Think you have a housing problem? Why Philly says it doesn't

Does your city have an affordable housing shortage? Many cities think they have one, but one Philadelphia councilman says if you’re focused on housing, you’re focusing on the wrong problem.

He says a housing problem is really a jobs problem. If you could raise the standard of living through better jobs, homes, he says, would be affordable.

Of course, that may be an over-simplification. A city can’t survive with tech workers alone. But he does have a point that’s worth exploring. There are two sides to the affordable housing equation, and the jobs side often has untapped potential.

Philadelphia was one of the five inaugural winners of our Smart Cities Council Readiness Challenge Grants. Act now to apply for one of our 2018 grants. — Kevin Ebi

If your city had a shortage of affordable housing in 2010, it’s probably in an affordable housing crisis today, according to a new analysis by mortgage lender Freddie Mac.

The report finds that the number of apartments within reach of very low income people has dropped by 60% over that period of time. In some states — North Carolina, Washington, Florida, Georgia and California, in particular — it found almost no units they could afford.

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