HOUSING POLICY

Apr 22 2026BUSINESS

Downtown Denver’s Apartment Plan Faces Funding Roadblock

A Denver real estate group wants to turn an empty office tower at 475 17th Street into 140 apartments, but the city’s development fund isn’t ready to back the project—yet. The plan costs $77 million, with Revesco Properties asking for a $29 million loan from the Downtown Development Authority (DDDA)

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Apr 20 2026POLITICS

Faith and Land: A New Way to Tackle Housing Gaps

In many American towns, rules about land use have quietly kept neighborhoods divided by race for decades. While old laws that openly blocked Black families from buying homes are gone, new rules still make it hard for them to find good places to live. These rules include things like big minimum lot s

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Apr 05 2026POLITICS

Neighbors, Not Numbers: Why More Homes Can Mean More Hearts

Living next to someone can change a life. In Anchorage, the idea that houses should stay far apart is still strong. People worry that more neighbors will crowd the streets, steal sunshine, and break the quiet of their homes. Yet a closer view shows that sharing space can also build stronger bonds.

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Mar 26 2026POLITICS

Tax Plan Targets Vacation Homes, Not Real Issues

A city council member has a habit of blaming outsiders for problems. The latest plan is called an “empty homes tax. ” It aims to make owners of unused houses pay extra money. The city faces a shortage of affordable homes and wants more revenue. The tax would hit people who own houses but ra

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Feb 15 2026OPINION

South Portland’s Housing Dilemma: Why the Mahoney Center Wins Over Homes

South Portland’s city council set a 2025 plan to turn the old Mahoney Middle School into a community hub, while also aiming to add more affordable homes for middle‑income families. The 2026 agenda repeated the housing push and added a bond vote for city buildings in November. In practice, the Mahon

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Jan 11 2026BUSINESS

Homeownership: New Plans, Old Dreams

In a surprising shift, the Trump administration seems to be moving away from the idea of 50-year mortgages. Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, hinted that this option is no longer a top priority. Instead, the focus is on stopping big investors from buying up single-family homes.

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Jan 08 2026POLITICS

New York's Mayor Stands Firm Behind Housing Chief Amid Controversial Past Posts

In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani is backing his newly chosen housing leader, Cea Weaver, despite some people being upset about her old social media posts. Weaver, known for her work helping renters, was picked to lead the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants. Her job is to take strong action agai

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Jan 03 2026POLITICS

A New Mayor, New Orders: Housing and Controversy in New York City

New York City's new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, wasted no time making his mark. On his first day in office, he revoked several executive orders from his predecessor, Eric Adams. These orders, signed after Adams' federal indictment, included one that expanded the definition of antisemitism and another tha

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Dec 11 2025POLITICS

Franklin the Turtle: A New Face for Government Messages

Franklin the Turtle, a beloved character from children's books, has become an unexpected figure in government communications. Recently, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) used an image of Franklin to promote a crime hotline. The image showed Franklin on the phone, with police arre

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Dec 01 2025BUSINESS

Santa Rosa's Parking Garage: A Battle Over Surplus Land

In a recent legal showdown, a California court backed Santa Rosa's plan to sell a downtown parking garage. The case, which started nearly three years ago, was all about whether the city followed the rules in declaring the garage as surplus property. The garage, known as Garage 5, is located on Thir

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