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Articles by Owen Minott
Is it Time for Congress to Reconsider the Mortgage Interest Deduction?
Explainer Economy Housing By Emma Waters , Owen Minott , Andrew Lautz Nov 02, 2023 The Brief The mortgage interest deduction (MID) continues to be one of the most expensive federal tax expenditures, with its cost expected to increase sharply in fiscal year 2026 when key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expire.
Opinion: tools for landlords to help low-income tenants
The federal Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is a powerful tool to help low-income families find apartments they can afford, but the program isn’t reaching its potential because far too few landlords participate in it.
Federal Home Loan Banks should do more than the minimum for affordable housing
Recent news stories have highlighted the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of San Francisco’s decision to provide billions of dollars in loans to Silicon Valley Bank and Silvergate Bank in the weeks leading up to their failures. While many Americans are familiar with mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, far fewer know about the 11 regional FHLBs, a group of government-chartered institutions with a relatively low profile.
What Does the Inflation Reduction Act Mean for Housing?
In August, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)—a package including energy, health care, and tax provisions—through the budget reconciliation process without Republican support. The legislation is a scaled back version of the previously proposed Build Back Better Act, which included $150 billion in housing-related spending—none of which made it into the IRA.
Chief Resilience Offices Could Enhance Climate Preparedness
As climate hazards—including floods, storms, wildfires, and rising sea levels—become increasingly catastrophic, building up resilience is critical to protect the health, safety, housing, and economic vitality of communities across the nation.
Findings from BPC’s Survey of HUD CDBG-DR Grantees
BPC developed a survey, in partnership with the Council of State Community Development Agencies, to inform the work of our Disaster Response Reform Task Force and better understand how HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program can better support communities as they recover from devastating and deadly disasters.
A Status Update on EV Charging Infrastructure Investments in the IIJA
Texas: The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)—one of the largest program grant recipients, receiving $407.8 million from 2022 to 2026—shared a draft proposal to the public for comments. The proposal was informed by meetings with 140 stakeholder organizations including companies, utilities, and advocacy groups, as well as public outreach across multiple online platforms that drew thousands of views and hundreds of comments and suggestions.
Ten Experts Answer FAQs on Rent Regulation
Fast-rising housing costs have prompted renewed interest in rent regulation—the main objective of which is most often to protect renters from sharp rent increases. Several state and local governments have advanced rent regulations in recent years, providing an opportunity to evaluate their impact.
Two Major Transportation Agencies Try Out Their First P3s
Last year’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized $550 billion in new infrastructure spending, the bulk of it directed towards transportation, providing an opportunity for transportation agencies across the nation to enhance service. To maximize the impact of new resources, agencies will have to make strategic, cost-effective investments—which will mean working with the private sector for some projects.
Does FEMA Need More Help from HUD in Disaster Housing Assistance? An Overview of DHAP
FEMA’s recent post-disaster housing efforts have not adequately helped families secure stable housing FEMA’s IHP program has not proven to facilitate long-term housing stability on its own. After all, DHAP was first established as a pilot when Hurricane Katrina overwhelmed FEMA’s assistance programs—even though DHAP-Katrina did not launch until two years after the hurricane, FEMA referred over 45,000 households into the program.
The Future of Community Development Block Grants | Bipartisan Policy Center
The (CDBG) program, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides flexible funding to states and localities to support a wide range of community development related needs.
Ten Actions Cities Can Take to Improve Housing Affordability
Housing unaffordability, rooted in an acute shortage of homes both for rent and sale, is a severe problem across the nation, affecting red states and blue states, small cities and major metropolitan areas alike. Fortunately, city governments have a great deal of influence over housing costs, with many policy levers at their disposal to increase the supply of homes and improve housing affordability.
BPC/Morning Consult Poll on Housing Vouchers
Blog Post Housing By Owen Minott May 12, 2023 Key Takeaways The burden of high housing and related costs has remained persistent over the past two years. Over the past three months, 15% of respondents fell behind on rent or mortgage payments, compared to 13% in 2022 and 17% in 2021. 21% reported falling behind on utilities, compared to 20% in 2022 and 22% in 2021.
State Plans for Funding EV Charging - a Closer Look | Bipartisan Policy Center
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) authorized more than $7.5 billion in grants for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, including $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program. The NEVI grant provides states formula funding to support the installation of publicly accessible chargers, with the aim of building out a network of corridors with consistent highway access to EV charging.
A Snapshot of Housing Supply and Affordability Challenges in Boston
About the Roundtable On March 23, 2023, BPC’s J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy hosted a roundtable discussion in Boston in partnership with Children’s HealthWatch, Boston Medical Center, and the Boston University School of Public Health. The purpose of the roundtable was to better understand and identify local challenges and opportunities for increasing the supply of affordable homes in Greater Boston, the region including the city of Boston and nearby cities and towns.
Key Takeaways from Housing Supply Trends
The United States faces an acute shortage of homes both for rent and sale, resulting in increasingly unaffordable housing costs for families across the nation. The current undersupply is largely a result of the failure to build enough new homes over the past couple of decades. To provide more insight into our nation’s housing supply, BPC produced a housing supply data dashboard, using permitting and other housing data collected and analyzed by Rosen Consulting Group.
FEMA Takes Key Steps to Improve Disaster Assistance
Blog Post Infrastructure By Owen Minott Feb 05, 2024 In the aftermath of a major natural disaster, survivors may need assistance from FEMA, among other federal agencies, to secure housing and rebuild. However, onerous requirements and complicated application processes often make it harder for survivors to access that assistance.
