摘要：The affordability of housing in the United States is a majorissue for those with incomes too low to accommodate risingrents. In 2015, half of all renters had housing costs thatexceeded 30 percent of family income, meeting the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development’s standardfor “housing-cost burdened.” Further, half of those who werehousing-cost burdened were considered severely burdened,with housing costs exceeding 50 percent of family income.1Low-income families are disproportionately likely to facehousing costs that present such burdens. While there arefederal subsidy programs that are intended to defray housingcosts, these programs are insufficient and inequitable. Wepropose a refundable tax credit for renters that would reacha much broader segment of the population than existingprograms; reflect geographic variation in housing costs; liftsome families out of poverty; and substantially reduce thepoverty gap for other families.
