Share Your Story with Policymakers
Rising housing costs challenge Americans like never before. We need government action.
Tell policymakers about the critical need for solutions and urge them to act now to make homes and rentals more affordable.
Make your voice heard by sharing your story today and explore the stories below to see what others are saying.
Tell Your Housing Story
Tell your elected representatives how rising home and rent prices are impacting you and urge them to act now on this critical issue. Your personal story can drive needed action.
Policymakers need to know…
- What challenges you have faced in finding an affordable home or rental.
- How rising housing prices impact your financial wellbeing.
- Why they should act now to curb rising home and rent prices.
I have lived in the state of Florida for more than three decades and have witnessed first-hand the alarming rise […]
Marie T., FL
Renter
I have lived in the state of Florida for more than three decades and have witnessed first-hand the alarming rise in the rental and homeownership market. it is disturbing and sad to know that... political leaders, are "unwilling" to address initiatives to help homeowners and renters alike that work hard and equally contribute economically to our country!
— Marie T., FL
Renter
Share Your Story
I am a teacher and can’t afford to rent or buy a decent home in a safe neighborhood on my […]
Kristan Y., NC
Buyer
I am a teacher and can't afford to rent or buy a decent home in a safe neighborhood on my salary. My sisters and I have put our parents house and property up for sale (now ours). Selling would help me to make large down payment on a small house to have a very small affordable mortgage. However, the housing prices are very high and I am concerned I will still have a huge mortgage payment. What option do people have who don't have a solution like mine? America has a big crisis!
— Kristan Y., NC
Buyer
I am a mother of four children and I live in a two-bedroom, single-wide trailer. There’s no affordable land or […]
Bree R., NC
Homeowner
I am a mother of four children and I live in a two-bedroom, single-wide trailer. There's no affordable land or homes for sale in my area. It would be a miracle if they could change policies to help the smaller families get into homes.
— Bree R., NC
Homeowner
There was a time when rent was affordable, now I’m working three jobs and I work hard… can’t even afford […]
Karen K., CA
Homeowner
There was a time when rent was affordable, now I'm working three jobs and I work hard... can't even afford the rent rates. It's disgusting how much a studio even costs, and not a nice one. I have enough for a down payment, but I wouldn't be able to afford the payments/insurance. It's very depressing!
— Karen K., CA
Homeowner
I am a recent single mother struggling to find safe affordable housing to live with my son. Housing in the […]
Jaclyn B., CA
Renter
I am a recent single mother struggling to find safe affordable housing to live with my son. Housing in the Bay Area has become astronomical. I see luxury housing built in beautiful, well developed, safe areas to raise your family and the small amount of affordable housing is lottery based with thousands of applications. Only a very lucky select few actually get to live there while the rest just continued to be stuck or have to leave the area altogether.
— Jaclyn B., CA
Renter
I’m in my mid-twenties and saving for a home is more difficult than ever. Even with a full time job, […]
Annabelle H., DC
Renter
I'm in my mid-twenties and saving for a home is more difficult than ever. Even with a full time job, I have to allocate a full paycheck every month to rent. And my rent only continues to increase each year. At this rate, I don't think I'll ever be able to buy a home.
— Annabelle H., DC
Renter
Housing has become more expensive then ever before. Not enough housing for low income people or even for senior citizens…[the] […]
Barbara J., PA
Renter
Housing has become more expensive then ever before. Not enough housing for low income people or even for senior citizens...[the] government is not doing enough for affordable housing and why is that. No one should live in poverty because they can't afford housing.
— Barbara J., PA
Renter
We bought our four-bedroom, two-story new build house in 2015 for $220,000. Six years later, our adult daughter paid $300,000 […]
Kathryn W., AZ
Homeowner
We bought our four-bedroom, two-story new build house in 2015 for $220,000. Six years later, our adult daughter paid $300,000 for a 30-year-old, one-story, two-bedroom house that was less than half the size of ours, and she was lucky to get it. Her house is about a mile from ours. What's wrong with this picture? Local government is not encouraging affordable housing to be built in our community.
— Kathryn W., AZ
Homeowner
I was lucky to purchase a home just before the prices skyrocketed during the COVID pandemic. Other people that I […]
Rita H., WA
Homeowner
I was lucky to purchase a home just before the prices skyrocketed during the COVID pandemic. Other people that I knew weren't so lucky. I have several members of my family living in my home with me because the housing and rental prices are too astronomical for them to pay. Something needs to change!