The LIHTC and NHTC: Two Important Tools to Increase Housing Supply
See a map showing the number of LIHTC units by state. 2. The LIHTC generates jobs and economic activity 3. The LIHTC revitalizes low-income communities Encouraging private investment in entry-level housing in distressed communities Unfortunately, no similar tax credit exists for affordable owner-occupied housing—the LIHTC’s myriad benefits are glaringly absent from the owner-occupied market, since LIHTC financing only applies to rental units.
Eight Airport Public-Private Partnerships Taking Off in the U.S.
Blog Post Infrastructure By Yvonne Phan , Owen Minott Oct 13, 2023 After a pandemic slump, airline travel has returned stronger than ever, with TSA measuring the highest single day volume of passengers in U.S. history this summer. Air travel is only expected to increase: according to an FAA report, annual domestic boardings are expected to rise from 800 million in 2023 to nearly 1.4 billion over the next 20 years.
A New Federal Program is Optimizing Infrastructure Project Delivery
Blog Post Infrastructure By Rebecca Orbach , Owen Minott Apr 18, 2024 The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) authorized new technical assistance and pilot programs intended to help state, local, tribal, and territorial governments (SLTTs) build capacity and deliver infrastructure projects more efficiently and effectively. One such program, aimed specifically at supporting innovative project delivery and financing options, is now getting started over two years after the BIL was enacted.
Simplifying Disaster Assistance for Survivors
In 2023, there were a record-setting 28 billion-dollar natural disasters in the U.S., totaling $93 billion in damages. As the costs of weather and climate events increase, so too does reliance on federal programs to direct assistance to survivors and communities in need. However, accessing this assistance is a challenge for both individuals and public officials because the system for delivering federal aid is complex.
Breaking Down CDBG-DR Spending
Blog Post Infrastructure By Stephanie Espinoza , Owen Minott Nov 28, 2023 HUD’s Community Development Block Grant, Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program supports long-term recovery efforts for disaster-impacted areas. Since its first use in 1993, the CDBG-DR program has awarded about $100 billion in long-term disaster recovery funding across the country. What States Have Received CDBG-DR Funding?
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law One Year Later | Bipartisan Policy Center
Blog Post Infrastructure By Sarah Kline , Owen Minott Nov 21, 2022 Last week marked the one-year anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (officially the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act). The BIL was not only a historic federal commitment to improving the nation’s infrastructure, but it also represents a major bipartisan achievement.
Which States Have the Most Homes at Risk of Flooding and Wildfires?
Since 1990, natural disasters in the U.S. have resulted in trillions of dollars in damages, including hundreds of billions due to wildfires and flooding. These disasters are not distributed evenly—certain regions are particularly vulnerable to climate hazards in the coming years. As a continuation of BPC’s recent state-by-state analysis of America’s housing stock, this blog highlights which states have the most housing units at risk of floods and wildfires.
Reducing Minimum Lot Sizes in Houston, Texas
Blog Post Housing By Owen Minott Sep 21, 2023 Share Read Next Increasing Residential Density Across Montana Housing Credit Takeaways from the Proposed Bipartisan Tax Deal Choice and Progress: MTW Public Housing Authorities Expand Housing Options for Families Background Houston is the only major American city without zoning, meaning it does not comprehensively separate communities by use type, nor does it directly regulate density.
Eliminating Single-Family Zoning and Parking Minimums in Oregon
Blog Post Housing By Owen Minott , Julia Selby Sep 26, 2023 Share Read Next Outdated inspections are eroding the Housing Choice Voucher program Exploring the Affordable Housing Shortage’s Impact on American Workers, Jobs, & The Economy Takeaways from BPC’s Mayors and Experts Forum on Ending Homelessness Background From 2010 to 2020, Oregon’s population increased by more than 400,000 people, but its housing supply only increased by about 150,000 units.
Five Months After the Fire: Five Takeaways from Maui’s Recovery | Bipartisan Policy Center
Blog Post Infrastructure By Owen Minott Jan 18, 2024 Five months after the devastating Maui wildfires, disaster response efforts are still working to address the urgent needs of survivors. The island has a long road ahead before it fully recovers, with significant housing, infrastructure, and economic challenges. This blog outlines five key takeaways federal policymakers should know about Maui’s recovery efforts.
5 FAQs About Rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge
Blog Post Infrastructure By Rebecca Orbach , Owen Minott Apr 24, 2024 On March 26, 2024, a portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland collapsed after a large container ship, the Dali, crashed into one of its support piers. The 1.6-mile-long bridge was built in 1977 as an additional crossing of Baltimore’s harbor to alleviate congestion on the two existing tunnel crossings. Although much remains uncertain, this blog answers basic questions about the rebuilding of the Key Bridge.
A Review of Pending Bipartisan Disaster Bills
Blog Post Infrastructure By Owen Minott Nov 14, 2022 As the end of the 117th Congress nears, dozens of bills remain stalled—including more than 15 with bipartisan support—that represent various attempts to reform FEMA-, HUD-, and SBA-administered disaster recovery programs. While some of these bills include meaningful and potentially impactful program improvements, they are generally narrow in scope and being advanced independent of one another—not as a coherent, comprehensive reform effort.
Expanding Affordable Housing Opportunities: Zoning and Land Use Case Studies
Key Lessons Learned Zoning reform is only one part of the equation. Zoning and land use reform is an essential prerequisite for increasing development, since building more housing is subject to significant legal restrictions in many communities. However, simply improving zoning and land use practices for new construction is often insufficient.
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