The United States faces a worsening challenge of housing insecurity, as millions of families and individuals struggle to maintain stable, safe, and affordable housing. From major cities to rural communities, the growing affordable housing crisis has left renters and homeowners alike at risk of eviction, foreclosure, or displacement. Housing insecurity is not simply about personal budgeting, it reflects decades of underinvestment in housing, restrictive policies, and costs rising far faster than wages. To address the problem, we must understand the structural root causes of housing insecurity, examine how it contributes to homelessness, and explore proven policy solutions for housing shortage that can provide stability and opportunity for households across the country.
What Causes Housing Insecurity?
At its core, housing insecurity is the result of a gap between incomes and housing costs. This issue caused the creation of Cherry Willow Apparel, but the problem extends beyond this imbalance. Wages have stagnated, leaving workers unable to keep up with the costs of housing, while construction prices for land, materials, and labor continue to rise. At the same time, new housing supply has not kept pace with population growth, and restrictive zoning laws block multi-family and affordable housing development in many communities. Speculative real estate investment has added further pressure by driving up prices and reducing availability for everyday buyers and renters.
Research from National Alliance to End Homelessness in its article A Shortage of Affordable Housing shows that millions of households are paying more than they can afford, often spending over half their income on rent. The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, in its analysis Housing Markets Are Leaving the Lowest Income Households Behind, reports that nearly half of U.S. renters are cost burdened. This means they devote at least 30 percent of their income to housing, a tipping point that leads to instability. For families already living on the edge, a medical bill or job loss can quickly turn insecurity into homelessness.
How Does Lack of Affordable Housing Impact Housing Insecurity and Homelessness?
The shortage of affordable housing is the strongest driver of both housing insecurity and homelessness. Without sufficient supply, households have no cushion against eviction, foreclosure, or displacement. A sudden loss of income or unexpected expense can push families into housing instability, and in many cases, homelessness. We, at Cherry Willow Apparel see this happening and are committed to solving this increasingly large problem.
The Worst Case Housing Needs 2023 Report to Congress reveals the severity of the shortage, showing that for every 100 very low-income renter households in the country, only 36 affordable and available units exist. Even robust social service programs cannot overcome this imbalance, leaving families with nowhere affordable to turn. As the National Alliance to End Homelessness emphasizes, any serious effort to address homelessness must first expand access to affordable housing and reduce the insecurity that leaves households vulnerable in the first place.
Policy Solutions for Housing Insecurity and Housing Shortage
Solving the crisis of housing insecurity requires bold and layered reforms. Policymakers, advocates, and communities must pursue multiple strategies at once, combining efforts to increase supply, expand subsidies, and regulate practices that distort the market.
Expanding the supply of affordable housing is critical. Programs such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) have played a role, but the scale of the crisis demands more. The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies report The State of the Nation’s Housing 2025 finds that renter households grew by over one million in just two years, while affordable construction fell behind. Reforming zoning rules to allow duplexes, triplexes, and apartment buildings in single-family areas can open up space for development.
Rental assistance also needs to grow. Housing vouchers provide immediate relief, but only a fraction of eligible households currently receive them. Expanding these programs can prevent housing insecurity before it escalates. Policymakers must also confront speculative ownership. Institutional investors buying up single-family homes and large rental complexes drive prices higher and reduce availability. Community land trusts and cooperative ownership models, as described in the Brookings Institution article Harnessing Community-Led Structural Reform in the U.S. Housing Sector, offer alternatives that preserve affordability.
Finally, integrating supportive services into housing is key. Linking affordable homes with healthcare, childcare, and job training strengthens long-term stability. The Brookings Institution piece Despite a National Spike in Homelessness, Some US Regions Are Finding Solutions shows how pairing housing with supportive services creates stronger outcomes and reduces repeat cycles of homelessness. Great examples of this can be found on our Partnerships page which highlight the incredible work non-profits across the country are helping.
Which States Face the Worst Housing Insecurity?