— Rita H., WA
Homeowner
I rented the same one-family house for exactly ten years. When I started, the rent was $600 a month, and […]
Lynda E., FL
Renter
I rented the same one-family house for exactly ten years. When I started, the rent was $600 a month, and it ended at $1,150. Our paychecks have not doubled to accommodate the 100% more some are paying for rent.
— Lynda E., FL
Renter
It seems impossible to find a way to save enough for a home while paying rent, keeping up with bills, […]
Allison D., CA
Renter
It seems impossible to find a way to save enough for a home while paying rent, keeping up with bills, and having any hope of enjoying life from time to time.
— Allison D., CA
Renter
My husband and I currently have a combined income greater than $100,000 a year, and we live modestly. We bought […]
Kim B., FL
Homeowner
My husband and I currently have a combined income greater than $100,000 a year, and we live modestly. We bought our starter home a little over 20 years ago, and we still live in it today! Our home is less than 900 square feet and it's located on less than a 1/4 acre. We have wanted to upsize for nearly 10 years, but due to current mortgage rates, shifts in the real estate market, and the rising costs of property insurance, property taxes, and basic necessities to live, we feel financially stuck in our starter home. If we were renters or first time home buyers, we could not afford to rent our home or buy it at current market rates/prices. That is a disheartening realization.
— Kim B., FL
Homeowner
I’ve been in my rental for eight years because I can’t afford a mortgage on the soaring prices of California […]
Dawn D., CA
Renter
I've been in my rental for eight years because I can't afford a mortgage on the soaring prices of California homes... I'm barely making it with nothing left over to save at the end of each month. Just another hardworking Mother with nothing to show for it.
— Dawn D., CA
Renter
We weren’t in a position to purchase a house until it seemed like it was too late. The interest rates […]
Casey S., CA
Renter
We weren't in a position to purchase a house until it seemed like it was too late. The interest rates were skyrocketing, housing costs were astronomical and [it was] impossible to get insured in the state of California. We have been paying the cost of a mortgage in rent each month except it is not towards something that we are ever going to own.
— Casey S., CA
Renter
We are a young family trying to stay near our family with the goal of homeownership. If we purchase, our […]
Kat M., CA
Renter
We are a young family trying to stay near our family with the goal of homeownership. If we purchase, our monthly [payment] would triple. We already pay $3,500 per month in rent and it is impossible to save.
— Kat M., CA
Renter
I moved to Los Angeles 20+ years ago for better career opportunities and quickly realized that I will never be […]
Rebecca P., CA
Renter
I moved to Los Angeles 20+ years ago for better career opportunities and quickly realized that I will never be able to afford a home here.
— Rebecca P., CA
Renter
At 61, working full-time, it should not take over 50% of my take home pay to rent on a 588 […]
Sharon P., NV
Renter
At 61, working full-time, it should not take over 50% of my take home pay to rent on a 588 square foot apartment with only one closet. Yet, here I am. I make too much to qualify for reduced rent subsidies for seniors, yet not enough to absorb the never-ending annual increases.
— Sharon P., NV
Renter
I am a disabled woman on Social Security unable afford today’s housing market, left to reside in an apartment complex […]
Deborah D., PA
Renter
I am a disabled woman on Social Security unable afford today's housing market, left to reside in an apartment complex that I'm completely unhappy with. I praise God for the benefits of my late husband or I would be living on the streets somewhere.
— Deborah D., PA
Renter
I am a female, 28 years old, born and raised in Miami. Due to inflation and the cost of living, […]
Serenity G., FL
Renter
I am a female, 28 years old, born and raised in Miami. Due to inflation and the cost of living, I was not able to continue paying rent. It was not enough for all the bills plus my monthly rent. Policymakers need to think about the people... we matter, and because of the high costs of living, a lot of us are losing everything trying to figure out how to live each day when we can't even afford a roof anymore.
— Serenity G., FL
Renter
We began to look for a four-bedroom rental, but quickly realized that was going to be financially impossible. And even […]
Vicki G., GA
Renter
We began to look for a four-bedroom rental, but quickly realized that was going to be financially impossible. And even the rent for a three-bedroom is so high here in Georgia! I don't know what my family and I are going to do, it is going to be a struggle.
— Vicki G., GA
Renter
I am a recently divorced, single mother of three toddlers[…] I do not qualify for any type of public assistance […]
Tara R., NJ
Renter
I am a recently divorced, single mother of three toddlers[...] I do not qualify for any type of public assistance because my income is too high, but I struggle monthly to make my rent, feed my children and pay the boys medical bills... I feel like I am drowning in debt and bills.
