Marvin Cox, community outreach director with the Metropolitan Action Commission on June 25, in Nashville. As temperatures reached into the upper 90s, the Metro Action Commission was offering free window AC units to seniors, families with young children and people with medical conditions. Mark Humphrey/AP hide caption
A homeless family with a two-year-old child on Towne Avenue in Los Angeles' Skid Row in April 2024. A new study tracks how housing insecurity affects children's health over time. Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images hide caption
Home prices hit a record high in May even as home sales fell. High interest rates are keeping many would-be buyers and sellers on the sidelines. Brandon Bell/Getty Images North America hide caption
Joy Diaz says her family's trajectory was changed after a gift. Joy Diaz hide caption
Karen McDonough sits inside her home in Quincy, Massachusetts. Vanessa Leroy for NPR hide caption
A sold sign stands outside a home in Wyndmoor, Pa., on June 22, 2022. Two recent studies suggest that prospective homeowners will have to earn more than $100,000 annually to afford a typical home in much of the U.S. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption
A man named Frank sits in his tent with a river view in Portland, Ore., in 2021. A lawsuit originally filed in 2018 on behalf of homeless people in the Oregon city of Grants Pass is set to go before the U.S. Supreme Court in April. Paula Bronstein/AP hide caption
A view of the Kingfield neighborhood from the roof of the Sundial Building, a new 12-unit apartment building in Minneapolis. Tim Evans for NPR hide caption
What is the fate of all this empty space? Thomas Barwick hide caption
A new Harvard University report finds that housing was unaffordable for a record half of renters in 2022. And a softening rental market might not help those who struggle most. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption
A home for sale sign on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Kennesaw, Ga. On Friday, the National Association of Realtors reported that 2023 saw the smallest number of home sales in nearly 30 years. Mike Stewart/AP hide caption
An empty lot where a house once stood in Houston. The former residents moved because of flood damage. A new study suggests that people are moving away from the most flood-prone neighborhoods in cities that are otherwise growing in population. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption
Dan Valdez, housing acquisitions manager for the nonprofit Brilliant Corners, checks out a recently leased property near downtown Los Angeles. Grace Widyatmadja/NPR hide caption
Ben Norris, 65, used to live on the streets. Now he's taking part in a pilot project in Oregon that uses Medicaid funds to pay for housing and rent for people who are homeless or in danger of becoming so. Celeste Noche for NPR hide caption
Ziare Gearring (left) and his grandfather Ricky Brown pose for a portrait outside of their home in Los Angeles. The 65-year-old retired handyman had already been struggling, and taking in three grandsons after his ex-wife's sudden death has put him thousands of dollars behind on rent and utilities. Grace Widyatmadja/NPR hide caption
Rich Snyder, who retired as the fire marshal of Sierra Madre, Calif., now works for Allied Disaster Defense, a California company that hardens homes against wildfire. One strategy is covering air vents with ember-blocking mesh. Liz Baker/NPR hide caption
Millions of Americans receive little or no information about flood risk before they buy a house or sign a lease, leading families to put their safety, belongings and financial security in harm's way. New rules in four states aim to address the problem. Ryan Kellman/NPR hide caption
A maintenance worker sweeps the street in front of a row of new homes in Fairfax, Va., on Aug. 22. Sales of new homes are taking off as current homeowners are reluctant to sell their houses, because they would face a higher mortgage for their next one. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
1313 L St. in Washington, D.C., was formerly an office building. By the end of this year, it will be home to newly finished apartments. Richard Morrison, Erin Kenney/NPR hide caption
A child rides a scooter past an open house in Los Angeles. Allison Dinner/Getty Images hide caption
Dueling signs dot Virginia's Arlington County as residents debate the zoning reform proposal. This photo first appeared in DCist. Click here to read that story. Margaret Barthel / WAMU/ DCist hide caption