There was recently a groundbreaking ceremony for 52 at Park, a 300-unit apartment complex for lower-income families and individuals in Orlando.
Lincoln Avenue Communities (LAC), a mission-driven acquirer and developer of affordable housing, broke ground on the future site of 52 at Park during a ceremony with LAC leaders, local lawmakers and partners. 52 at Park will provide 300 affordable housing units to individuals and families in Orange County earning no more than 60% of the Area Median Income.
“Lincoln Avenue Communities is proud to grow our portfolio of affordable housing developments in Florida,” said Jordan Richter, LAC vice president and regional project partner. “Once completed, 52 at Park will provide hundreds of high-quality, affordable homes in one of the state’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas.”
The property will include eight residential buildings, with all units expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
“The City of Orlando remains committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to call Orlando home has access to quality housing that is safe and affordable,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Through the power of partnership by working alongside Lincoln Avenue Communities, we look forward to welcoming the addition of 300 new affordable apartments and continue to leverage funding and offer incentives to make it easier for developers to build affordable housing in Orlando.”
52 at Park will offer amenities including a fitness center, pool, clubhouse, central laundry and a playground. The property will also include a sprawling solar installation that will offset 100% of the community’s electricity usage, making it one of the first affordable housing communities in Florida to provide full solar offsetting.
“LAC is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability and resiliency of our developments,” said Cricket Cleary, LAC director of development. “52 at Park represents a major step toward a new generation of high-quality sustainable housing in Florida, and throughout the country.”
The project was financed through an issuance of tax-exempt bonds from the Orange County Housing Finance Authority; a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity investment from Freddie Mac, syndicated by Berkadia; a Construction Inflation Response Viability Funding loan from the Florida Housing Financing Corporation; construction and permanent loans from Deutsche Bank, serviced by Berkadia; and solar energy credit equity.
If going 20 for 20 at the top of this “unaffordability” ranking wasn’t painful enough, look at California’s share of this city-by-city scorecard this way …
93% of the 30 costliest cities were from the Golden State
83% were in Top 40.
78% were in the Top 50.
69% were in the Top 75.
61% were in the Top 100.
51% were in the Top 150.
Or ponder the statewide pain like this: A California home costs 8.4 times income ($765,197 vs. $91,551) compared with 4.7 times nationally – $347,716 price vs. 74,755 income.
Pressure points
Here are California’s Top 20 …
No. 1 Newport Beach: Cost ratio of 25.4 times – $3.2 million price vs. $127,353 income.
No. 2 Palo Alto: 19 times – $3.4 million vs. $179,707.
No. 3 Glendale: 15.2 times – $1.2 million vs. $77,483.
No. 4 Los Angeles: 12.5 times – $953,501 vs. $76,135.
No. 5 El Monte: 12.3 times – $733,107 vs. $59,368.
No. 6 Costa Mesa: 12.2 times – $1.3 million vs. $103,891.
No. 7 El Cajon: 12.1 times – $801,111 vs. $66,045.
No. 8 Inglewood: 12.1 times – $757,106 vs. $62,601.
No. 9 Hawthorne: 11.9 times – $872,568 vs. $73,515.
No. 10 Sunnyvale: 11.8 times – $2 million vs. $169,781.
No. 11 Irvine: 11.6 times – $1.4 million vs. $123,003.
No. 12 Huntington Beach: 11.3 times – $1.3 million vs. $111,122.
No. 13 Torrance: 10.9 times – $1.2 million vs. $108,406.
No. 14 Garden Grove: 10.6 times – $917,752 vs. $86,975.
No. 15 San Jose: 10.5 times – $1.4 million vs. $133,835.
No. 16 Anaheim: 10.4 times – $881,544 vs. $85,133.
No. 17 East Los Angeles: 10.3 times – $660,277 vs. $64,156.
No. 18 Long Beach: 10.3 times – $825,502 vs. $80,493.
No. 19 Oceanside: 10.2 times – $850,185 vs. $83,271.
No. 20 Tustin: 10.2 times – $1.1 million vs. $104,427.
By the way, No. 21 is Arizona’s Flagstaff with a 10.15 cost ratio – $646,425 vs. $63,612.
The ‘bargains’
California’s most “affordable” cities on this scorecard include …
No. 233 Visalia: 4.6 times – $372,140 price vs. $81,362 income.
No. 177 Bakersfield: 5.3 times – $380,862 vs. $72,017.
No. 169 Palmdale: 5.5 times – $495,928 vs. $90,330.
No. 160 Stockton: 5.7 times – $430,810 vs. $76,231.
No. 149 Fresno: 5.8 times – $370,798 vs. $64,196.
The nation’s cheapest city, by this math was Jackson, Mississippi, with a 1.4 cost ratio – $57,808 vs. $40,631.
Quotable
A sobering tidbit, nationally speaking, from the report: “On an inflation-adjusted basis, household incomes increased by just 4.5% since 2000, while home prices increased by 59%.”
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com
The address, featuring multiple local officials, is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Thursday
Officials said the top issue for Polk County is housing for its continued growth
And affordable housing is one of the big challenges Polk County faces in its future. That’s why it will be one of the central messages during the State of the County address on Thursday.
The address, featuring multiple local officials, is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office’s PROCAP Room in Winter Haven.
Polk Commission Chair Bill Braswell, one of the speakers, said in the past year, the county has chipped away at county service issues like trash collection and emergency response times.
Braswell said that happened while officials were able to lower property taxes.
But available affordable housing is the continuing challenge, Braswell said, adding that people moving to Polk need more options.
“I look at things like, we call them snuggle wides, they are half of a full-size mobile home, kind of like a mini-home,” Braswell said. “This mini-home thing is really popular. but we could house a lot of people and at very low rent if we could get somebody to come in here and develop out some of these properties.”
And population growth is not going away.
In fact, in an estimate last year from State Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, she wrote, over the next 5 years, Florida could see 300,000 new residents per year.
That’s a net gain of around 800 people, per day, through 2029.
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NYS Governor Kathy Hochul announced more details of the state’s long-awaited approved housing plan at a joint press conference with NYC Mayor Eric Adams in Manhattan on Tuesday.
Hochul originally introduced the plan as part of the final state budget — a $237 billion spending plan — that was announced on Saturday, April 20. The plan, an agreement with state lawmakers to combat the ongoing affordable housing shortage in the state, advances policies to increase the housing supply, promote affordability, strengthen protections for New York renters and homeowners, and combat bias and discrimination in housing.
“Since I became governor, I’ve held a vision to build housing that New Yorkers desperately need, and we’re celebrating this historic agreement that will transform lives and put working families first,” Hochul said. “This housing deal enacts a plan endorsed by unions and a diverse and vibrant coalition of New Yorkers to revolutionize the housing landscape and create the biggest expansion of tenant rights in New York in generations.”
Elected officials and union representatives at the press conference called the plan a “landmark agreement” and “historic,” as it was difficult for lawmakers to agree on a package in previous years.
Affordable housing in NYC
Hochul’s housing plan includes a package of programs and initiatives to create new housing, including affordable housing, in the Big Apple.
“This is such a significant moment, because I tell people all the time that housing is the precursor to seek that allows you to experience the American dream,” NYC Mayor Eric Adams said. “When you have a home, you can plan for the future.”
It includes the new 485-x tax incentive, a 10-year program building on the now-expired 421-a incentive program, which provides benefits for housing construction while “encouraging affordability and delivering strengthened wage standards for building service and construction workers, where applicable,” according to a press release from the governor.
