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Wooden houses with yellow arrows up. housing boom, property market growing, high demand for real estate, house prices rising

Why Rents Are Still Higher in Much of the U.S. Than Before the Pandemic

June 10, 2024

Why Rents Are Still Higher in Much of the U.S. Than Before the Pandemic

Ask students: Where is there historic levels of homelessness? How many renters pay more than a third of their income towards rent?

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Rents today are well above what they were before the pandemic. According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans’ second-highest personal finance concern this election year is the cost of housing, behind only inflation. John Yang speaks with Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, about what’s keeping rents high.

View the transcript of the story.

Remote video URL

Discussion Questions

  1. What does Diane Yentel recommend to solve rent shortage problems?
  2. Where is there historic levels of homelessness?
  3. How many renters pay more than a third of their income towards rent?
  4. Who are among the worst actors as landlords, according to this story?
  5. Why are housing prices such a critical concern for voters?

Focus Questions

Do you think the federal government should act or intervene in some way to address the cost of housing in the U.S.? If so, how should the government address the problem? If not, why do you think federal intervention is not a good idea?

Media literacy: Would you rather hear from economists or the people who are having trouble paying for housing?

Extension Activity

Learn more about the rent crisis and discuss: What do you think is the best way to address this housing crisis?

Remote video URL

Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.

PBS NewsHour Classroom
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of NewsHour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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