Archive for the ‘housing crisis’ Tag

Empty Houses, Reclaimed   Leave a comment

Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/02/26/971873769/empty-houses-reclaimed

Housing insecurity is a major issue that is facing our nation especially in a pandemic with millions out of jobs. As a result of this people have began taking their living situation into their own hands. A group in California who call themselves the “Reclaimers” decided to break into and reclaim vacant houses owned by the state. State officials decided to not evict any of these new tenets but instead leased the properties out to the housing authority, which allowed for the homes to be part of a transitional housing program. Sasha Atkins, one of the “Reclaimers”, discusses how housing insecurity could be lessened greatly if more states employed programs like the one put forth in California.

Original Air Date: March 1, 2021

Length: 9 minutes and 49 seconds

Help arrives for (some) underwater homeowners   Leave a comment

Link: http://www.marketplace.org/2016/04/15/economy/homeowner-buyout-plan-better-late-never

Summary: The Federal Housing Finance Agency begins to help 33,000 homeowners who financed their mortgages through Freddie Mae or Fannie Mac and are are more than 15% underwater and 90 days delinquent on payments. Assistance includes lowering interest rates and the balance of principal owed

Original Air Date: April 15, 2016

Length: 2 minutes 12 seconds

The midlife economic anxiety crisis   Leave a comment

midlifeLink: http://www.marketplace.org/2016/03/18/world/why-theres-so-much-economic-anxiety-midlife

Summary: According to the Marketplace Economic Anxiety Index, 35-54 year olds are the most worried age group in the U.S. Children’s college tuition and retirement loom over these folks and they also felt the aftershocks of the housing crisis and stock market crash. Marketplace speaks to a couple about their economic concerns and decisions.

Original Air Date: March 18, 2016

Length: 5 minutes and 4 seconds