The plan also includes historic anti-price gouging and eviction protections for renters in the city. It makes annual rent increases above 10% or 5% plus the Consumer Price Index (whichever is lower) presumptively unreasonable to protect tenants against price gouging and strengthens legal protections for covered renters in eviction proceedings.
As part of the FY 2025 enacted budget, Governor Hochul has also advanced legislation to prohibit insurance carriers from inquiring about or considering tenants’ source of income, the existence of affordable dwelling units, or the receipt of governmental housing assistance in the decision to issue or continue to provide insurance for residential real property.
The governor also announced a plan to increase the state’s housing supply that would put up to 15,000 homes on stand land, and aims to reduce housing costs for New Yorkers by increasing the housing supply.
“There’s only one way out of the affordable housing crisis our city faces, building,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “I’m proud that Queens continues to lead New York City in affordable housing production, but with countless families living on the sharp edge of poverty, it’s never been clearer that much more must be done to grow our affordable housing stock.”
DURHAM, N.C — The Supreme Court of the United States is weighing a case that could impact the homeless population.
The issue at hand is whether people who sleep in public parks should be charged with a crime.
What You Need To Know
Supreme Court hearing arguments on making it criminal for homeless people to sleep in public parks
Homelessness increased 12% between 2022 and 2023
A Durham homeless woman says the Supreme Court case is “scary to think about”
Last week, Spectrum News 1 joined with Housing for New Hope employees in Durham as they handed out supplies at a local encampment.
A homeless woman at one of the camps said the Supreme Court case was almost too difficult to think about.
“Making it criminal just to be homeless altogether and have camp, I’d be in jail. We’d all be in jail, and that’s scary to think about,” Stormie Tingle, who is homeless in Durham, said.
Tingle said she’d lived at the encampment for several months.
“I’ve liked living here as much as you can, being homeless and being in a camp,” Tingle said.
But what might be beneficial, in relative terms now, could soon turn bad.
“We think we have a lot of people in jail now, were gonna have a whole lot more,” Tingle said.
Tingle is talking about Monday’s Supreme Court case concerning the homelessness crisis.
The case could have far-reaching consequences for how cities address their homeless populations.
Homelessness increased 12% between 2022 and 2023, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Now, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments from people living in Grants Pass, Oregon, which has a poverty population of over 15%.
This is a reality she’d rather not think about as she grapples with the prospect of possibly being jailed.
“Criminal to be homeless is, uh, you know, everybody to me is just one paycheck away from being exactly where I am. Let them not get that paycheck and find a job after that. What are they gonna do?” Tingle explained.
The Supreme Court hearing coincides with the highest reported level of homelessness ever.
Last year’s point-in-time count, which follows the homeless population, found about 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness across the country.
That’s up about 70,000 people from the year before.
The Supreme Court is expected to announce a final decision on this case in June.
Long Beach has upgraded its zoning to allow Linc Housing to build 72 affordable apartments and other developers to build homes in “high resource” neighborhoods.
The City Council approved the zone change to allow the locally based affordable housing developer to build four- and three-story complexes at 4151 Fountain Street and 4220 Wehrle Court, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported.
The council also declared a two-thirds acre lot with a defunct grocery store owned by the city in California Heights to be surplus property. It’s where West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation has proposed building a 100-unit affordable housing complex.
Both projects are in “high resource” or “high opportunity” neighborhoods, a designation by the State Tax Credit Allocation Committee. It’s based on the presence of schools, parks, access to employment, retail and other factors, according to one city official.
Last summer, Linc Housing filed plans to build the 73-unit complex at 4151 East Fountain Street and 4220 Wehrle Court, to replace a troubled group home for disabled teens, Urbanize Los Angeles reported.
The City Council unanimously approved the zone change, general plan map amendment and a sustainable communities project exemption to make the project possible.
Plans for the complex, dubbed the Fountain Street Apartments, call for a manager’s unit and 72 one-, two- and three-bedroom affordable apartments for households that earn between 30 and 60 percent of area median income.
The complex will include 18 homes for people with disabilities, plus a playground, community room, green space and parking for an unspecified number of cars.
The $58.7 million project was awarded $23.1 million by the California Department of Housing and Community Development this week as part of $523.8 million in “Super NOFA” grants for affordable housing, according to Urbanize.
Neighbors expressed concerns about extra traffic, public safety and access impacts at a nearby elementary school.
Councilwoman Kristina Duggan, who represents the Third District, said residents’ concerns were her concerns.
She said city staff are looking to change street sweeping and work with the school district to improve before- and after-school traffic.
“I’m happy that this is in the Third District and we’re part of the solution and we’re providing 72 families homes,” Duggan told the council and constituents. “Now, I also want to acknowledge the neighbors who have come out and worked with me and talked with me about this project.
“It’s rooted in real concerns about the impact to the neighborhood and the quality of life for the people who will be living in the new development.”
Long Beach must plan for 26,502 homes, more than half of them affordable to low- and moderate-income residents, by 2030, according to its state-mandated housing blueprint.
Prince William Board of County Supervisors are studying the feasibility of a program to help county employees afford homes in Prince William so they can live closer to work.
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Deshundra Jefferson has ordered staff to study the feasibility of a program to help county employees afford homes in Prince William so they can live closer to work.
Jefferson said the move is primarily aimed at law enforcement, teachers and fire responders, all county service workers who are often not high earners. Many employees in those groups commute from out of the county, coming from Stafford or Spotsylvania counties, where they can afford to own a home, officials said.
“That’s kind of what I would like to see is people who are on the front lines, serving and protecting communities so that they can really be a part of the community,” Jefferson said, noting the example of a police officer she recently spoke with who commutes north from Spotsylvania County because they can’t afford to buy in Prince William.
Jefferson said county staff members are expected to bring a recommendation before the board on a potential program in the coming months.
She’s hoping to model it off a program offered to employees in Loudoun County, which gives a $10,000 loan grant for the purchase of a home within the county. Those loans are forgivable at 20% of the loan amount annually over a five-year period if the employee doesn’t leave county employment or the home.
The move is intended to help alleviate staffing shortages in the critical fields like first responders and educators, which have been suffering from a lack of workers for the past few years.
Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham said he supports Jefferson’s initiative. He said “time will tell” whether the plan will help alleviate staffing shortages, but the department has had an easier time recruiting in recent months after the board approved a collective bargaining agreement that raised pay for police.
But Newsham said housing affordability remains a major obstacle for the Prince William police force.
“I’m a firm believer that police officers should live in the community that they work in, and I also understand that a lot of our officers do not live in Prince William County because of the cost,” Newsham said. “If you talk to them, they would prefer not to commute. A lot of them would prefer to live in the county, and they don’t do it because they can’t afford it.”
Newsham continued, “The value that I see for our officers living in the community that they serve is they become part of the community. They get to know people. People are more likely to tell them things that they don’t know as a neighbor as opposed to just a police officer.”
Representatives with the Prince William Education Association, the local teachers’ union, did not return a request for comment.
“Although we don’t have specific information on this directive, PWCS supports efforts to attract and retain quality employees,” school system spokesperson Meghan Silas said in a statement.
Another county department that has faced staffing shortages is the planning office, but officials indicated Jefferson’s directive would bear little impact on the department.
“There is no data that shows that the planning staffing challenges were related to housing opportunities for employees,” county spokesperson Nikki Brown said in an email.
ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — The Zephyrhills City Council will soon decide on what to do about a moratorium on new housing developments that it approved unanimously last year.
What You Need To Know
The Zephyrhills City Council voted unanimously last year to put a pause on new housing developments
The year-long pause had to do with the city’s water supply, which city officials worried would not be able to meet the growing demand
City officials will take a vote in June to decide if they want to extend the current moratorium
The vote had to do with the city’s water supply, which city officials worried would not be able to meet the growing demand. The year-long pause has given those in the city a chance to see how they can grow.
