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• Occupied Owner: Our Lot, by Alyssa Katz

  For decades, the United States government, pushed by its business partners in the financial and real estate world, “marched the nation into a delusion.” The fantasy is that we can create wealth for millions of homeowners by enriching investors, brokerage and mortgage companies and Wall Street bankers “to the fullest extent possible with few boundaries.”

• Ron Sims: Retiring from HUD, Not from Public Service

  Shelterforce caught up with the HUD deputy secretary on the precipice of retirement, nearly two-and-a-half years after joining the agency. Sims brought to HUD not only his political savvy, but also an unshakable commitment to equity and sustainability. In this exit interview, we talk about his accomplishments at HUD, plans for the future, and what he thinks needs to be done in order to stabilize the housing market.

• New Consolidated Plan Better Supports Community Investment Decisions

  Mercedes Márquez, HUD’s assistant secretary for community and planning development, outlines changes to HUD’s Consolidated Plan. These changes are intended to streamline the application process, making it easier to comply with requirements. In addition, the expanded data and new mapping tool will serve as resources in analyzing local need and targeting strategies to address local challenges.