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Affordability

All articles tagged with #affordability

Trump Administration Promises Broad Push to Rebuild Homeownership and Lower Costs
politics18 hours ago

Trump Administration Promises Broad Push to Rebuild Homeownership and Lower Costs

The White House asserts its government-wide housing plan is lowering costs and expanding access to homeownership, noting mortgage rates have fallen to multi-year lows, affordability indices and buyer activity are improving, rents are down, and refinancings are surging. It highlights actions such as directing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities to reduce borrowing costs, curbing large institutional purchases of single-family homes, restricting taxpayer-backed mortgages to U.S. citizens, and scrapping the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule to streamline local housing decisions. The administration says these measures will strengthen the housing market for American families and advance the dream of homeownership.

via The White House (.gov)|
#affordability#homeownership#housing-policy
politics22 hours ago

Trump’s State of the Union frames affordability as key issue while Spanberger offers Democratic counter

Live updates depict a high-stakes night: Trump delivers a lengthy State of the Union focused on affordability, border security, and tech-energy cost pledges, while Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger offers the Democratic rebuttal centered on rising living costs. The coverage notes a record-long speech, mixed reactions from allies and opponents, moments of protest from Omar and Tlaib, disruptions around security and immigration, and other presidential-night theatrics (including a designated survivor and a high-profile guest list) shaping the midterm narrative after the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling.

via Politico|
#affordability#immigration#politics
Affordability Remains Americans' Top Worry: Food, Housing, Health Care
economy1 day ago

Affordability Remains Americans' Top Worry: Food, Housing, Health Care

Despite a resilient economy and cooling inflation, CBS News reports Americans’ top economic concern remains affordability, driven by rising food costs, a tight housing market and higher health-care premiums. Pew data place food, housing and health care at the forefront of worries ahead of President Trump’s State of the Union. While the administration touts measures like housing-market reforms and drug-price initiatives, economists caution that a lasting relief requires addressing a persistent housing shortage and ongoing health-insurance costs, with staples such as ground beef and coffee up significantly and 2026 health insurance premiums rising about 6–7%.

via CBS News|
#affordability#consumer-confidence#economy
APWU Boss Pushes Affordable, Expanded USPS Amid Losses
government8 days ago

APWU Boss Pushes Affordable, Expanded USPS Amid Losses

USPS opened fiscal 2026 with a $1.25 billion first-quarter loss, but first-class mail delivery improved to 87.3% on time. APWU President Jonathan Smith argues USPS must be affordable and offer broader services (e.g., postal banking, EV charging, copies) to win back customers, while opposing privatization and pushing for prudent staffing and service improvements amid ongoing reform discussions and AI concerns.

via Federal News Network|
#affordability#apwu#delivering-for-america
US housing remains stuck as inflation proves stubborn
us-economy8 days ago

US housing remains stuck as inflation proves stubborn

The FT Unhedged column argues that the US housing market is still the economy’s weak spot: existing home sales dropped 8.4% in January as affordability remains the dominant hurdle, with price gains of roughly 20% during the pandemic not fully offset by wages and ongoing high mortgage costs. Policy ideas like limiting institutional investors or boosting mortgage-backed securities are viewed as unlikely to meaningfully move prices. Meanwhile, inflation remains persistent rather than decelerating, implying few near-term rate cuts and continued policy caution.

via Financial Times|
#affordability#housing-market#inflation
politics8 days ago

Gridlock sinks Obamacare subsidies extension amid Hyde dispute

Lawmakers spent months trying to extend the pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies but failed to reach a deal, with key impasses over the Hyde Amendment abortion policy, fraud concerns, and overall cost. The stalemate occurred against a backdrop of a looming government funding deadline and a protracted shutdown, leaving millions facing higher ACA premiums in 2026 and shaping the midterm political narrative as Democrats argue for relief and Republicans point to structural health‑care costs and fraud fixes.

via Politico|
#affordability#congress#hyde-amendment
White House weighs making data centers shoulder grid and water costs
politics10 days ago

White House weighs making data centers shoulder grid and water costs

White House adviser Peter Navarro signaled the administration may force data-center builders to internalize their utility costs—electricity, water and grid resiliency—citing higher bills and a strained grid, though Meta says it already covers its energy usage; the move appears aimed at easing consumer costs amid affordability concerns ahead of the 2026 midterms.

