Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 107 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

How the Cuyahoga County Land Bank revitalizes homes

Ron Regan

December 27, 2017 |

WEWS-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Cleveland, Ohio

At the worst point in the 2008 housing crisis, up to 30,000 houses in Cuyahoga County were vacant. The Cuyahoga County Land Bank aims to fix this problem by acquiring houses, eliminating blight, and transforming the houses into more useful spaces. Already, the Land Bank has turned old, empty properties into a Children’s Museum and an Amazon Fulfillment Center, and it has decreased the number of empty homes to about 7,000.

Read More
Go to Original Story
What Vancouver, B.C., can teach us about housing

Gregory Scruggs

December 19, 2017 |

Crosscut |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

As Seattle's real estate prices continue to rise, the city looks to Vancouver, BC's attempted solutions as a way to tackle affordable housing. While many responses in Vancouver need adjustment and correction, the city's multi-tiered response to skyrocketing housing prices encourage using a comprehensive approach to the issues in the housing market.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Strict landlord oversight in Minnesota offers Baltimore a model

Doug Donovan

December 17, 2017 |

The Baltimore Sun |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis uses a stringent licensing system, which grades rental properties and leverages harsh punishments for landlords who rent out "subpar" properties, to improve living conditions for tenants. The approach has been recommended to Baltimore, which has historically been more lenient, but the strategy has also been accused of reducing affordable housing options and leaving tenants with few options if their landlord's license is revoked.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How Tenants' Rights Are Flourishing—Right in Trump's New Backyard

Jimmy Tobias

October 09, 2017 |

The Nation (New York) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

In Washington D.C., the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase act, gives tenants the right to be the first in line to buy the building they live in, if it goes up for sale. The city, also has a trust fund that finances affordable housing, and provides funds for people looking to purchase a building and create a co-op. Together, these things make it easier for tenants to access affordable housing, and fight gentrification. So, far the city has 137 co-ops. "Now we get to choose our neighbors, we get to set our own rules, and we’re in control of our living conditions.”

Read More
Go to Original Story
New York City Guarantees a Lawyer to Every Resident Facing Eviction

Kriston Capps

August 14, 2017 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

New York City passed the first law in the nation guaranteeing legal representation to any low-income resident facing eviction. Pilot programs in California show that the right to counsel levels the playing field between tenants and landlords in the courtroom and can reduce the number of cases that result in homelessness, a huge cost savings for both tenants and governments.

Read More
Go to Original Story
New York Just Gave Low-Income Tenants a Big Weapon in Housing Court: A Lawyer

Henry Grabar

July 21, 2017 |

Slate |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

"Nationwide, 90 percent of landlords have attorneys, but 90 percent of tenants do not." New York City is combating this inequality with a new law guaranteeing lawyers to defend low-income tenants in housing court. The goal: prevent unjustified evictions and keep people housed.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Eviction prevention efforts in Baltimore lag

Doug Donovan Jean Marbella

May 06, 2017 |

The Baltimore Sun |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

Resources to prevent evictions in Baltimore continue to decline, even while other cities are allotting more resources to keeping people in their homes. This article explores the many problems facing Baltimore tenants trying to avoid eviction and juxtaposes those examples with those of other cities such as New York, which is actually expanding funding for attorneys to represent tenants because avoiding evictions saves money. Many organizations in Baltimore say people often need help just once to avert a crisis, but the funds available to help continue to dwindle.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Leveling the playing field in rent court

The Baltimore Sun Editorial Board

April 30, 2017 |

The Baltimore Sun |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

This is an opinion piece by the paper's staff based on a large series of investigative stories about evictions and substandard housing in Baltimore. It critiques a system that was designed to protect tenants, where they can get a judge to set up an escrow account to collect rent while landlords make repairs, because it usually favors landlords over tenants. The column outlines specific fixes that would address this imbalance, including more code inspections, a more transparent process and laws that hold landlords accountable for substandard properties.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Dismissed: Tenants lose, landlords win in Baltimore's rent court

Doug Donovan Jean Marbella

April 26, 2017 |

The Baltimore Sun |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is home to the nation’s first housing court. Established 70 years ago, the court was supposed to hold landlords accountable for code violations, such as failing to provide heat, remove lead paint, or respond to pest infestations. But today, even if city inspectors deem properties so endangering to health and safety that they are uninhabitable, judges routinely require tenants to pay withheld rent before cases are even heard.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Will Limited-Equity Cooperatives Make a Comeback?

Lillian M. Ortiz

April 25, 2017 |

Shelterforce |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Limited Equity Co-ops provide a long term, affordable housing solution for tenants. The method began in the 60s and is slowly rising again. In a LEC the value of the housing unit can’t go up to market value, and therefore preserves affordable prices for a longer period of time. “The history of limited-equity co-ops is full of residents who work together to fight eviction and take care of their building.” There are an estimated 160,000 LEC’s nationally.

Read More
Go to Original Story