Articles and analysis on today's issues
The rise of buy now, pay later products, which often aren’t reported to credit bureaus, could affect borrowers’ ability to buy a home and sustain homeownership.
Amid Our “Land of Abundance,” Why Is There So Much Poverty? Even as one of the richest countries in the world, the United States still has more than 10 percent of its population living in poverty, a failure which sociologist Matthew Desmond explains is by design.Why Are Mobile Home Parks Uniquely At Risk to Climate Disasters? In the wake of environmental disasters, mobile home parks are often among the hardest-hit neighborhoods, but local leaders can take steps now to better protect residents and park owners.Three Ways Social Security Could Become More Equitable and Sustainable Helping people access benefits, addressing systemic disadvantages, and updating benefits and program administration could strengthen Social Security for current and future beneficiaries.Housing and Human Services Programs Aren’t Meeting Rural Renters’ Needs Breaking down housing and service provision barriers can help stabilize rural families and ensure they aren’t left behind.Federal Support Could Help Reconnect Communities Divided by Highways—But More Funding Is Needed Outsize demand for federal funding of highway redesign or removal projects offers an opportunity for policymakers to reconnect communities, predominately inhabited by people of color and households with low incomes, disrupted by previous projects.Community Partnerships and Evaluations Are Key to Successful Federal Race and Ethnicity Data Collection Efforts Engaging with communities historically obscured by federal race and ethnicity data can ensure new data collection standards capture a more inclusive, accurate picture of diverse racial identities.