A decent home and suitable living environment for every American family has been the goal of national housing policy for over 50 years. It is also what American families want. According to a recent Zogby poll, 90% of Americans say a decent affordable place to live is a high priority; more than 30% say it is their highest family priority.

However, a family’s ability to obtain and maintain a decent place to live is becoming increasingly difficult. Rising mortgage foreclosures threaten the housing stability of millions of families and the integrity of neighborhoods all over this country. The cost of rental housing is out of reach for most low income families, forcing them to choose between paying the rent and other basic necessities like food, heat, and health care.

According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, one in seven U.S. households pays more than 50% of their income for housing. For the lowest income families, affordable housing is simply unavailable. The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates that nationwide there is an absolute shortage of 2.8 million rental units affordable to the people with the lowest incomes. Under conditions of such scarcity, it is easy to understand the continued growth of homelessness in the U.S.

Housing2008.org is a non-partisan forum for discussing housing issues in the 2008 Presidential election debate. Clicking a candidate’s name will provide information about that candidate’s views on housing issues. The “Campaign News” link will keep you informed about recent news on the candidates and their positions on housing issues.

We want to hear from you about what you are hearing about housing from candidates on the campaign trail. Please share your experiences with housing issues in the 2008 campaign by contacting Housing2008.org at info@housing2008.org.