But the pause in new housing developments does not mean the city is closing its doors completely, City Manager Billy Poe said.
“We are open for business and we want to make sure that people know that, and businesses know that,” he said.
He said the moratorium was put in place because growth was outpacing the city’s ability to provide services.
“Everyone wanted to come to Florida — the state was open and has great weather,” Poe said. “Who would not want to be here? The subdivisions were fully occupied, and so that put a large strain on our water supply system because we were expecting in 15 to 20 years to hit that capacity, not two to three years.”
But the moratorium didn’t pause everything. Construction of residential properties that were smaller than an acre were allowed to continue, and current developments and any non-residential developments, like businesses, were free to continue, as well.
“We just have to make sure we have enough water going forward with all the future projects and future development, which helps lead us to our goal as a city and what our focus is,” said Poe.
He said there are more plans ahead for the city, with a potential expansion further down the road.
“Just to be able to provide for the community a place where they want to be and they don’t want to go anywhere else,” Poe said.” To just be proud of Zephyrhills.”
The City Council is expected to take a vote in June to decide if the current moratorium should end, or continue.
SEATTLE, April 10, 2024 (Newswire.com)
– Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC ) Puget Sound, in collaboration with the Amazon Housing Equity Fund, is addressing the tremendous need for affordable housing by investing in the next generation of housing developers. Today they are announcing the second cohort of Housing Equity Accelerator Fellows. This diverse group of 20 individuals, comprising 10 for-profits and nine non-profits, brings a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to advancing affordable housing and community development in the Puget Sound region.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with LISC on this critical work,” said Senthil Sankaran, Principal, The Amazon Housing Equity Fund. “The Housing Equity Accelerator is essential – both for creating affordable housing where it’s needed most and for creating greater equity across the industry.”
The Housing Equity Accelerator (HEA) aims to boost the supply of affordable housing by nurturing the growth of emerging housing developers in Puget Sound. The program is structured to enhance capacity for creating more affordable units and to create opportunities for generating wealth and equity.
HEA’s comprehensive approach to capacity-building for Fellows focuses on three main components: Content, Connections, and Capital. The program offers a tailored 12-month curriculum and ongoing technical support to equip participants with the skills needed to scale their businesses for affordable housing development. Additionally, HEA facilitates networking opportunities within a diverse professional community and provides access to grants and loans to support the development of affordable housing.
“The Housing Equity Accelerator isn’t just a program; it’s a game-changer for our housing crisis,” declared Lauren McGowan, Executive Director of LISC Puget Sound. “Given Washington state’s need to add over 1.1 million homes in the next 20 years, with over half being affordable for our lowest income neighbors, these developers are an essential part of the solution. We are honored to welcome this dynamic group of individuals and organizations to the Housing Equity Accelerator.”
The new cohort includes eight women and features diverse representation from African American, Black Immigrant, American Indian, Asian, and Latin American communities. Sixteen of the fellows have lived experience in affordable housing, further strengthening their connection to the communities they serve.
From Everett to Seattle to Tacoma, the pipelines the fellows are working on encompass a wide range of developments, showcasing their dedication to addressing housing challenges across the region.
“Housing is the foundation for healthy families and strong communities,” said Michael Pugh, LISC president and CEO. “When we invest in the infrastructure of organizations that address local housing gaps, we not only improve long-term affordability throughout the region, but we also have the chance to fuel the kind of economic expansion that creates jobs and supports local businesses, while families build financial stability for the future.”
The 2024 HEA Fellows:
Alexandria Brown – Louis Rudolph Homes
Bilan Aden – African Community Housing & Development
Caleb Jackson – Uplift Investment Group
Cleveland King – YMCA of Greater Seattle
Danny Cage Jr. – YMCA of Greater Seattle
Demarus Tevuk – Seattle Indian Services Commission
Deonte Randolph – Product Development
Eric Frank – SUSTAINABUILDITY LLC
Ismail Mohammad – Plutus Development, LLC
Johnny Vong – Blackfish Capital LLC
Kateesha Atterberry – Urban Black
Keelan Flowers – Flowers Investments Inc.
Khevin Pratt – J2Housing
Larry Gilmore – ClearBlu Capital Group Inc.
Mansour Camara – Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Manuel Garibay – Kamiak Real Estate
Maya Spotted Bear – Chief Seattle Club
Mesha Florentino – Delridge Neighborhood Development Association
Mohamed Mohamed – East African Community Services
Tsega Desta – Ethiopian Community in Seattle
About LISC: LISC is one of the country’s largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. We work with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth, and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and local economies can thrive. Since our founding, LISC has invested $29.7 billion to create more than 489,261 affordable homes and apartments, developing 81.5 million square feet of retail, community, and educational space. The Housing Equity Accelerator is one of the LISC Puget Sound initiatives designed to address economic, housing, and racial justice. Together with partners, we are working to increase the supply of affordable homes in the region and close the racial wealth gap.
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — The sounds of NCCU’s marching band ushered in the Bull City’s newly elected leader, Mayor Leo Williams, who was eager to take the stage, but not without a special acknowledgment of his wife and son.
He dived headfirst into public safety and told the audience he hopes that Durham becomes the most progressive city of public safety in America, but it won’t happen without money.
“We need resources that bolster city staff and employees to be the best at their job from competitive market pay to cutting edge technology,” Wiliams said.
The mayor delivered his first State of the City address on Tuesday night and spoke on such topics as strengthening the city’s relationship with one of its largest employers, Duke University, and announcing mentorship programs connecting at-risk youth with jobs.
“The data speaks for itself. There’s a crucial need for more support for young Black men and boys. Simply put: we just have to do more,” he said.
Williams touted that the GoDurham bus system is the second largest in the state. He also spoke of economic development and safer streets. Perhaps one of the biggest talkers was affordable housing.
“Oftentimes, we talk about affordable housing,” he said. “I want to focus on affordable living.”
Durham Housing Authority Director Anthony Scott approved.
“I love the new phrase of it because we need to get out of this market rate..affordable lingo. We need to build solid communities for everybody involved,” Scott said.
The mayor told the crowd those are the pillars that define the Bull City. That optimism was felt by residents.
“A blueprint for the rest of the country on how a small town can come from the rubble in hard times and become something beautiful,” said Durham resident Davit Melikian.
“Leonardo’s style is different. The people can feel him and his genuine persona,” said Durham resident Sandra Battle.
Mayor Leonardo Williams to lay out his vision for the Bull City when he gives his first State of the City on Tuesday, April 9.
Beverly Makhubele has seen firsthand the transformation of east Durham into a flourishing hotspot.
“It’s given the area new life,” Makhubele said. “We’ve seen businesses, particularly black-owned businesses increase in the last three or four years.”
Williams was just elected to lead the Bull City after serving two years as the City Councilman representing Ward 3.
Williams told ABC11 back in November when he was running for the position that he wanted to capitalize on Durham’s growth, while also making longtime locals feel like they are a part of the growth.
The fire happened six months after Denise Surina moved into apartment 312 in the Kennedy Ridge Apartments in Southeast Denver. She lived there with her two cats and two dogs, her late husband’s belongings and her many artworks. There was just one staircase in the building. The only other exits from her place were the windows.
Her downstairs neighbors, in apartment 212, often smoked behind flags hung for privacy. One night, as they often did, they put out their cigarettes in flower planters, according to a Denver Fire Department investigation. A couple of hours later, the planters ignited. The flags caught fire.
