, March 22, 2022
This blog summarizes findings of the authors' recently published paper in Housing Policy Debate, which used a modified version of the Economic Policy Institute’s 2018 Family Budget Calculator to find that even before the pandemic more than 19 million working-age renter households struggled to meet their expenses. The paper also assesses policy interventions and finds that for lower-income households making less than $30,000, a combined affordable housing and transportation subsidy would close the gap the most, reducing the average income deficit by half.
Data Update: Analysis Of Renters At Risk As Eviction Moratorium Expires NYU Furman Center, January 15, 2022
To detail the more immediate implications of lapsing regulatory protections in New York State, researchers summarize key data that offer insight into the volume and nature of eviction cases, explain how eviction cases have proceeded through the courts to the stage where tenants have outstanding warrants for eviction, and review the current status of the three principal tenant protections.
