Credit scores and income limits are locking families out of safe housing
By Shamecca Brown-Granite State News Collaborative
I’ve sat across from families who are doing everything right – working, showing up, trying – and still can’t get approved for housing. Not because they don’t care, but because a number on paper says they’re not good enough.
The truth is, I’m writing this because my eyes are open now in a different way. When you actually see what people are going through, when you’re right there with them, it hits differently. Because no matter how much you care, you realize you can’t fix everything. All you can do is try to be more hands-on, show up, and help where you can.
Housing isn’t just hard to get right now, it feels almost impossible – especially for people who are doing everything they can just to stay afloat.
Lately, I’ve been seeing firsthand how credit scores and rigid housing requirements are blocking families from getting a place to live.The truth is, that system doesn’t always reflect reality. People go through things – job loss, medical issues, domestic violence, unexpected emergencies – and their credit takes a hit. That doesn’t mean they’re irresponsible. That means they’re human.
At the same time, even people with good credit are struggling. Rent is high, wages aren’t keeping up, and the expectations to qualify for housing are unrealistic. You can have decent credit and still fall short when rent is more than half your income.
What makes it worse is that there’s often no room for explanation. No space to tell your story. No opportunity to say, “This is what happened, and this is how I’m trying to fix it.” The system is built on numbers, not people.
Then there’s the waiting lists for housing assistance. They’re long, sometimes years long. Families who need help now are told to wait, while trying to survive day-to-day. And if someone makes “too much” on paper, they may not qualify for help, even if they still can’t realistically afford rent. That leaves people stuck in the middle – no assistance, but no real access either.
As someone who advocates for families, this is one of the hardest parts of the work. You see people trying. You see the effort. But the barriers are so high that it feels like you’re fighting a system that wasn’t designed to give second chances.
Housing shouldn’t only be about numbers, it should be about stability, safety, and giving people a fair opportunity. There needs to be more flexibility, more understanding, and more pathways for people to explain their situation and still be considered. Because, at the end of the day, people shouldn’t have to lose everything just to be seen. The truth is, even when they are seen, help still isn’t guaranteed.
That’s why so many people are still homeless. Not because they didn’t try. Not because they didn’t care. But because the system meant to catch them is overwhelmed, restrictive, and often out of reach.
We shouldn’t have to wait until people hit rock bottom to respond – and even then, response shouldn’t be uncertain.
We need to do better. Earlier. Smarter. And with more humanity, before more families fall through the cracks.
Shamecca Brown is a New Hampshire-based columnist who is family-oriented and passionate about serving underserved communities. These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visitcollaborativenh.org.