Flames climbed up the balcony to Surina’s porch. She woke to the noise of crackling fire.
“I ran out to the living room and saw a ball of fire on my balcony,” she said.
The apartment complex at Dartmouth Avenue and Havana Street in Denver’s Kennedy neighborhood where Denise Surina once lived, and had to jump out of a window during a fire in 2012. April 9, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
She tried to escape through the door, but the hallway was filled with smoke, and she couldn’t reach the single staircase in her building.
Black smoke engulfed her. She slammed the door, hit the ground, and crawled, as fire burned along the ceiling.
Finally, she made it to her bedroom. She looked out the window, and the firefighters were not there. A couple of neighbors were beneath her window, holding a comforter. First, she threw her two dogs, Skipper and Jimo, out the window. They survived the fall.
She wasn’t ready to jump herself, even as her neighbors begged her to do so. She hoped firefighters would rescue her, but they were on the other side of the building battling flames. She wanted to stay until they could rescue the cats. But they didn’t come.
Denise Surina in the back yard of the home she shares with her mother in Denver’s Hampden neighborhood. April 9, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
“I waited as long as possible, but then I turned around and lowered myself,” she recalled. “I was hanging from my fingertips and dropped down so they caught me in the blanket. I injured my right knee. I tore my meniscus.”
Eventually, the firefighters saved the cats. Other neighbors were injured escaping the building. Surina was taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
Nobody died. But death isn’t the only harm caused by a home fire, she said. She wouldn’t wish what she’s suffered on anybody.
Homes like the one she lived in, that burned, are legal to build now. Lawmakers are currently proposing cities across Colorado allow single-stair buildings to go even higher and will discuss the issue in committee on Wednesday.
“When I saw they were going to build more, it was just horrifying to me,” she said. “Because you know, there’s no way out. It’s pretty scary.”
Fires happen. But the single-stair buildings lawmakers are debating are well-tested structures.
Tall single-stair buildings are popular throughout Europe and Seattle. They fall outside of International Building Code rules that limit such buildings to three stories high.
The newer builds boast fire sprinklers, alarms and other technologies to prevent fires. They incorporate technology that removes smoke from stairwells in case evacuation is needed. And those stairwells are placed close to apartment entries for easy access.
Proponents, like affordable housing developer Peter LiFari and architect Sean Jursnick, argue single-stair buildings are a safe, smart solution to the lack of housing for working people. These buildings would give smaller developers a chance to contribute to the city’s affordable housing shortage.
Architect Sean Jursnick and developer Peter LiFari stand in front of a huge apartment project and a small single-stair apartment building on Downing Street in Capitol Hill. March 6, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
“We could have gentle-touch density that would add charm to the neighborhood character instead,” YIMBY Denver member Luchia Brown testified at the Statehouse.
Rep. Alex Valdez, one of the bill’s cosponsors, told lawmakers a statewide building code model would speed up the construction of needed housing in cities across Colorado. The lack of affordable housing requires an urgent response, and this is one of several solutions lawmakers are considering in this session.
David Pardo, an AirBnB property manager and former wildland firefighter, argued at the Statehouse that single-family homes on the border of cities and wildlands, where working people live, are much more dangerous than single-stair buildings in urban areas.
“When we fail to build family-friendly dwellings in well-protected cities, families without significant resources end up in these types of homes, and our wildland firefighters will end up paying the price for that development with their lives,” said Pardo.
Single-stair apartment buildings are nothing new in Denver. Capitol Hill is full of such homes. The city’s current zoning code allows them to be built up to three stories high — the same height as Surina’s former apartment.
The new law would allow builders to add just two more stories of housing. The five stories could be built from the ground up or on top of ground-floor retail, creating a building with up to six stories.
Multiple urban fire departments, including Denver’s, have been arguing against changing the rules.
Sure, there are fire prevention technologies that reduce the risk of fires implemented since the ban on single-stair multi-family construction above three stories was enacted. But in the case of a fire, more access points, firefighters argue, are always better and minimize injury.
It’s safer for residents to be able to exit themselves without waiting for firefighters. In a mass shooting, having one exit could be deadly.
“In our industry, we say the building and fire codes are written with the blood of people’s lives,” said Elizabeth Fire Chief Kara Brzezinski. “We take the development code process very seriously.”
Proponents say the fears, expressed by firefighters, are overblown, conservative and undermine a fix on a much more urgent crisis: the lack of affordable housing that’s led to rampant homelessness.
Single-stair advocates point to studies that indicate cities with single-staircase apartments have fewer fire deaths than Denver.
“In Spain and Italy, for example, one or two units are often on each of eight or even 12 floors,” Pardo said. “Both of those countries have one-third the rate of fire deaths per capita that we have here in the United States. South Korea and Switzerland have no height limit on single-stair buildings, and their fire death rates are one-half and one-fifth that of the United States respectively.”
Death isn’t the only bad outcome from an apartment fire that lawmakers should be weighing, Surina said.
Three weeks after the fire a company doing the cleaning gave her and her daughter hazmat suits so they could go into the apartment and retrieve their belongings. Doing so was against the law, but Surina was grateful for the chance.
Many of her belongings had already been looted. They couldn’t salvage any of Surina’s husband’s things, but she did manage to retrieve some of her art.
“Your life is completely changed,” she said. “Because you have nothing. You’re starting from nothing.”
Surina’s mom, who had watched the fire consume the building, lived across the street. Surina moved in and has been living there since.
Eventually, she declared bankruptcy, as did the people in the apartment below hers. She tried to sue, along with one of her neighbors, taking legal action against the landlords because fire alarms didn’t go off.
After her neighbor passed away, Surina dropped the case.
For more than a decade, she was scared of tall buildings, but slowly she’s recovering from a trauma she doesn’t want others to experience.
“I’m finally getting human again,” she said.
Denise Surina in front of the home she shares with her mother in Denver’s Hampden neighborhood. April 9, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Colorado Public Radio’s Andrew Kenney contributed reporting to this story.
In 1980, I reported on Sacramento’s “public inebriates.” Most of them, a few hundred in all, lived in flophouse hotels. But some slept “in the weeds.”
I walked the wooded banks of the rivers that converge in the capital and found just a few dozen spots where men had bedded down on simple mats of cardboard or newspaper. There were no tents or camps.
The word “homeless” was rarely used then. It didn’t appear in my article for the Sacramento Bee.
By 1982, amid a recession, newcomers who had lost their jobs began to appear in the weeds. In 1985, after three years of reporting on the subject, I co-authored one of the first books on contemporary homelessness. In 1988, I spent a week walking 10 miles of Sacramento riverbank and found 125 elaborate camps. This was new.
I returned to Sacramento more recently amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the tent cities in the woods along the rivers stretched as far as the eye could see, rivaling those photographed by Dorothea Lange during the Great Depression. The most recent federally mandated survey found more than 5,000 unsheltered homeless people in the city.
I can trace several of our modern “doom loops” to the 1980s. The roots of our continuing struggles with police brutality and sexual violence were present in stories I covered then. Meaningful gun control measures could have prevented the proliferation of mass shootings over the past four decades. And pro-housing policies could have negated the presence of today’s tent cities.
I’ve long despaired about the homelessness crisis in particular. In the wake of Ronald Reagan’s election, I blamed conservatives for abandoning the poor. I thought my journalism and others’ could change policy, perhaps even inspire a New Deal-style response equal to the challenge. Such was my naiveté.
The blame, I eventually realized, also belongs to people we might call “good liberals.”
