As affordable housing lags, cities try to set right troubled construction deals
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on December 12th, 2011 5:35 am by HL
As affordable housing lags, cities try to set right troubled construction deals
CHARLOTTE — Here in the South’s second-largest city, homeless shelters are packed and housing experts say that thousands of affordable rental units are needed just to meet current demand.
To help build homes for the poor, the city turned to the federal government, drawing $3.5 million for four projects that promised 202 units. Years later, all the money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME fund has been spent, but 83 houses have not been delivered. One project failed to produce a single home.
Congress edges toward a compromise on spending
Put this in the “small accomplishments” category for an especially gridlocked Congress: It appears increasingly likely that, with little fuss, lawmakers will approve a bipartisan compromise in coming days that will keep government running past Friday, when a short-term funding measure that has kept the lights on expires.