The Silent Housing Crisis:
A Snapshot of Current and Future Conditions
Introduction
Today, nearly six years after the Great Recession officially ended, our nation’s
housing system remains in a state of crisis. Soaring rental demand, an acute
shortage of affordable rental homes, significantly tougher mortgage underwriting standards, and an uneven economic recovery have all combined to
make housing a source of distress and instability
for millions of Americans. With little relief in
sight, growing numbers of families find themselves stuck between a rental market they can
no longer afford and a homeownership market
for which they do not qualify.
A legacy of the Great Recession, the dire state
of housing in our country is a “silent” crisis
often overlooked by policymakers, ignored by
the media and underestimated by the general
public, despite deeply impacting millions of
families and clouding our nation’s future.
Having access to safe and
affordable housing has long been
recognized as a critical part of
America’s social compact with its citizens.
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The Silent Housing Crisis: A Snapshot of Current and Future Conditions
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