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Economy

When Housing Assistance Fails

An NPR and PBS investigation puts two housing assistance programs under the microscope—and finds fraud, discrimination, and wasted taxpayer dollars.
Farryn Giles, a Section 8 recipient, with her son in a still from the FRONTLINE and NPR documentary investigating two key housing assistance programs.
Farryn Giles, a Section 8 recipient, with her son in a still from the FRONTLINE and NPR documentary investigating two key housing assistance programs. FRONTLINE
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The federal government spends billions of dollars to help low-income Americans afford decent homes—and still, the rental housing crisis is worse than ever. Nearly every U.S. county has a deficit. Even where affordable units exist, they’re not really affordable. Cities, therefore, have become hot spots for evictions. And the average length of stay in subsidized housing is increasing.

So, what’s going on?