Housing

Tenement Act of 1879

requires: light and air, dumbbell design (narrow-waisted floor plan met airshaft rules on tight lots), basic sanitation

reform driver: Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives exposed slum conditions and spurred change

New Tenement Act of 1901

in response to the first tenement act, now regular building inspections required, private toilets, fresh-air windows, and became the first formal building code/model for modern minimum housing standards

Laurence turner bellier

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Creation 1934

meant mortgage insurance (ensures lender or bank), lower down payments, longer loans,

was the origin of the New Deal: established by the National Housing Act of 1934

FHA Impacts

impacts were: expanded ownership, standardized financing, but it enabled redlining and reinforced segregation and a racial wealth gap still felt today.

Public Housing 1937

US housing authority: a federal agency was created to fund local public housing

lead to slum clearance

low-income housing

wagner-steagall housing act of 1937

NYC Housing Authority vs. Muller 1936

The New York Court of Appeals upheld the Municipal Housing Authorities Law, affirming that condemnation of property for slum clearance and low-income housing constitutes a public use under both state and federal constitutional protections

Wagner-Steagall Housing Act of 1937

allowed for the replacement of slums and blighted conditions with new housing and housing for the poor

Housing Act of 1949

urban renewal: launched the federal Title I renewal program

slum clearance: funded acquisition and demolition of areas deemed blighted

large redevelopment: enabled big projects that often displaced existing communities (negative)

national goal: a decent home and suitable living conditions for every American family

caused super blocks/projects that were essentially warehouses for the poor

Housing Act of 1954

focus on rehabilitation and conservation

section 701 funding: created comprehensive planning grants for local governments.

supported planning profession: first time that planning was recognized in housing policy; helped professionalize and grow the planning field

workable program required communities to adopt a comprehensive plan

Housing 1964

development of affordable housing

Housing and Urban Development Agency (HUD) Creation 1965

role: to provide subsidies to local governments, help support housing for low-income, provide funding for infrastructure

historic first: Robert Weaver was the first HUD secretary a first black cabinet member in the US

Fair Housing Act of 1968

ends discrimination: banned bias in the sale, rental, and financing of housing

protected classes: race, color, religion, and national origin (sex was added in 1974)

expanded in 1988 amendments added include disability and familiar status

enacted as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968

Section 8 Vouchers

tenant-based aid: the subsidy follows the household/people, not the building

pays rent gaps: covers rent above 30% of the tenant’s adjusted income

mobility tool: lets families rent in higher opportunity neighborhoods

cost share: tenants generally pay about 30% of income toward rent

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program

flexible funding: a block grant for housing, infrastructure, and economic development

local control: communities set their own spending priorities

benefit standard: must principally serve low- and moderate-income residents

created 1974: requires a consolidated plan and citizen participation

HOME Program

affordable-housing funding: the largest federal block grant solely for housing

local strategies: gives state and local governments wide flexibility

federal grants: funds construction, rehab, and tenant rental assistance

versus CDBG: HOME is housing-only, while CDBG is broader

Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)

tax credit incentive: awards federal tax credits for building adorable units

Redlining Details

HOLC maps: the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation graded lending risk by area

A-D grading: rated areas A (green) down to D (red, hazardous)

denied loans: red-graded, often minority, areas were cut off from credit

lasting impact: entrenched segregation and racial wealth disparities

exclusionary housing

large-lot and single-family zoning requirements that limit affordable housing

Inclusionary Zoning

requires or incentivizes affordable units in new projects

NJ’s Mount Laurel Court Case

required developers to provide a fair share of affordable housing per project

Euclid vs Ambler Court Case

upheld the constitutionality of zoning

30% rule

housing is affordable at no more than 30% of household income

paying over 30% is cost-burdened; over 50% is severly burdened

Workforce Housing

50-120% of area median income (AMI): targets households between 50-120% of area median income, then is considered workforce housing

essential workers: serves teachers, nurses, police, and similar roles

located near jobs: keeps moderate-income workers close to employment centers

fills gap: above subsidized housing but below market affordability

Gentrification

capital flows back into previously disinvested neighborhoods

rising values: property values, rents and taxes climb

displacement: long-time, lower-income residents are pushed out

equity challenge: balancing investment with anti-displacement protections

Homelessness

no stable residence: lack of fixed, adequate nighttime housing

systemic causes: high housing costs, poverty, mental illness, and addiction

multiple solutions: housing first, shelters, vouchers, and supportive services

Housing First: prioritizes permanent housing without preconditions

Key Housing Takeaways

timeline: 1879 tenement laws through 1968 fair housing to today

programs: FHA, public housing, section 8, CDBG, HOME, LIHTC

equity: redlining and exclusionary zoning shaped lasting disparities

exam focus: memorize key dates, 30% rule, and protected classes

realtors can really sell houses fast to memorize protected classes