By 1980, baby boomers were in their first decade of homeownership in places such as Silicon Valley and the New York City suburbs of Westchester County. They rapidly became NIMBYs, vehemently opposing affordable housing in their neighborhoods. Many were Clinton Democrats. They went on to plant “Black Lives Matter” signs in their lawns. The message was hollow: We support you; just don’t live near us.
Boomers, especially if they were white, got to buy houses, and then they zoned everyone else out. They watched their lawns and home equity grow. I was one of them.
In 1981, at 24, I bought my first house. At a price of $70,000, it cost less than three times my annual salary of $25,000, which was roughly the median income in Sacramento County. If adjusted for inflation alone, the home’s value would be $218,000 four decades later, and my salary $78,000.
The median household income in the county today is about $84,000, not far from what inflation would predict. But Zillow estimates that my former home is now worth $578,000, more than double what can be attributed to inflation. My annual wages would need to be more than $190,000 to afford the house as easily as I did then. This is what the children and grandchildren of boomers face.
Much was made of the more than 60 housing bills passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year. The legislation will streamline approval of housing in cities that aren’t meeting their goals, limit the use of environmental laws to block affordable housing, allow developers to build more densely when they include affordable units and let faith-based organizations build housing on their land, among other measures.
But it’s not nearly enough. Politicians have to get more aggressive in wresting control of zoning from cities.
Starting in 2018, state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) repeatedly tried to advance bills that would have overridden local zoning to allow taller, denser apartment buildings near public transit and job centers. His fellow Democrats blocked them.
Even less ambitious housing-friendly bills often face a similar fate in Sacramento. Last year, state Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) proposed legislation that would have eased approval of small “starter homes” in areas restricted to single-family housing. That provision was stripped out of the bill.
It’s the same story on the East Coast. Last year, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed legislation to override local opposition to housing. Fierce blowback came from largely white, relatively affluent “good liberals” in places such as Westchester County, where Joe Biden got 67.6% of the vote in 2020. As in California, Democrats opposed to the plan used code language: “local control,” “overcrowding,” “traffic.”
New York state Assemblyman Phil Ramos cut through the euphemisms: “It doesn’t matter what kind of incentive you give them,” he said at a rally. “A wealthy community, before they allow Black and brown people in, they’ll walk away from any amount of money.” Hochul’s plan was defeated in the Democratic-dominated Legislature.
Republicans, for their part, haven’t gotten any better on these issues. A podcast by the right-wing Cicero Institute suggested that instead of calling people “homeless,” we revert to words like “vagrants,” “bums” and “tramps.”
Such vilification is proved off the mark by the fact that poverty-stricken Mississippi has relatively few homeless people. Los Angeles County has six times as many unhoused people per capita as metropolitan Jackson. Why? An average apartment in the Mississippi capital rents for around $900, compared with $2,750 in L.A.
The Biden administration recently released a report calling for more housing, but the feds have limited power here. “Ultimately,” the report stated, “meaningful change will require State and local governments to reevaluate the land-use regulations that reduce the housing supply.” That largely means undoing single-family zoning.
Sen. Wiener’s push for apartment buildings in transit corridors had it right. Would this make parts of Los Angeles a little more like Manhattan? We can only hope so. If New York City is any guide, it would mean more vibrant neighborhoods and higher property values.
As the struggle over housing continues, tent cities have been normalized in California and beyond. Last year, a student of mine looked puzzled when I explained that homelessness of this kind hasn’t always existed. I couldn’t be frustrated with her, though: This crisis has lingered — and worsened — for more than twice as long as she’s been alive. It didn’t have to.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dozens of Pinellas County faith leaders are planning a vigil Wednesday evening, hoping to spark a dialogue with St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch.
FAST, which stands for Faith and Action for Strength Together, is a group made up of roughly 50 faith-based community leaders from around Pinellas County. They plan to meet around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Peter Cathedral in downtown St. Pete, hoping that Mayor Welch will join them to hear their concerns regarding affordable housing. If the mayor does not attend, FAST leaders say they will head over to city hall and hold a prayer vigil.
What You Need To Know
FAST wants St. Pete to focus on housing for those making below 80% AMI
Members meeting at St. Peter Cathedral in hopes Mayor Welch joins them
Prayer vigil to follow at steps of city hall
Father Curtis said FAST first reached out to the mayor’s office last year to coordinate a meeting regarding affordable housing. Last week, Father Curtis said the mayor’s office agreed to hold the meeting but asked that it be with a few designated representatives of the group. Instead, FAST leaders decided that every congregation should be involved, so they would meet at the St. Peter Cathedral and ask the mayor to join them.
“We’ve been reaching out to the mayor’s office for more than four months trying to get a meeting with him to talk about plans for affordable housing,” said Father Curtis Carro of St. Raphael Catholic Church. “He wanted to meet with just a small faction of our group, but we want all the member congregations to be able to have their voice heard.”
Pastor Robert Ward of Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church feels the city hasn’t been fully transparent when talking about affordable housing goals. He feels a new housing development should only be labeled affordable if it markets to those making below a certain income level.
“Right now we’re seeing that they’re calling these type of units for people above 80% area median income affordable housing… so it’s very misleading,” he said.
A spokesperson for the City of St. Pete said the city has affordable housing goals that align with those of FAST.
“The City of St. Petersburg’s overall goals continue to align with FAST’s mission to protect, uplift, and educate families, especially in the critical area of affordable housing. At our 2024 State of the Economy, we shared a key update about the city’s comprehensive 10-year Housing Opportunities for All Plan: we have met 67% of our goal to create and preserve 3,200 multi-family homes by 2030. This percentage reflects the total number of units—2,146—that are in process, funded, permit-approved, under construction, preserved, or completed. Reaching or exceeding 100% of this goal can only occur through the strong public-private partnerships that the city enjoys with multiple community stakeholders, businesses, and organizations. We look forward to continuing our work together for the benefit of our families and communities in St. Pete,” city spokesperson Erica Riggins shared in a statement.
FAST leaders say they want to collaborate and innovate new solutions with the city and to do that, it’s imperative to get Mayor Welch’s support.
Daniel Lopez, 24, teaches social studies in the Creighton School District. He’s been on his middle-school job for three years and has a master’s degree, but he can’t afford a home of his own…
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — In her spare time, Dorothy Foster is putting together scrap books for her kids.
What You Need To Know
A program in Winter Haven allows homeowners with detached garages or other buildings to get thousands of dollars to convert those buildings into affordable housing
The program, through the the Accessory Dwelling Units Grant, gives homeowners five thousand dollars for each room they put in a detached dwelling on their property
So far, only one person has participated in the program, and received 15 thousand dollars for converting a barn into a three-bedroom home
“It’s just little memories of things we used to do, things that I told my kids,” she said.
Forster, a single mom living in Winter Haven, works for the local school board and is doing whatever she can to make a great life for her family and keep those memories in these folders.
“You have the pictures and what was said and just you just bring it back to life,” she said.
Memories are important for Foster because it shows just how far she’s come.
According to Foster, she was homeless for six months living in a shelter this past year in Lakeland.
“No one at the school board knew I was homeless,” said Foster. “And it’s just I showed up for work every day and with a smile on my face and, you know, did what I had to do for my family.”
Now, she lives in a quirky, spacious barn that’s been converted into her home with the help of a grant from the city of Winter Haven and the nonprofit Heart for Winter Haven.
“It’s great to see a family thriving and having something like a barn turn into a home,” said Butch Rahman, the owner of the barn who is leasing the property to Foster.
Rahman originally bought the property because of the home in front of the barn and his realtor told him about a program the city is doing where they give $5,000 for each room a person builds in a detached building for affordable housing, called the Accessory Dwelling Units Grant.
