Addressing the Affordable Housing Shortage: Prioritizing U.S. Citizens in Housing Allocation

Addressing the Affordable Housing Shortage:  Prioritizing U.S. Citizens in Housing Allocation The shortage of affordable housing in cities like New York has become one of the most pressing issues in recent years. What was once a manageable problem has become a crisis, with waiting times for senior housing in the city escalating from just one year to seven or even ten years. This significant increase in waiting time is largely due to a shift in policy that allows anyone who meets the age and income qualifications, regardless of citizenship status, to apply for public housing. While this may seem fair on the surface, the reality is that a large influx of immigrants has crowded out many American citizens from accessing these essential resources. A telling example of this situation can be found in the case of senior housing applications in New York City. A decade ago, U.S. citizens applying for senior apartments only had to wait about a year to receive assistance. However, the current ...