
Housing has shifted from a human need to a financial asset, displacing people in the process.
U.S. short 3.8–5 million homes
Rents up 25%+ in 5 years
Half of renters are rent-burdened
20 million households are spending more than they can afford
1M+ Americans experience homelessness annually
110,000+ affordable units are missing
Rents up 35%+ in Portland since 2014
Need $60k+ to afford a typical 2-bedroom
One of the highest unsheltered rates in the U.S.
Displacement hits Black, Indigenous, and NHPI communities hardest.
Rural towns face:
Fewer units
Aging buildings
Zero construction pipeline
STR/Airbnb pressure
Decades ago, public housing construction stopped—it urgently needs to be restarted.
Wages have fallen far behind land and rent costs, escalating the crisis.
Zoning blocks density
Hedge funds + REITs buying housing stock
Evictions and speculation funnel families into instability
With housing treated as a commodity, people's security is urgently at risk.
This crisis is not accidental — it’s policy-driven.
Federal social housing: publicly owned, permanently affordable, union-built
Finance up to 3M new units nationwide.
Convert LIHTC to predictable, guaranteed funding.
Require affordable units in new development.
Invest in rural + tribal housing.
Buy distressed properties → convert to nonprofit/public.
Maintain and rehab existing units to stop affordable losses.
Impact: More homes for people, fewer for investors.
Universal vouchers — everyone eligible actually receives them.
Limit extreme rent hikes tied to inflation or income.
Emergency rental + family stability funds
Right to counsel for tenants.
Ban predatory junk fees (applications, late-fee stacking, move-in charges)
Impact: Prevents displacement and reduces homelessness.
Ban hedge funds/private equity from buying single-family homes.
Force mega landlords to sell back to residents/nonprofits.
Tax speculative vacancy + empty luxury units
Create a transparent national database of large landlords.
Impact: Homes return to families, stabilizing prices.
Housing First nationally
Fund permanent supportive housing with mental/behavioral health services
Addiction and recovery treatment without waitlists
No more discharges to the street from:
Foster care
Jail/prison
Hospitals
Rehab
Expand rapid rehousing with real pathways to permanency.
Impact: Reduces chronic homelessness and cycling.
Tie federal dollars to pro-housing outcomes.
Legalize:
Duplexes/triplexes/ADUs
Apartment homes near transit
Manufactured + modular homes
Reward cities that meet housing production benchmarks
Impact: More homes are needed in the desired locations.
Down payment support for first-generation buyers
Zero-interest mortgages for working families
Grants for repairs, heat pumps, accessibility upgrades
Expand:
Community land trusts
Co-ops
Tenant purchase opportunities
Impact: Wealth stays in communities, not outside investors.
America’s housing crisis is the result of policy choices — not personal failure or market mystery.
We solve it by:
Building millions of deeply affordable homes
Protecting renters right now
Taking housing out of Wall Street’s hands
Ending the pipeline into homelessness
Modernizing zoning for the 21st century
Creating real paths to ownership and stability
Homes must serve people, not profit margins. Demand housing policies that prioritize people’s needs over investor profits.
Housing is a basic human need — and we can guarantee it if we choose to.