via CNBC|
#affordability#data-centers#electricity-prices
Sabre-style flatware for less: IKEA's DOFTSKÖLD hits a budget-friendly note
home11 days ago

Sabre-style flatware for less: IKEA's DOFTSKÖLD hits a budget-friendly note

A Tom’s Guide comparison notes Sabre’s premium 20-piece flatware is $479, while IKEA’s DOFTSKÖLD 20-piece set is $39; IKEA’s riveted cream handles evoke Sabre’s French-inspired design at a fraction of the price, with Sabre offering a more angular, high-end feel. The piece ends by inviting readers to vote on which they’d buy: Sabre or IKEA.

via Tom's Guide|
#affordability#flatware#home
America at 250: The American Dream Fades as Younger Generations Fall Behind
commentary17 days ago

America at 250: The American Dream Fades as Younger Generations Fall Behind

As the United States turns 250, experts argue the American Dream is slipping from reach: median wages have stagnated since the 1970s, costs for housing, health care, and education have surged, and younger generations are expected to earn less than their parents on average. Upward mobility has slowed, and satisfaction with personal freedom has declined, suggesting the dream is losing its hold and may need a renewed public commitment to keep it alive for future generations.

via Fortune|
#affordability#american-dream#commentary
Supply Alone Won’t Solve America’s Housing Affordability Crisis
economy17 days ago

Supply Alone Won’t Solve America’s Housing Affordability Crisis

Trump’s housing approach is unlikely to fix the affordability crisis. The piece argues prices rise with incomes—especially among college-educated workers—so simply deregulating or freeing up zoning won’t rapidly bring rents and home prices down. Studies suggest adding housing stock could gradually ease prices, but at slow speeds (often decades in major cities), and even then would also raise land and construction costs. Rent control and other fixes have mixed outcomes, so broad, effective reform is more complex than cutting regulation alone.

via The Guardian|
#affordability#economy#housing
Brooklyn Florist Navigates NYC Costs on $23,000 a Year
economy18 days ago

Brooklyn Florist Navigates NYC Costs on $23,000 a Year

Molly Culver, owner of Molly Oliver Flowers in Brooklyn, keeps her floral business afloat by reinvesting earnings and drawing a tight salary of about $23,000 while dipping into savings. She lives in a $600-per-month room in Ditmas Park with roommates, spends part of the year in her mother’s Connecticut home to save on rent, drives a used Prius, and groceries around $100 a week. She recently opened a new floral studio with a $2,800 monthly rent share and aspires to make $75,000 a year, illustrating how New Yorkers balance passion and cost in one of the world’s most expensive cities.

via The New York Times|
#affordability#ditmas-park#economy
U.S. auto market bifurcates as affluents buy pricier new cars while lower-income buyers pull back
business26 days ago

U.S. auto market bifurcates as affluents buy pricier new cars while lower-income buyers pull back

Affluent buyers are taking over new-car purchases at higher prices while lower-income shoppers retreat, signaling a K-shaped economy: the share of buyers earning under $100k dropped from 50% in 2020 to 37% in 2025, and those earning over $200k rose from 18% to 29%. With average MSRP around $51k in 2025, higher insurance costs and inflation, automakers have cut entry-level models and rely on wealthier buyers. About a third of Americans can’t afford new cars (roughly 110 affordable models for incomes ≤$65k vs 250 for ≤$105k), and average monthly payments rose to over $1,000 for 20% of buyers in Q4. Overall new-car sales cooled to 16.3 million in 2025 from over 17 million pre-2020, raising concerns that affordability constraints could shrink the market in the coming years.

via CNBC|
#affordability#auto-sales#business
CNN fact-check: Inflation isn’t solved and affordability remains on the agenda
politics28 days ago

CNN fact-check: Inflation isn’t solved and affordability remains on the agenda

CNN debunks Trump’s claim that inflation is over and Democrats have stopped talking about affordability, noting that prices are still rising (December 2025 CPI up 0.3% from November and 2.7% from December 2024), overall prices up about 2.2% since January 2025, groceries up 0.7% in the latest month, and Iowa gas not at the claimed $1.95. Democrats continue to emphasize affordability in policy remarks and actions.

via CNN|
#affordability#cnn#fact-check