While housing insecurity affects households nationwide, some states face particularly severe shortages. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition in its report The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, states like California, Nevada, Oregon, Florida, Arizona, and Colorado provide fewer than 25 affordable and available units for every 100 extremely low-income renters. This means the majority of families in need in these states cannot find stable and affordable housing, increasing both insecurity and homelessness.
These shortages demonstrate why national policies must be complemented by state-level reforms. California has begun streamlining housing approvals to accelerate construction, while states such as Oregon have reformed zoning to encourage multi-family housing. Florida, however, faces rapid population growth without matching construction. The state-by-state variation underscores the importance of regional solutions within the broader federal framework.
Is Rent Control Effective in Addressing Housing Insecurity?
Rent control remains one of the most debated approaches in tackling housing insecurity. Supporters say it protects tenants from sudden rent hikes, offering stability that prevents displacement and homelessness. Critics argue that without policies to boost overall supply, rent control can discourage new development and reduce the number of rental units over time.
The evidence remains mixed. A well-known study by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research on San Francisco’s rent control policies found that while existing tenants benefited from stability, overall rental housing supply declined as landlords converted units into condos or other uses. Many experts now advocate for balanced solutions: rent control can be an effective protection against insecurity if paired with aggressive efforts to expand housing construction. Without supply growth, however, rent caps alone may not solve the broader problem.
Addressing Public Perception of Housing Insecurity
Public perception is a crucial factor in advancing policy change. If people believe that homelessness results primarily from addiction or individual choices, they may not support systemic solutions. Yet surveys from the Pew Research Center reveal that most Americans recognize rising housing costs as a central driver of both housing insecurity and homelessness. This shift in public awareness helps build support for large-scale housing policies and investments.
Advocates suggest reframing housing as infrastructure. Just as roads, schools, and hospitals are recognized as essential public investments, affordable housing must be viewed as a foundation for health, economic stability, and community well-being. This reframing builds bipartisan support and aligns housing policy with broader goals of economic growth and equity. This is the position of Cherry Willow Apparels Mission, a compassion first standpoint where affordable housing is a human right, not a priviledge.
FAQs
What causes housing insecurity?
Housing insecurity is driven by stagnant wages, rising rents, restrictive zoning, limited construction, and speculative ownership. Reports from National Alliance to End Homelessness and Harvard JCHS confirm that nearly half of renters are cost burdened.
How does lack of affordable housing impact homelessness?
Without enough affordable housing, households live one step away from eviction. The Worst Case Housing Needs 2023 Report to Congress found that only 36 affordable units exist for every 100 very low-income renters.
What policies reduce housing insecurity?
Expanding housing supply, reforming zoning, scaling rental assistance, addressing speculation, and integrating services all help. The Brookings Institution highlights in Despite a National Spike in Homelessness, Some US Regions Are Finding Solutions that aligning housing and homelessness policies is critical.
Which states have the worst housing shortages?
According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition in The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, California, Nevada, Oregon, Florida, Arizona, and Colorado have some of the deepest shortages, with fewer than 25 units per 100 extremely low-income renters.
Is rent control effective in preventing homelessness?
Rent control can reduce displacement in the short term but may reduce long-term supply. The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research found that protections must be paired with expanded housing construction for effectiveness.
Final Thoughts
The crisis of housing insecurity is one of the most pressing social and economic issues of our time. Decades of restrictive zoning, limited construction, stagnant wages, and speculative ownership have created shortages that threaten communities nationwide. Without decisive action, housing insecurity will continue to grow, pushing families into poverty and increasing homelessness.
Yet there are proven policy solutions for housing shortage. Expanding supply, reforming zoning, scaling rental assistance, and investing in supportive services are achievable strategies that can reduce insecurity and stabilize communities. Rent control can complement these efforts if balanced with policies to grow supply. As public understanding shifts toward recognizing housing as essential infrastructure, there is growing momentum for meaningful change. By addressing the root causes, policymakers, advocates, and communities can ensure that safe, affordable, and stable housing is a reality for everyone.
.jpg)