The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently issued a report to Congress that found that the severity of “worst case housing needs” in the U.S. grew dramatically between 2001 and 2007. The report, “Worst Case Housing Needs 2007: A Report to Congress” found that in 2007, 5.91 million low-income households (over 13 million people) in the U.S. fell into this “worst case” category — they paid more than 50% of their income on rent, or lived in significantly substandard housing. This compares to 5.01 million households in 2001. The report provides detailed demographic data for worst case households, and supports key elements from the FY-2011 budget proposal for affordable housing and community development activities, including the TRA initiative, the National Housing Trust Fund, and Choice Neighborhoods. Read more…