Essay
The Affordable Housing Hiding in Plain Sight
Smaller, older homes are plentiful in many parts of the US. But the financing system that helps people buy or refurbish these fixer-uppers has broken down.
A residential street in Granite City, Illinois.
Photographer: Whitney Curtis/BloombergAsk most people how to fix the housing affordability crisis and they’ll tell you: Build more homes. They’re right, but they’re missing half the story.
Millions of affordable homes already exist — 22 million, to be exact.