This week's rental housing news

• September 9, 2021. Bloomberg. Rents Rise in All Big U.S. Cities for First Time Since Covid Hit. "Apartment rents were up in August from a year earlier in all the top 30 U.S. metro areas, the first time that’s happened since the start of the pandemic, according to a new report by Yardi.The national average rent in multi-family buildings rose 10.3% from a year earlier to $1,539 -- the first double-digit rise in the dataset’s history -- after a $25 increase in August, the real-estate firm said. Over the past 10 years, the average pace of growth has been 2%. This year’s surge in housing costs has added a new dimension to the debate over how long pandemic inflation will last, with signs that it’s picking up speed at a time other Covid-driven price spikes -- like the one in used cars -- may be topping out."

• September 7, 2021. WESA. Pittsburgh, The State’s No. 3 City Examines Every Rental Home — Eventually. 'In Allentown, the state’s third-most-populous city, all rental units have been subjected to semi-regular inspections since 2000. Some landlords say Allentown’s inspections are inconsistent, while tenant advocates counter that they’re not frequent enough. But the program survived a court challenge from landlords, and inspectors will soon be armed with computers even as officials weigh more targeted inspections of problem properties."

• September 8, 2021. WaPo. Fannie Mae to include rent payments in mortgage applicants’ credit history review. "A good credit score is an essential part of making the transition from renter to homeowner, but establishing a solid credit report can feel out of reach for some consumers. Many prefer not to use credit cards or loans and therefore have a limited credit report for lenders to review."

• September 9, 2021. Bloomberg. Rents Rise in All Big U.S. Cities for First Time Since Covid Hit. "Apartment rents were up in August from a year earlier in all the top 30 U.S. metro areas, the first time that’s happened since the start of the pandemic, according to a new report by Yardi.The national average rent in multi-family buildings rose 10.3% from a year earlier to $1,539 -- the first double-digit rise in the dataset’s history -- after a $25 increase in August, the real-estate firm said. Over the past 10 years, the average pace of growth has been 2%. This year’s surge in housing costs has added a new dimension to the debate over how long pandemic inflation will last, with signs that it’s picking up speed at a time other Covid-driven price spikes -- like the one in used cars -- may be topping out."

• September 8, 2021. Bloomberg CityLab. Developers Offer Mobility Services to Lure Car-Free Renters. "Residents of Culdesac Tempe, a no-cars-allowed development in Arizona, will receive a bundle of discounted mobility services when the first units open in 2022. With private cars off-limits, residents of the light-rail-adjacent housing complex Culdesac Tempe will get a transit pass and discounts on mobility services."

• September 10, 2021WVXU How An Affordable Apartment Complex Ended Up Displacing People In 28 Units. " 'I don't know what the future is going to hand me,' one resident being displaced said. When City Council unanimously approved a tax exemption for the Arts Apartments at Music Hall in November, they hailed the project as one that will provide 248 units of affordable housing in the city's gentrifying West End. But now, residents in 28 units are being displaced. Most of them were given 90 days notice to move, according to property owners Birge & Held."

• September 10, 2021. WTOL. After lifting of eviction moratorium in Toledo rental assistance is in high demand. "Since the eviction moratorium came to an end, some people are getting behind on rent and utilities, but there are places to get help."