News and Legislation

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Press Releases Here

New Research Refutes NIMBY Myths

A new White Paper from the Naional Multi Housing Council/National Apartment Association (NMHC/NAA) promises to take the wind out of the sails of not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) activists who seek to derail proposed apartment buildings. - click here

Making the Case for Affordable Housing - Realty Times article - click here

First Time Homebuyer City Programs are now available - click here

ABAG launches home ownership program

The Association of Bay Area Governments, or ABAG, has launched a new lease-purchase home ownership program that'll give out $48 million to Bay Area families. - click here

 

EFFECTS OF LOW-INCOME HOUSING ON PROPERTY VALUES

A new field guide at REALTOR.org provides links to articles and studies examining the effects of low-income, public, and subsidized

housing on the values of surrounding properties. To access, Go To:

http://www.realtor.org/libweb.nsf/pages/fg504

2700 Legislative Bills were introduced this year, more than 120 address affordable housing issues.  Read more >>

NHC Call Upon Congress for Affordable Housing

The National Housing Conference (NHC), a Washington-based non-profit organization focused on affordable housing and development, is calling on Congress to create new tools that will increase the supply of reasonably priced housing in order to meet pressing national needs. Read more >>

 

Information on Section 8 Down Payment Assistance

HUD has published a Final Rule permitting Section 8 recipients to use their voucher assistance towards the down payment and closing costs for the purchase of a home.   Read More >>

CONGRESS ADOPTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEASURE

The lame duck U.S. House of Representatives approved under unanimous consent the FHA Down payment Simplification Act (S.2239) that includes three very important affordable housing provisions. Read More >>      

                 

Homeownership Hit New Record in U.S.

The annual homeownership rate for 2002 in the U.S. was 67.9 percent, up 0.1 percent from the previous record posted in 2001, according to Census Bureau data released on Jan. 27. In the fourth quarter of 2002, a new all-time national homeownership record was set at 68.3 percent, up 0.3 percent from both the third quarter of 2002 and the fourth quarter of 2001.

Homeownership also increased for minorities to a record high of 49.9percent in 2002, an increase of 0.8 percent. Last year President Bush announced "America's Homeownership Challenge," calling on the housing industry to help increase minority homeownership.

The result was the Blueprint for the American Dream Partnership, an unprecedented public-private partnership to increase minority homeownership by helping to educate homebuyers, increase the supply of affordable housing, offer down-payment assistance and provide flexible financing options that help people realize the American Dream. Read more >>

Coming Soon!

 

NEW! BestPlaces.net - Really cool site full of city information such as crime rate, cost of living, school statistics, etc.

What is the affordability index? The percentage of households that can afford to purchase a median-priced home in California.

Current Index News

California's Housing Affordability Index at 19 percent in October; down six points from year ago

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 9) – The percentage of households in California able to afford a median-priced home stood at 19 percent in October, a 6 percentage-point decrease compared with the same period a year ago when the Index was at 25 percent, according to a report released today by the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.). The October Housing Affordability Index (HAI) was unchanged from September, when it also stood at 19 percent.

C.A.R.’s monthly housing affordability index measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase a median-priced home in California. C.A.R. also reports housing affordability indexes for regions and select counties within the state. The index is the most fundamental measure of housing well-being in the state.

The minimum household income needed to purchase a median-priced home at $460,370 in California in October was $106,680, based on an average effective mortgage interest rate of 5.70 percent and assuming a 20 percent downpayment. The minimum household income needed to purchase a median-priced home was up from $88,860 in October 2003, when the median price of a home was $379,120 and the prevailing interest rate was 5.83 percent.

The minimum household income needed to purchase a median-priced home at $187,000 in the U.S. in October 2004 was $43,330.  Read more >>

Northern California index for October 2004 = 21%

 

Index by County:

Alameda = 14%

Contra Costa = 10%

Marin = 16%

Merced = 19%

San Francisco = 11%

San Joaquin = 18%

San Mateo = 16%

Santa Cruz = 13%

Sonoma = 13%

Stanislaus = 27%

The Fannie Mae Foundation states that most Americans rate homeownership as the best investment they can make – far ahead of the 401(k), retirement accounts and stocks.

Economists and demographers have said that baby boomers, minorities and immigrants will be important forces in the housing market.  Read More >>

National Low Income Housing Coalition

A person in California has to earn $19.69 per hour to be able to afford a modest 2 bedroom rental.

A minimum wage earner in the Bay Area must work an average of 172 hours per week to afford the average 2 bedroom unit.  Read More >>

 

Bay Area Economic Profile

The Bay Area continues to be the most productive metropolitan region in the U.S. in which to do business.  The Bay Area’s economic output per capita in the year 2000 was 84% higher than the U.S. average.  Read More >>

 

 
     
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This Portal uses links to other sites in an effort to help locate interesting topics. We cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by the sites. Linking to another site does not mean a site or product endorsement by The Northern California Housing Opportunities Coalition.

 

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