r/AffordableHousing

What grants are involved with attainable housing versus section 8? I have experience working at a section 8 property several years ago but am applying to work at a property management company offering “attainable housing”. It seems to be that the grants are offered with the city versus through HUD. I’m trying to tailor my resume. Can anyone explain the difference between attainable housing vs section 8 and the benefits for the property?

I am a licensed clinical social worker and I am in the beginning phase of a business idea. I'm looking for gaps/blindspots or opportunities I haven't thought of yet. I've send emails to about 6 elder care attorneys in my state to discuss legal aspects and have gotten no response.

My business concept is a web-based platform connecting independent seniors who need affordable, comfortable housing with individuals or families who have extra room and the willingness to open their home. Think Airbnb, but for long term housing. Rather than placing seniors in expensive assisted living or independent living communities this offers a community-based alternative that aligns with a growing interest in multigenerational living that has not been typical in American culture. Host families would list their available space (bedroom/bathroom) on the platform, and seniors or their family members search and filter matches. The platform would handle background checks for both host families and seniors, provide structured hosting agreements, and serve as a trusted marketplace — NOT a care provider or placement agency. It would initially be only for independent seniors who do not require licensed care services. This feels easier from a legal standpoint while still addressing affordability gaps in senior housing today. A second problem to solve would be for those with higher personal care needs being placed in a home with caregivers willing to provide the higher level of care. Since this platform would eventually nationwide and laws in every state surrounding senior care are different, I'm wondering if I should just start in my state as a soft launch or if that really even matters.

I am 41 years old. I’ve been severely disabled my whole life. I’ve never had stable housing and I’ve reached a crisis point. The only affordable housing in my area(southern ca) is beautiful senior condos. I would be very comfortable in. I want to buy one. And I want it to be my forever home. I will eventually grow old and become 55 in just 10 more years but if I don’t get into stable Housing now I might not make it to 55.

So I was wondering, I know I can’t live there myself but what if I had my mom who is 76 buy the condo and list me as a cohabitant as a disabled adult dependent. I know it’s allowed, but my mom wouldn’t actually live with there. she can make appearances. Would they find out? Are they very vigilant in keeping track of stuff like this? Will they start questioning if they don’t see my mother around?

Unsure if this goes here since it’s multi towns

I applied to many through this website that manages a bunch in NJ. You don’t apply to the complexes but to the towns and they’ll automatically add you to the complexes lists. Many haven’t issued me a lottery number yet, I have to wait for the lottery to open and then I’ll get a number. I guess I’m on the waitlist of the waitlist 😂

One town’s complex just had a lottery last week so I have a lottery # of 10,490. My question is another complex on that same town will have a lottery in October. Does that mean that they pull from the existing list for the town or do they run another lottery?

I’m confused 😂 and feel like 10k is just my forever number

Is submitting an Affordable housing request under 7 and half mins sufficient after registration opens to get a property ?

What do you think would actually help solve the housing affordability problem?

I'm in California, where housing affordability is obviously a huge conversation. Recent numbers show only about 22% of California households could afford the median-priced single-family home.

But I'm curious what it's like everywhere else.

How is housing affordability in your area?

And more importantly, what do you think would actually help?

More starter homes? Smaller homes? ADUs? Tiny homes? More new construction? Lower interest rates? Changes in zoning? Something completely different?

Also — what would you personally be willing to compromise on to make homeownership more affordable?

Location? Square footage? Yard size? Sharing property with an ADU? A tiny home?

Curious to hear what people in different parts of the country are seeing and what solutions actually make sense to you.

We listed our house with an agent four months ago. Had showings almost every weekend. People came through, but the feedback was always the same like the kitchen's dated, yard's too small

Finally got an offer and we were so relieved. Then the buyer didn't qualify for their mortgage. So the deal fell apart. Back to square one…

Now our agent says we need to drop the price another $10K and we've already lowered it twice. That hurts...

I'm tired of strangers walking through my house. Tired of keeping it spotless for showings. Tired of the uncertainty. Every weekend feels like we're performing, and I'm just over it…

I heard about companies that buy houses as-is for cash. No showings. They say they can close quickly. I'm thinking about calling them as a backup plan. If the market isn't working, maybe this is the way out.

But what if their offer is way below what we could get with an agent? I know cash buyers pay less, but at this point, I'm willing to trade some money for peace of mind and speed

If the green agenda wasn't a thing, not disagreeing with the green agenda.

If it made housing cheaper would you be happy for building regs and planning to be changed, it would also mean less comfort although that's debatable depending on your concept of comfort.

Would you be prepared to buy shell and do it up as you had money verses buying a new A rated house?