So, after six months of renovations, Rahman made the barn a three-bedroom home and, more importantly, it’s now Foster’s home at a price she can afford.
“Dorothy had, you know, a setback or two,” Rahman said. “And, you know, once you’re in that setback, it’s hard to get out. Sometimes it gets worse and worse. Well, she just needed a helping hand to get out of that and now she has that, and she’s got a beautiful home for her two beautiful kids.”
Which is huge for Foster because she says rent prices are just way out of her budget right now.
Having this place is a dream.
“I can get back to the memories and stuff that our kids used to make, just coming home, telling funny stories again,” Foster said. “It’s nice to be able to have that opportunity to do it again.”
With even more opportunities to add memories to her scrap books.
In this article, we will take a look at the 15 states with the highest homeless population in the US. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 States with the Highest Homeless Population in the US.
Homelessness Reaches New Heights in the US
In the United States, homelessness remains a significant concern, impacting hundreds of thousands of individuals across the nation. On December 15, 2023, The New York Times reported that the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in the United States reached a record high in 2023, as reported by the federal government. In January 2023, the official count identified more than 650,000 people as homeless. The homeless population had increased by over 70,000 individuals year-over-year. This surge, a 12% increase from 2022, marks the largest one-year rise in homelessness since the government began collecting data in 2007.
A study by Homebay highlights the connection between expensive housing and the prevalence of homelessness in the United States. An analysis of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the US indicated that cities where home prices exceed the national average tend to have a higher rate of homelessness. Conversely, cities with home prices below the national average have significantly fewer homeless individuals, approximately 2.5 times less. The lack of affordable housing directly contributes to the rising rate of homelessness in the US. You can also take a look at the US cities with the highest homeless population per capita.
Affordable Housing Market: Key Trends and Major Players
The affordable housing market refers to the availability and affordability of housing units for low and middle-income earners. The market plays a crucial role in ensuring that people with limited means and finances have access to safe, reasonable, and affordable housing. According to a report by The Business Research Company, the global affordable housing market was valued at $54.26 billion in 2023. Looking forward, the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2024 to 2028 to reach a value of $71.13 billion by the end of the forecast period. In 2023, North America was the largest region in the global affordable housing market.
In one of our previous articles about the countries with the highest homeless population, we discussed that the year 2023 saw a surge in global unemployment rates. Rising home prices coupled with stagnant wages and the rise in unemployment have made it challenging for many families and individuals to find safe and decent housing, which is leading to an increase in demand for affordable housing. Rapid urbanization is further fueling the demand for affordable housing. Moreover, the rising concentration of the majority of the population is a key factor driving growth in the market. Rise in government policies supporting affordable housing and collaborations among key market players are expected to augment market growth during the forecast period.
On March 5, Reuters reported that the US Treasury Department has introduced new measures to increase the availability of affordable housing by tapping into unused COVID-19 relief funds allocated to state and local governments. These efforts are part of the Biden administration’s strategy to tackle a significant economic issue affecting many Americans: the lack of affordable housing. The Treasury will be permitting state and local authorities to utilize untapped funds from the $350 billion State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to back housing initiatives catering to families with incomes up to 120% of the local median income, a substantial rise from the previous 65%. Such initiatives by governments create growth opportunities and contribute to market expansion.
Some of the most notable corporations that are catering to the homeless in the US are Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO), American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH), and Bluerock Homes Trust, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:BHM).
Bluerock Homes Trust, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:BHM), based in New York City, is an externally managed Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). It owns and manages high-quality single-family properties, particularly in the Sunbelt and Western United States regions, with a focus on the knowledge economy and high quality of life. Bluerock Homes Trust, Inc.’s (NYSEAMERICAN:BHM) main goal is to generate favorable investment returns by curating a portfolio of existing single-family rental homes and constructing communities tailored for rental purposes. The properties are strategically spread across various growing markets, catering to a rising number of middle-income renters who desire a single-family lifestyle without the upfront and ongoing investments associated with homeownership.
Some corporations are actively making significant investments in strategies to combat homelessness. Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO) is one of the largest producers of manufactured and modular homes, vacation cabins, park model RVs, and commercial buildings in the US. It specializes in designing and producing factory-built housing products. On February 28, Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO) announced the successful purchase of homes by two employees who completed its Homes for Our Own (HFOO) program. This unique initiative offers a six-week workshop to educate staff on budgeting, and home buying, and provides financial assistance for their first home purchase. The program is sustained by voluntary donations from Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVCO) employees through payroll deductions, matched by the company up to $200,000 annually. This financial support aids HFOO graduates in buying their first homes, contributing to addressing the affordable housing crisis.
American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH), or simply AMH, is an internally managed Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing, and managing homes as rental properties. It aims to simplify the experience of leasing a home and delivering peace of mind to households across the country. American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH) owns nearly 60,000 single-family properties in the Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and Mountain West regions of the US. By adding affordable rental homes to the market and focusing on consistent growth, it plays a crucial role in addressing the housing needs of Americans, especially those seeking affordable and stable housing options. On February 22, American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH) reported strong financial and operating results for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. The company reported funds from operations (FFO) of $0.43 per share, surpassing estimates by $0.01. The company reported a revenue of $408.66 million. Here are some comments from American Homes 4 Rent’s (NYSE:AMH) Q4 2023 earnings call:
“For the full year, core FFO per share grew nearly 8% driven by sustained long-term rental demand, superior operational execution supported by our strategic initiatives and consistent production out of our development program. The single-family rental sector and the AMH platform continued to benefit from supply-demand imbalances. The national housing shortage, driven by limited homes for purchase in the open market has created challenging home affordability dynamics for home-buyers. AMH is doing its part to solve this housing shortage.
We are adding new supply to the market and operating high-quality assets in desirable family-friendly locations at a significant discount to the cost of ownership. We are well-positioned to deliver consistent results for years to come.”
Now that we have briefly discussed what’s going on in the affordable housing market, let’s take a look at the 15 states with the highest homeless population in the US.
15 States with the Highest Homeless Population in the US
In this article, we have listed the 15 states with the highest homeless population in the US. To collect data for our list of the states with the most homeless people, we consulted The 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) by The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. We used the latest data available in their dataset, which provided us with estimates of people experiencing homelessness at the state level as of December 2023. We then narrowed down our selection to rank the 15 states with the highest homeless population in the US, which are listed below in ascending order.
15 States with the Highest Homeless Population in the US
15. North Carolina
Total Homeless Population: 9,754
North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern region of the US that ranks among the 15 states with the highest homeless population in the US. North Carolina also ranks among the top 10 most populated states in America. According to recent estimates, there are 9,754 people experiencing homelessness in North Carolina.
14. New Jersey
Total Homeless Population: 10,264
New Jersey, in the Northeast US, is the most densely populated state in the US. Known for its boardwalk beaches and Atlantic City casinos, New Jersey attracts millions of tourists each year. However, there are more than 10,000 people in New Jersey that are experiencing homelessness.
13. Ohio
Total Homeless Population: 11,386
Ohio is a state in the Midwestern region of the US. It is one of the most populated states in the country. According to recent estimates, 11,386 people are experiencing homelessness in the US state of Ohio.
12. Illinois
Total Homeless Population: 11,947
Illinois, a state in the Midwest, ranks among the top 12 on our list of the states with the highest homeless population in the US. Known as “the Prairie State,” Illinois is characterized by its farmland, forests, rolling hills, and wetlands. In Illinois, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness is estimated to be 11,947.
