The Oakland warehouse fire brought the nationwide affordable housing crisis into clear view, according to US Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro. Cities across the country need to create more affordable housing, he said during a roundtable discussion with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and several local nonprofits yesterday at the Kapor Center for Social Impact in Oakland, reports the East Bay Times.

Schaaf said Oakland continues to struggle with providing affordable housing alongside a growing workforce. She said renter protections and bond money for affordable housing recently approved by voters are a step in the right direction. The city also has been trying to streamline processes for tenants to receive protection from unlawful evictions and exorbitant rent increases. Oakland wants to preserve 17,000 units of affordable housing and to add 17,000 more units over the next eight years.

Castro said despite Congress not funding $11B over the next 10 years toward housing choice vouchers and rapid rehousing, both Republicans and Democrats are committed to maintaining basic HUD programs. [EBT]