Today, housing in America is often characterized by rising costs, low supply and competitive bidding – characteristics that challenge renters, buyers and homeowners alike.
While advancing solutions to curb today’s housing challenges is a year-round effort for the American Property Owners Alliance (The Alliance), June’s National Homeownership Month was the perfect opportunity to ramp up these efforts, garner increased support and inspire meaningful action.
At The Alliance, we’re focused on improving housing access, protecting property owners’ rights and building strong communities. As a nonpartisan grassroots organization, we combine the voices of Americans to drive meaningful action in support of housing policy that will help do just that.
Homeownership Month serves as a time to celebrate the value of owning a home and help bolster the homeownership rate throughout the country. Yet, this year, we needed to recognize the month by creating meaningful conversations about the state of homeownership – and housing as a whole – today.
Telling #OurHousingStory
Last month, The Alliance launched the #OurHousingStory campaign to paint a picture of the state of housing in our nation. Throughout June, we amplified the voices of real individuals, highlighted the latest housing data and trends, and sent messages to leaders urging them to support commonsense, pro-housing solutions.
Throughout Homeownership Month, The Alliance received more than 400 stories from Americans about the challenges and experiences impacting their housing journey.
James K. of California shared, “As a parent of teenagers, finding a home in L.A. that’s large enough to provide them with the space and privacy they need has become incredibly challenging… On top of that, we want to make sure we are living in a safe neighborhood that’s well-connected by public transportation… Balancing these needs is proving to be almost impossible in today’s housing market.”
From homeowners being pushed out of their desired neighborhood due to rising property taxes to renters being unable to move into a space that better meets the needs of their family due to rising housing costs, Americans aired their frustrations and stressed the need for decision makers to act.
Brenda R. of Pennsylvania shared, “I’m a 52-year-old single mom of six kids. I was forced to sell my home during the COVID-19 pandemic for many reasons among which included the outrageously increased property taxes… The cost of housing is astronomical, and a huge part of our community cannot afford safe housing. We need workable solutions to this housing crisis, and we need our legislators to rise up and lead the charge.”
Fortunately, solutions exist to help address these issues, but they need more support. In fact, only 17 percent of Americans feel the current level of federal government involvement in expanding affordable homes and rentals is sufficient.
Curbing Today’s Housing Challenges
Throughout Homeownership Month, The Alliance mobilized audiences for action, as advocates sent messages to Congress in support of solutions to improve housing affordability, including the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, the Revitalizing Downtowns Act and the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act.
On top of that, individuals signed petitions urging leaders to expand resources for first-time buyers and safeguard property owner protections by restoring property owner tax incentives.
It’s clear that during this presidential election year, housing is top of mind for many voters, and the proof is in the data: more than half of Americans will consider a candidate’s stance on addressing the rising costs of rentals and homes when casting their vote this November.
That’s why the call to tell #OurHousingStory is not over just yet.
Homeownership Month may have ended, but the need to amplify the housing challenges renters, buyers and homeowners face today will continue to be a priority until our leaders take action.
Thank you to those who joined The Alliance’s efforts in June and helped shine a light on this critical issue.
If you’re interested in advocating for change and helping to shape the future of housing in America, get involved by:
- Sharing your housing story.
- Sending a message to Congress in support of meaningful, pro-housing solutions.
- Or both!
Click here to get started.
Together, we can create a loud voice for policymakers to hear and drive the necessary action to restore housing access and affordability.
About the American Property Owners Alliance
The American Property Owners Alliance (The Alliance) is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization created to protect and support property owners and pave the way for future property owners. Our mission is to educate property owners about federal issues, laws and policies; to advocate for owners’ rights and interests; and to mobilize, when necessary, to secure those rights and interests.
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