I purchased a new construction income eligible deed restricted unit through the city of Boston. Immediately upon purchase I experienced some serious water damage everytime it rained. I would report it to the contractors they would fix the damage but it always persist. Until my market neighbor start experiencing the same problem 2-3yrs later the HOA decides to sue contractors for repairs which they did but they also signed a contract once problem is fixed they cannot pursue any other legal action towards them.
Years later due to construction defect water damage is throughout the building and I’m experiencing water damage in my unit but in a different area. Special condo assessment is frequent and substantially high. Over the course of 3 yrs I dished out over 17k of special assessments which doesn’t include increasing condo fees. Now we recently got an assessment for over $52k per unit (which will be in a HOA loan …you can either pay all upfront or in a span of 10yrs including interest).
The bank wanted to see a certain number in our reserves so they also special assessed every owner for $6000 due in a span of two months. I am a single parent that was income eligible to get this unit but I’m required to somehow dish out this substantial amount of money. The HOA is suing me for the $6000 including attorney fees it is now 10k. They trying to foreclose on me which puts my family at risk for being homeless. I have always paid mortgage and condo fees on time and all the other assessments. This financial burden is impossible to carry and the city of Boston won’t help me in which I wouldn’t be in this predicament if it wasn’t for their affordable program. It was just my luck that I got a shitty new construction unit. The city of Boston affordable housing is not so affordable. They have the rights to repurchase my unit from me but I don’t think they want to. I’m trying to sell it but no income verifiable person would want to buy this burden. I need help, advice for someone that may have experienced this?
I feel scared and alone in this process.

TL;DR: Home Forward is a waste of taxpayer money and run by people who do not care about the people living under their care. Also I'm a little fired up and all over the place.

After the recent investigations from The Willamette Week about Home Forward's corrupt management, I feel like I should talk about my experiences living under their management. I've been living at my complex for over 12 years. I moved in right before the City of Portland bought it. Every management company that's come through since has been worse than the last, Home Forward being the worst so far.

For years, I've had a "garden" outside. I knew it wasn't technically allowed, but for 7 years I was growing vegetables and flowers to feed the community and bring some color to an otherwise drab and prison-like landscape. It brought me closer to my neighbors, and until some very weird experiences with neighbors that the management all but refused to address, has never been an issue.

3 years ago, a notice went out that anything left in the common areas would be swept if not removed. I understand that to some extent. There ARE problematic tenants that use the outside areas as dumpsters. There is crime and drug dealing, but it's not as bad as it once was. A truck went around and took kids bikes and patio furniture, walker and mobility devices.... but it didn't make sense. Trash was left and it seemed like certain apartments were targeted. They had a security guard following the truck and they were just throwing stuff into the back.

This Friday, a notice was put on the door that bark dust was being sprayed in all the areas tomorrow, Tuesday. All planters had to be removed, and any plants would be killed and removed if they weren't part of the landscaping. That includes plants I've had for years, including a well established strawberry patch that provided fruit for anyone who wanted it, and pollinator plants that have been growing perennially for years. Anything in the common area would be confiscated. Again, I understand that some people use the common areas as dumpsters, but there are also people with disabilities and who don't have access to safe storage or transportation to move it. There is no discretion, no compassion and no sense to it.

I'm not my most coherent now because I'm very angry and sad. Plants that have been home to birds for years are going to be covered in bark dust or torn out.

The laundry facilities are disgusting. They just raised the prices of each laundry load and when I asked management if the price increase would mean that the washers and driers would be improved, I was told that it was the laundry company's price hike. When I called the laundry company, they said that no, it was Home Forward that made the price hike, and that it was Home Forward that was responsible for keeping the laundry areas and machines clean. When I confronted management about this lie, they said, "oops, new manager, we didn't know that maintenance was supposed to keep the machines clean." Management also told me that it was MY responsibility as the tenant to notify the laundry company when machines weren't performing. I said, "Don't you think that as the company that hires that company it should be on you to make sure they're doing what they're supposed to?" I just got a curt, "No."

Previous management companies had a 24 hour security company that we could call if, say, the neighbors below you were hot-boxing your apartment with smoke. Which has happened more times than I can count. You would report to the manager via email, but they couldn't do anything without 3rd party confirmation. Home Forward axed the security company, but still kept all the signs up. When I finally got sick of having my apartment filled with smoke, I called the security company and they said, "Ha, no, that contract ended years ago." When I contacted management, they said to just call the cops because they were still in negotiations with a new security company. I don't think that's happened, and that was over a year ago.

Home Forward Executives, per the Willamette Week, got a huge salary increase in the last year. Meanwhile, their staff is threadbare, facilities are disgusting and overpriced, and now they want to take away the small joy residents have by making this hovel somewhat hospitable with flowers.

Portland deserves to know what their taxes are going to. Home Forward is not doing anything for the city. I have possibly over a thousand emails detailing the same issues that have been ignored or placated.

I've contacted KOIN, WW & KGW. I'm out of steam after spending my day trying to find homes for my plants and planters and navigating the cherry-picking rule changing of the current manager. The people living here deserve better. It's no surprise some of them don't give a shit when they feel like no one in charge gives one either.

Again, not at my most eloquent right now, but I have receipts galore. It would be really awesome if this got any news at all. If anyone wants to come record people's stuff being stolen and thrown in the trash, let me know.

Title: Pattern of unexplained ledger charges at a Section 8/LIHTC senior/PSH building — Tukwila Springs, Gladstone OR (Home Forward

I live in a 48-unit supportive housing building for low-income seniors in Gladstone, OR, originally managed by Home Forward and taken over by ...Services in mid-2025. Posting because what's happened to me isn't isolated — it's happening to multiple residents in the same building.

Several of us have the same story: a large "beginning balance" of unexplained charges (mine is $3,693) appeared on our tenant ledgers at the exact same time.

We've been contacting Legal Aid, BOLI, and other advocates, but wanted to put this on record publicly too. If anyone has dealt with something similar with Home forward or HACC (Housing Authority of Clackamas County), I'd like to hear about it.

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