This deposit-free apartment plan could be life-changing for Philly renters

Funding from the American Rescue Plan Act is being used to combat homelessness and housing insecurity by using federal dollars to provide affordable rental housing — like Desert Hope apartments — rental assistance for tenants and other supportive services for those experiencing homelessness.

Milwaukee nonprofit Acts Housing is addressing the city's homeownership gap with a comprehensive model that combines HUD-certified education, one-on-one financial coaching, alternative lending and a property acquisition arm that competes with investors to preserve housing inventory for buyers. Over three decades, the program has helped more than 4,000 individuals and families purchase homes.

A homelessness prevention program in Santa Clara County, run by nonprofit Destination: Home, provides targeted financial assistance, about $6,500 per household, to people at imminent risk of losing their housing. Using a risk-assessment questionnaire to identify eligible participants, the program has grown from a $1 million pilot serving 200 households in 2017 to a $30 million annual program serving 2,500 households today.

As rents in Madison, Wisconsin, skyrocket, alternative housing options are emerging. One such option is cohousing, a form of community living in which residents live in multiple units. One unit, Linden Cohousing, has 75 members living across its 45 units, enjoying not only affordable housing but also the community aspect of cohousing. Madison currently has four active cohousing communities, with more on the way.

The “Lodging to Living Fund” at Saul Urban identifies vacant or problematic commercial properties — like old hotels — acquires them and converts them into affordable housing. Repurposing existing buildings cuts project costs in half, allowing developers to offer affordable rates to renters. The Heights at Gateway Park is the first such project and has converted 180 hotel rooms into 88 new apartments.

Brilliant Corners helps vulnerable, low-income individuals secure housing by working with other local organizations, including the Flexible Housing Subsidy Poll, which helps match people with suitable housing options. Brilliant Corners has helped about 13,000 people get into permanent housing and can cover over $10 million in rent subsidies every month.

Grove Park Renewal aims to help residents from the majority-black area of northwest Atlanta become homeowners by turning vacant properties into newly renovated, affordable homes. The nonprofit also offers an affordable rental program that allows qualifying individuals and families to live in one of its properties at a more affordable, income-adjusted rate.

The Built For Zero program works to end homelessness by partnering with community organizations aimed at helping people experiencing homelessness — specifically veterans — access safe, affordable housing. The Detroit branch is one of the 105 cities nationwide participating in the program. Since joining in 2015, the city has reduced veteran homelessness by about 60%.

The CHN Housing Partners’ lease-purchase program builds affordable homes for low-income individuals to rent. Residents live and pay rent in the homes for 15 years while taking homeownership and financial counseling courses to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to become homeowners. Over the past 30 years, CHN has built more than 1,700 lease-purchase homes and more than 1,600 of them have been sold to owner-occupants.

California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, is piloting a program that covers rental move-in costs for low-income people in need, specifically those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The goal is to keep people out of expensive institutions, like emergency rooms, by providing services like housing assistance and healthy food. So far, 20 locals have received Medi-Cal’s housing move-in assistance.