11. Georgia
Total Homeless Population: 12,294
Georgia is a state in the Southeastern region of the US. Atlanta, Georgia’s capital city, is a major hub for finance, technology, manufacturing, and transportation. Recent estimates show that there are 12,294 people experiencing homelessness in the US state of Georgia.
10. Pennsylvania
Total Homeless Population: 12,556
Pennsylvania is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region that ranks among the top 10 on our list of states with the highest homeless population in the US. It is one of the most populated states in the US. However, there are 12,556 people in Pennsylvania that are experiencing homelessness.
9. Arizona
Total Homeless Population: 14,237
Arizona, in the Southwestern US, is the sixth largest state in the US by size. Recent estimates show that there are 14,237 people in Arizona who are experiencing homelessness. Arizona also has one of the highest percentages of people experiencing homelessness who are unsheltered.
8. Colorado
Total Homeless Population: 14,439
Colorado is a state in the Mountain West sub-region that is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes of mountains, rivers, and plains. According to recent estimates, 14,439 people are experiencing homelessness in Colorado. It ranks 8th on our list of the states with the highest homeless population in the US.
7. Massachusetts
Total Homeless Population: 19,141
Massachusetts is one of the smallest and most densely populated states in the US. Home to prestigious educational institutions, such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Massachusetts also ranks high among the smartest states with the highest average IQ. Despite that, there are 19,141 people experiencing homelessness in the state of Massachusetts.
6. Oregon
Total Homeless Population: 20,142
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region. It is one of the most geographically diverse states in the US. According to recent estimates, there are 20,142 people experiencing homelessness in Oregon, which ranks 6th on our list of the 15 states with the highest homeless population in the US.
A cacophony of saws and hammers echoes off Colfax Avenue and Downing Street, where a massive full-block apartment development is under construction next to the site of the old Smiley’s Laundromat, where the Ramada Inn used to be.
“That’s music to my ears when I go to a site,” says Peter LiFari, executive director of Maiker Housing Partners, a company that describes itself as a “socially conscious” developer. “They are working.”
LiFari and architect Sean Jursnick, of the Shears Adkins Rockmore firm, stand across the street, on a Capitol Hill sidewalk, preaching the gospel of gentle density — how to pack as many homes as possible on one block without obliterating the character of the neighborhood.
Architect Sean Jursnick and developer Peter LiFari stand in front of a huge apartment project and a small single-stair apartment building on Downing Street in Capitol Hill. March 6, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
The duo studies the medley of building styles along Downing: historic single-family homes that date to the late 1800s; the new, massive construction that dominates them all, and single-stair apartment buildings that go back to the 1920s that would, as state and city law are currently written, be illegal to build right now.
The developer and the architect talk about the benefits and costs of each style of home, what’s affordable, and what they wish they could create if local government would trash those pesky safety codes that get in their way.
Sure, they see the value of massive blocky apartment buildings — particularly for housing singles and couples. But such buildings aren’t what they believe middle-class families in Denver who have largely been priced out of the market want.
A single-family home on Downing Street in Capitol Hill. March 6, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
What working families need, as LiFari and Jursnick see it, is outlawed in Colorado.
Right now, they are touting the virtues of the single stair: skinny, multi-family buildings with just one staircase that can be built on half a lot, rise to five stories or even higher in some cities, and offer families more natural light than big-box apartments.
Tall single-stair buildings would often come with elevators and would need to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
By increasing supply and also more affordable, entry-level condos, these buildings could help working people find a naturally affordable, stylish home in a city that has few such places available, LiFari said.
Jursnick became infatuated with the new wave of single-stair buildings on a recent trip to Seattle, another city dealing with a housing affordability crisis.
He was impressed by their design, functionality and ability to pack many people on a block while integrating tidily into neighborhoods.
Such buildings would be good for the real-estate business, LiFari explained. Smaller developers who couldn’t afford to build a massive project but would like to provide dense housing could get in on the action, opening up development opportunities to more companies.
Affordable housing developers have been pushing for single stairs, as have housing activists in the Yes in My Backyard YIMBY movement.
Single-stair buildings may be trendy in the pro-density crowd, but they’re nothing new.
Back in the day, Denver builders constructed those single-stair apartment buildings throughout Capitol Hill and beyond.
But when building codes were written to take into account fire safety, multifamily buildings were required to have two stairwells, raising the cost of construction and increasing the size of land to build a multifamily property.
The single-stair building didn’t just fall out of fashion. Building such structures was outlawed decades ago.
Architect Sean Jursnick stands in front of a small single-stair apartment building on 14th Avenue in Capitol Hill. March 6, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Now, LiFari and Jursnick are championing legislation proposed by State Rep. Alex Valdez and State Sen. Kevin Priola at the Capitol to allow single-stair multi-family projects statewide.
Their message: If Denver’s going to be affordable, more new homes need to go up, infill could address the affordability crisis and there are better ways to do things than the current building code allows.
Eventually, as in Europe, single-stair buildings could become part of a social housing movement, offering architecturally beautiful, dense living with government support.
“What we find is that in Europe is that they’re going 16 stories, higher, public housing, social housing — which I would love to get to,” LiFari said.”
Outdated safety code requirements — like buildings needing more than one stairwell — need to be reevaluated, as other cities have done worldwide thanks to new fire prevention technologies, LiFari said.
Many firefighters, in turn, are alarmed at reducing fire-safety measures.
“If you do have people trying to evacuate while we’re trying to get in, there’s a lot of potential for residents and firefighters to run into each other and delay each other’s progress,” Chism said. “We don’t want the residents’ progress to be delayed in evacuating if there’s a fire. At the same time, we don’t want our progress to be delayed in getting up to them.”
The bigger problem, from the Denver Fire Department’s perspective, is that if fire is blocking the stairwell, the only other way to evacuate residents would be through firefighters’ ladders. While firefighters are trained to clear a building that way, it should be a last resort, and residents would be better served and safer having multiple routes out on their own.
“You don’t want to set something up where it’s unsafe for a majority of residents,” he said.
Proponents of single-stair construction argue modern building materials and fire-prevention methods, such as sprinklers, radically reduce the likelihood of a fire.
LiFari points to European cities with a greater number of single-stair buildings that have better fire safety outcomes than those in American cities without them.
Cities like Seattle have building code requirements that apartment entrances near a stairwell. They limit the number of units in buildings. They require sprinklers and stairwell pressurization that pushes smoke away from stairwells.
“They’ve developed their code with officials and experts in a way that they’ve found to be safe over the decades,” Jursnick said.
The International Building Code, LiFari says is “all about safety back in the early 1900s, when we didn’t have the engineering and the fire safety advances that we’ve had today.”
But firefighters like Chism don’t buy that mandatory sprinklers and better building materials and improved engineering mean fires will never happen.
“If a fire does start for whatever reason, you still need people to be able to evacuate the structure,” Chism said.
Registered neighborhood groups and many Denverites have historically resisted new types of design.
For example, a few years back developers started bringing slot homes to neighborhoods, where front doors faced each other, not the sidewalk. City Council and neighborhood groups hit the brakes and outlawed the building form, still allowing something similar with a few modifications.
Is the single-stair building the new slot home — a design form developers are pushing onto the community?
“This is one of the key elements of a single-stair building is that they are beautiful. They are gorgeous,” LiFari said. “Now, if you just don’t like any type of new housing development, then it’s going to be difficult to win you over. But the buildings are drop-dead gorgeous”
He points to Brooklyn brownstones that were ridiculed when they were first built and are now viewed as a cherished part of architectural history. He thinks single-stair buildings will be revered the same way.
“It will take a little bit of getting used to,” LiFari said. “I truly believe that these buildings are going to be viewed as architectural gems.”
