State Databases Target Affordable Housing

To help low-income renters find affordable housing, states like Rhode Island are launching their own housing search websites targeted specifically to income-restricted households.

As Molly Bolan explains in Route Fifty, the Rhode Island project was created by the state’s housing authority. “In addition to seeing market-rate listings, HousingSearchRI users can look specifically for units that are restricted to households earning less than $57,350, or 80% of the state’s median income, which in Rhode Island is about $74,200 for a single person. The new site includes a rent calculator to help people find units that cost no more than 30% of their household’s income, a threshold that is often used to define affordable housing.”

The site also makes the process easier by linking directly to applications and providing specific information about amenities for seniors, people with disabilities, and other groups. “Emphasys Software, the vendor behind Rhode Island’s site, has created “housing locators” in more than two dozen states, some of which focus on specific counties or municipalities rather than the full state.”