affordable housing Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Tax credit revamp could mean more affordable housing

By Lauren Paterson June 5, 2023

White and grey houses under construction sit on sandy ground under a blue sky.

Houses under construction in Richland, Washington. More homes are needed in urban and rural areas, said Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell. (Credit: Lauren Paterson / NWPB) Listen (Runtime 00:53) Read The… Continue Reading Tax credit revamp could Read More

Conservation group hopes to protect habitats, skiing and affordable housing in WA’s Methow Valley

By Courtney Flatt April 3, 2023

A skier in a red and white jacket and black pants skis on a trail covered in snow. The field is covered in snow. There is a red building in the middle-distance with hay under it and a gray building across the trail. The background has snowy hills with evergreen trees on them.

A cross country skier follows a trail on the Sunny M Ranch property in the Methow Valley. The Methow Conservancy hopes to purchase the land this summer. Credit: Courtney Flatt… Continue Reading Conservation Read More

Nowhere to go: Facing steep rent increases, mobile home residents are organizing

By Lauren Paterson March 20, 2023

A man with a neck tattoo and a beige jacket stands in front of a green manufactured home in Latah County, Idaho.

Johnny Taylor is one of the residents of Abiel Mobile Home Community facing big rent increases and new fees, after the park was purchased by an out-of-state investment firm. (Credit:… Continue Reading Nowhere to go: Facing Read More

WA lawmakers promise bipartisan action to boost housing supply

By Northwest News Network February 1, 2023

Rep. Andrew Barkis (R-Olympia) speaks during a news conference Jan. 31 to highlight a bipartisan effort aimed at increasing the number of available homes in Washington

Legislators in Olympia are considering a host of bills to address the housing crisis, and Tuesday, members from both parties announced they're finding common ground. Continue Reading WA lawmakers promise bipartisan action to boost housing Read More

Many in McCall can’t find housing, even as most houses sit vacant

By Lauren Paterson January 26, 2023

A woman wearing a black coat and winter hat sits on the steps of white RV. Two large white dogs sit in front of her on a snowy, overcast day in McCall, Idaho.

Hannah Stewart sits on the front steps of the RV she lives in year-round in McCall due to a lack of affordable housing options. (Credit: Ashlee Fliney) Listen (Runtime 3:15)… Continue Reading Many in McCall can’t find housing, even Read More

Rural housing shortage impacts everyone, even those with homes

By NWPB News December 13, 2022

A mom and two sones stand in front of their rental home. She is holding a small dog.

More than half of all metro areas in the United States have a housing shortage and affordable housing is difficult to come by. Rural areas are no exception. This lack of affordable housing impacts daily life, even including those who already have a home. This is part one in a series on rural housing. The Lewiston Tribune’s Elaine Williams reports. Read More

Local Organization Pairs With University Of Idaho To Build Affordable Housing

By Lauren Paterson August 4, 2022

Two women in construction helmets stand in the frame of an unfinished house against a blue sky surrounded by green fields.

Madalyn Asker and Amanda Eller stand in the frame of the first of six houses being designed and built by University of Idaho students. Listen Communities across the country are… Continue Reading Local Organization Pairs With Read More

Pushing Back On The Gentrification Of The Hilltop

By Lauren Gallup July 26, 2022

The new light rail expansion stop in the Hilltop, one of the many recent developments in this Tacoma neighborhood. Photo by Lauren Gallup.

Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood is a place where generations have raised families, where small businesses have blossomed and where art intersects with your local corner mart. But it's also a neighborhood where residents have faced systemic racism in the form of redlining, where the FBI monitored the sidewalks in the late 90s, and where gentrification is displacing longtime Read More

Out Of Whack: Lack Of Homes For Sale Sends Prices Surging, Frustrates Buyers

By NPR News March 23, 2021

A record low number of homes for sale is pushing up prices and making it harder for first-time buyers to afford homeownership. CREDIT: Gene J. Puskar/AP

Many Americans are ready and eager to buy a home right now. But they're having trouble finding one. Home sales edged down 6.6% in February compared with the previous month because there just aren't enough houses out there for people to buy. Read More

1st-Time Homebuyers Are Getting Squeezed Out By Investors

By NPR News June 22, 2019

As investors play a growing role in the housing market, many first-time buyers are having a hard time finding a home. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Last year, investors accounted for 1 in 5 starter-priced homes, according to data released by CoreLogic on Thursday. The rate of investor purchases of starter homes has been rising and has nearly doubled since 1999. Continue Reading 1st-Time Read More

‘The Last Black Man In San Francisco’ Is About Who Belongs In A Beloved City

By NPR News June 14, 2019

A new film is inspired by the real-life story of Jimmie Fails, who hopes to reclaim his family's home in the gentrifying Fillmore District. It's also an ode to the city its creators used to know. Continue Reading ‘The Last Black Read More

Washington’s Rental Housing Market Is Looking Better, Still Tight In Rural Areas

By Esmy Jimenez February 18, 2019

File photo. Seattle's rental housing market shows more availability than other areas of Washington, like Kittitas and Yakima counties, where new construction hasn't kept up with demand. CREDIT: TED S. WARREN/AP

Two months into this year, researchers are looking back at what changed on the housing front in 2018. According to the latest numbers from the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington, the statewide vacancy rate for all apartments is 4.26 percent. That’s better than it was last fall, but not by much. Read More

Microsoft Pledges $500 Million To Address Homelessness And Affordable Housing In Seattle Area

By NPR News January 17, 2019

Brad Smith, president of Microsoft Corp., speaks during a presentation on affordable housing in Bellevue, Wash., on Thursday. Microsoft Corp. said it will spend $500 million to develop affordable housing and help alleviate homelessness in the Seattle area. CREDIT: Bloomberg via Getty Images

Microsoft is investing $500 million to help develop affordable housing and address homelessness in the Seattle area as the growth of tech companies in the region continues to flood the real estate market with high-salaried workers, leaving many other people behind. Read More

In Central Washington, Housing Crunch Exacerbated By Need For Foreign Farm Labor

By Esmy Jimenez June 11, 2018

Black and white photo of a Yakima neighborhood with text saying no vacancy

The housing shortage in Yakima is coupled with a farm labor shortage. When workers do come, where do they live? The largest farmworker complex in the state opened in Yakima this month. The revamped FairBridge hotel now hosts 800 beds for temporary farm workers. As it opens, critics think it may set a dangerous precedent: Other farmers might start buying up area housing for Read More

Residents Displaced By Rattlesnake Ridge Slide Confront Yakima’s Tight Housing Market

By Esmy Jimenez January 26, 2018

Solorio family displaced by Rattlesnake Ridge - Anna King Photo

The slow-moving landslide on Rattlesnake Ridge in Washington's Yakima Valley points to a larger problem plaguing the region: affordable housing. When residents were told to move away from their homes in the slide area, there were few places to go. Read More

Seattle Housing Market Still Tops Chart As Nation’s Hottest

By Anna Boiko-Weyrauch December 27, 2017

Home prices continued to climb in Seattle and Portland at some of the fastest rates in the country this year. The latest data show Seattle is still the nation’s hottest market. Continue Reading Seattle Housing Market Still Tops Chart As Read More