The National Low Income Housing Coalition released its annual report, and the results are concerning, to say the least. The availability of affordable housing has always been an issue in the United States, but the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on both our economy and the stability of the job market.
Many Americans have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, and so the need for affordable housing has skyrocketed. An estimated $46.5 billion dollars in rental assistance is needed to prevent homelessness in the United States currently, a number that will undoubtedly continue to rise through the end of the pandemic, and until our country has fully stabalized again.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition refers to Iowa as only having between 31-40 available houses per 100 low income families. 104,870 families need access to affordable housing in Iowa, with only around 38,944 homes available.
This causes extreme cost burden for Iowa families, as they need housing that is out of their budget. Additionally, this causes other needs like food, utilities, and school to suffer.
Learn more about the affordable housing crisis in Iowa at: https://reports.nlihc.org/gap/2019/ia