"Housing became the front line defense against the coronavirus," says Jennifer Litwak, executive director at Housing on Merit. Stay at home measures highlighted the importance of safe and affordable housing nationally, but as Litwak says, that isn't available to everyone.

"Across the Nation we were legislated to stay home," Litwak tells GlobeSt.com. "This is based on the assumption that one's home provides protection against contracting and spreading the virus. This is not always the case. Approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide live in homelessness, informal settlements and grossly inadequate housing, often in overcrowded conditions, lacking access to water and sanitation – making them particularly vulnerable to contracting the virus, as they are often suffering from multiple health issues. " She plans to speak on the topic of affordable housing at the GlobeSt.com Apartments conference October 26 and 27.

As a result of stay and home measures, affordable housing investment has increased through the pandemic—but there has also been increased support for affordable housing. "On August 18 Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden announced sweeping housing legislation that includes enhancements to the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) and the introduction of the middle-income housing tax credit (MIHTC) and neighborhood homes tax credit (NHTC)," says Litwak. "The Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for All (DASH) Act, which was formally introduced in September—would provide an expansion of 9% LIHTC annual allocation, provide a 50% basis boost for properties for extremely low-income renters; reduce for four years the 50% financed-by test for tax-exempt-bond-financed properties, provide a potential 30% difficult development area basis boost for rural and Native American properties and more."