— Tara R., NJ
Renter
I am a mom of four boys and barely making ends meet. I cannot afford to pay rent and barely […]
LaTosha M., LA
Renter
I am a mom of four boys and barely making ends meet. I cannot afford to pay rent and barely can afford groceries.
— LaTosha M., LA
Renter
California has become an impossible place to live. Even with an income that is considered in the top 10% of […]
Taylor M., CA
Buyer
California has become an impossible place to live. Even with an income that is considered in the top 10% of earners, I have zero possibility of owning a home when the average price in LA is over $1 million dollars. It's so depressing feeling like the roots you want to create are so far out of reach.
— Taylor M., CA
Buyer
Looking right now in Louisville and it’s so difficult. We’ve put in multiple offers above asking but supply of affordable […]
Kayla S., KY
Renter
Looking right now in Louisville and it's so difficult. We've put in multiple offers above asking but supply of affordable real estate is low and it's getting competitive. We need more reasonably priced housing or our family of three will have to continue to rent indefinitely.
— Kayla S., KY
Renter
My house payment keeps going up, property taxes and the utilities keep increasing 15+ percent at a time I am […]
Sharon W., OR
Homeowner
My house payment keeps going up, property taxes and the utilities keep increasing 15+ percent at a time I am not going be able to retire, let alone afford my home.
— Sharon W., OR
Homeowner
My husband and I and our two kids lived in his parents’ basement for a year and a half because […]
Katherine D., CO
Renter
My husband and I and our two kids lived in his parents' basement for a year and a half because even making six figures a year combined, we could not afford to rent. We were finally able to get an apartment we can afford, but we are both now working two jobs so that we can put food on the table too.
— Katherine D., CO
Renter
The money I have saved for a down payment is effectively useless now while rent prices keep climbing.
Jessica L., CA
Renter
The money I have saved for a down payment is effectively useless now while rent prices keep climbing.
— Jessica L., CA
Renter
I am a 49-year-old, single mother of two who works a steady job that I’m thankful to have. We have […]
Jill M., GA
Renter
I am a 49-year-old, single mother of two who works a steady job that I'm thankful to have. We have been living with my parents for almost two years because I cannot get ahead in order to secure us a place. The rent around here is so high, it would take two of my checks each month just to pay rent not to mention food, clothing, insurance, gasoline and all the other expenses I deal with each month.
— Jill M., GA
Renter
I am a single mother of two elementary aged kids. I want to move but my rent has gone up […]
Erika S., WA
Renter
I am a single mother of two elementary aged kids. I want to move but my rent has gone up to now be 60% of my income. I sacrifice my other bills in order to pay the rent. My credit score is now too low to even consider trying to rent anywhere else... they wont accept it. I am stuck barely making it and they want to raise my rent again in the coming months!
— Erika S., WA
Renter
I am a single father of two school age kids. We live in a one-bedroom house because it’s all I […]
Andrew H., IL
Homeowner
I am a single father of two school age kids. We live in a one-bedroom house because it's all I can afford. I am a full-time factory worker and I'm barely making ends meet. I've tried all of my local housing programs for help and was only offered temporary help. My kids deserve to have their own bedroom and we might have to move soon because I can barely afford where I'm at. I keep sacrificing bills for rent. I'm getting behind and I am an American, tax-paying citizen. I should be retired, but I have to wait another 10 years for my kids to grow up.
— Andrew H., IL
Homeowner
My husband and I can barely afford our current home rent. Yet, we dont have savings enough to move. And […]
Beth S., SC
Renter
My husband and I can barely afford our current home rent. Yet, we dont have savings enough to move. And move where? Apartments, even one-bedroom apartments, average $1,500 per month in our area. Small homes average $2,000 per month. We are responsible people, but we can barely meet our other basic expenses, share one car, and rarely go anywhere.
— Beth S., SC
Renter
Two years ago I became a widow, living in a 10-room house. I’ve been looking for a one-floor home because […]
Mary Lynn T., PA
Homeowner
Two years ago I became a widow, living in a 10-room house. I've been looking for a one-floor home because of my health problems. It is very hard to find a home with a reasonable price, and closing costs are very high. Most of the homes are not worth the price that's being asked and interest rates are high. I need to find something affordable and I'm hoping to sell my home for a reasonable price. There are quite a few widows in my town, and they're struggling to stay in their homes -- but finding it hard to move on. I keep hoping the market will continue to get better so I can find something suitable and not have to stress about the fixed income I am on and what has to be paid every month.