Correction: This story has been updated to clarify where the building sits in relation to the old Smiley’s Laundry site.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 1, a mental health bond measure that would provide $2 billion to build housing that was presented to voters on the California ballot last week, is leading by a whisker.
Newsom had trumpeted the measure as a way to get “people off the streets, out of tents and into treatment.”
Prop. 1 would direct $4.4 billion to fund 10,000 mental health beds and $2 billion for homeless housing projects, half of which would be reserved for veterans with mental illness or issues with drugs and alcohol.
The measure would also require the state’s 58 counties to spend 30 percent of Mental Health Services Act tax dollars on housing. Last year, the mental health revenue was $1 billion.
It would require the state’s counties to spend half of that money on the chronically homeless or people living in tents.
The governor said the initiative would create 11,000 new homes through new housing construction or by converting hotels, motels and other buildings into homes.
The Yes on Prop 1 campaign raised nearly $21 million, and included backing by the National Alliance on Mental Illness California, California Teachers Association and California Chamber of Commerce.
In comparison, the “No on Prop. 1” campaign raised very little, and was led by mental health advocates such as Disability Rights California, who fear that changing funding priorities for the Mental Health Services Act will result in service cuts. They also fear new treatment beds will compel people into involuntary treatment.
A court ruled on Monday that La Cañada Flintridge violated the state Housing Accountability Act when it denied an application for an affordable-housing project last year.
Under the ruling, the city will be forced to process the application, which was filed under a little-known but increasingly relevant provision in California housing law known as “builder’s remedy.” The provision serves as a punishment for cities that are out of compliance with housing element regulations that require local governments to develop specific zoning plans to address population increases.
Builder’s remedy is a massive boon for developers, allowing them to build whatever they want — even outside local zoning restrictions — so long as it has a certain number of low- or middle-income units.
The proposed project in this case, located at 600 Foothill Blvd., would replace an aging Christian Science church with a five-story building that includes 80 mixed-income units and a 14-room hotel, totaling nearly 120,000 square feet, bringing density and affordable housing to a city that has very little.
La Cañada is a city of single-family homes, and the average value is $2.317 million, according to Zillow. It has added virtually no multifamily housing in recent years, and as a result, the population has hovered around 20,000 for the last four decades while surrounding communities swelled with residents.
The court’s decision is a big win for affordable-housing advocates as well as the developers behind the project, who’ve been fighting to get the multiuse development approved for nearly half a decade.
It’s a setback for officials and others in the city who have resisted the project, drawing criticisms of having a “not in my backyard” attitude along the way.
“La Cañada Flintridge is the latest community that has failed in their effort to override state housing laws. Today’s favorable ruling should serve as a warning to other NIMBY jurisdictions that the state will hold every community accountable in planning for their fair share of housing,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
Newsom, along with state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, had intervened in the situation in December, filing a legal action asking the court to reverse the city’s denial of the project.
“We are pleased that the court agrees with us that La Cañada Flintridge must follow state housing laws to facilitate affordable housing and alleviate our housing crisis,” Bonta said in a statement. “The California Department of Justice is committed to enforcing state laws that increase housing supply and affordability.”
The three partners behind the project have strong ties to the city: Alexandra Hack grew up in the area; Garret Weyand lives a few blocks from the site; and Jonathan Curtis was once the mayor.
“This should be a sign for other cities that may be thinking about taking similar steps to La Cañada on builder’s remedy applications,” Weyand said. “The city’s reluctance to do this is one of the reasons housing is so expensive to build and develop in California.”
The trio filed the application under the builder’s remedy provision in November 2022, but city officials rejected it. They claimed La Cañada wasn’t subject to the provision since it had already “self-certified” its housing element plan, which had yet to be approved by the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
The city has since come into compliance, but because the developers submitted their application before Housing and Community Development approved La Cañada’s housing element plan, the builder’s remedy provision remained an option.
“Builder’s remedy is probably going to be one of most successful laws to build housing in the state of California,” Weyand said.
Last October, the Los Angeles City Planning Department ditched some of the region’s most ambitious actions to tackle racial and economic segregation and confront the ongoing affordability crisis. Two housing initiatives — an Affordable Housing Overlay and expansions to the Transit Oriented Communities program — would have made it possible to build affordable and mixed-income housing in areas traditionally off-limits to multifamily homes.
But core components of these proposals have been withdrawn to shield single-family neighborhoods from development. This move puts L.A. at risk of running afoul of California’s fair housing law, falling short on housing production goals, and increasing displacement in its most vulnerable communities. Revised proposals are expected to be made public this winter or spring, with public outreach to follow. City leadership can and should reverse this harmful decision.
The original proposals were a response to state mandates meant to accelerate housing construction to meet demand. Under these mandates, Los Angeles has made plans to add more than 450,000 new housing units through 2029, including amending its zoning rules by February 2025 to accommodate about 250,000 more homes.
California law requires that development programs “affirmatively further fair housing,” meaning that they should “overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities” and “address significant disparities in housing needs and access to opportunity.” In certifying L.A.’s housing plan, the state made clear that “rezoning for multifamily housing in higher opportunity and low-density neighborhoods” was crucial.
The initial Transit Oriented Communities expansion and Affordable Housing Overlay did just that. In their original form, the two initiatives combined could have added almost 200,000 new units citywide, with a focus on higher-income, transit-accessible neighborhoods. Many of these communities are dominated by single-family detached houses, including Rancho Park, Westwood and Encino, among others.
The change is significant, and unjust. Our review of the city’s data shows that L.A.’s current capacity for development — places where denser housing is already allowed, ignoring the rezoning proposals — is disproportionately concentrated in lower-income neighborhoods and communities of color. The data indicate that half of this capacity is in the poorest quarter of Los Angeles, while the wealthiest 10% of the city furnishes less than 1%.
We also found that the change to exclude single-family neighborhoods from rezoning slashes the two programs’ capacity by up to 82%, with the greatest reversals in the city’s wealthiest and whitest neighborhoods. Among the census tracts where the proposed zoning changes were cut by 75% or more, the median household income is $111,000. In neighborhoods where the original proposals are still being considered, it is $67,500. The racial and ethnic disparities are also stark, with tracts in the former group having more than twice the share of white residents as those in the latter (57% to 23%, respectively).
From a fair housing perspective, the Transit Oriented Communities expansion and Affordable Housing Overlay in single-family neighborhoods were L.A.’s strongest proposals. None of the alternatives come close to their potential to produce new mixed-income housing in the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods, where exclusionary policies have limited opportunities for lower- and middle-income households and people of color.
With less capacity to build in higher-income neighborhoods where developers most want to invest, it’s likely that fewer apartments and condos will be constructed citywide in the years to come. As the housing supply falls further behind growing demand, affordability will decline. Meanwhile, more homes will be built in lower-income, renter-dominated neighborhoods, where residents are at greater risk of displacement as older apartments make way for larger multifamily buildings.
Angelenos, and Californians, shouldn’t accept the decision to exempt L.A.’s richest neighborhoods from helping to solve our housing crisis, insulating them from changes the city needs. The outcry of a vocal minority is no excuse to renege on the city’s commitments to fair housing.
The proposed changes are disheartening, but Los Angeles still has time to adopt a progressive housing affordability strategy, adding homes where they’re needed most. The city can start by restoring the rezoning plan to its original form, or by implementing similar strategies that direct most of the city’s new housing to higher-opportunity neighborhoods. Until L.A. takes those steps, very little about this housing plan can be called fair.
Aaron Barrall is a housing data analyst for the UCLA Lewis Center Housing Initiative, which Shane Phillips manages.
