STEP FORWARD - Shriver Center

By Bill Wilen,  Director of Housing Litigation

Prior to 1996, federal housing law provided that every public housing unit that was demolished had to be replaced on a one-for-one basis with another public housing or equivalent unit.   In this manner, the nation’s inventory of public housing units would remain constant, and housing would remain available to meet the housing needs of the nation’s most vulnerable populations, such as the very-poor, the elderly and the disabled.  However, in 1996, this requirement was suspended and later repealed by Congress.  (more…)

By John Bouman, President

On Tuesday, Aug. 26 the U.S. Census Bureau released data about income levels, poverty rates, and health insurance from 2007. At first glance, the data look like good news. The nation’s poverty rate held steady at 12.5 percent, not statistically different from the 12.3 percent in 2006. Median household income increased. The number of people without health insurance decreased. However, digging deeper into the data shows we have work to do. (more…)