— Mary Lynn T., PA
Homeowner
I am a single parent that pays $1,400 for rent and extra for utilities. It’s become more difficult to keep […]
Magdaline R., MD
Renter
I am a single parent that pays $1,400 for rent and extra for utilities. It's become more difficult to keep up with bills and rent because I just can't afford it.
— Magdaline R., MD
Renter
I am a senior renting in the Charlotte area. I think the amount of monthly charges added to the rent […]
Nora Q., NC
Renter
I am a senior renting in the Charlotte area. I think the amount of monthly charges added to the rent makes my monthly payment almost 50% of my monthly income. They added a technology package that is now $99 for basic and internet... and the cost goes up every year... I was paying $45 for internet. They also charge a fee for rent invoice, a charge for water and a trash fee on top of the monthly trash removal fee... It will not be long before I cannot afford my payment at all as I struggle to pay my rent.
— Nora Q., NC
Renter
After two years of home shopping, two agents and bidding wars, and too many roller coaster emotions due to lost […]
Renea L., OH
Renter
After two years of home shopping, two agents and bidding wars, and too many roller coaster emotions due to lost bids, I had enough of the real estate market so I went back to renting.
— Renea L., OH
Renter
I am a single, disabled woman trying to afford an apartment while living on Social Security Disability Insurance and my […]
Jeneca F., GA
Renter
I am a single, disabled woman trying to afford an apartment while living on Social Security Disability Insurance and my monthly pension payment. The prices are ridiculously high for what you're getting.
— Jeneca F., GA
Renter
I’ve lived in New Jersey all my life and never was able to purchase a house for my family and […]
Mildred H., NJ
Renter
I've lived in New Jersey all my life and never was able to purchase a house for my family and me... Right now, I'm renting one small room from friends for $500 a month, and with my fixed income, there's no way possible for me to rent or own a home. I don't really know what to do at this point.
— Mildred H., NJ
Renter
I left my house and moved because of raccoons in my ceiling. I was put in an upstairs apartment with […]
Margaret H., IL
Renter
I left my house and moved because of raccoons in my ceiling. I was put in an upstairs apartment with the understanding I would be moved to a ground floor apartment, and paid $100 to be put on a waiting list. My rent has gone up twice since I moved in. I am 74 years old and can't afford the rent which will go up again if I renew my lease. I moved here in December 2022 and my rent was $839 with water and trash free. I now pay $934 and if I renew my lease, my rent will go up and I will have to pay $70 extra for water and trash. I live in a two-bedroom because my granddaughter lives with me. She's 16. My doctors have sent them [the apartment] letters and they still say my time hasn't come up yet on the waiting list.
— Margaret H., IL
Renter
Currently renting a small, two-bedroom apartment, and we have five people living in our home. We have a fair rent […]
Deanna M., MN
Renter
Currently renting a small, two-bedroom apartment, and we have five people living in our home. We have a fair rent right now, but we are searching for an affordable, three-bedroom, and I just can't afford anything out there.
— Deanna M., MN
Renter
There is nothing affordable around our area. Between Charlotte metro growth and investment equity firms purchasing starter homes, or seniors […]
Silas B., NC
Renter
There is nothing affordable around our area. Between Charlotte metro growth and investment equity firms purchasing starter homes, or seniors downsizing and buying starter homes, it's an absolute disaster market for us in our mid-30s looking for a home. We're still renting indefinitely until better options become available for ownership. Starter homes don't exist in our area at the moment.
— Silas B., NC
Renter
As a parent of teenagers, finding a home in LA that’s large enough to provide them with the space and […]
James K., CA
Buyer
As a parent of teenagers, finding a home in LA that's large enough to provide them with the space and privacy they need has become incredibly challenging. Balancing these needs is proving to be almost impossible in today's housing market. How are other LA families managing these challenges?
— James K., CA
Buyer
I am going to have to sell my home. I can no longer afford to live in this house and […]
Velma C., OH
Homeowner
I am going to have to sell my home. I can no longer afford to live in this house and continue to live... The electric company is doubling my electric bill, with the cost of food in addition being doubled.
— Velma C., OH
Homeowner
About The Alliance
We’re a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization created to protect and support property ownership in America.
Our mission is to educate current and future property owners about federal issues, laws and policies; advocate for their rights and interests; and mobilize, when necessary, to secure those rights and interests.
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