Houston, which has experienced both a population boom and major hurricane recent years, is hosting the third Democratic debate. | Photo by Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images

Affordable housing advocates push for the topic to take center stage at tonight?s debate As last week?s climate town hall began, it was immediately clear that the candidates had done their homework.
All 10 front-running presidential candidates were well-prepared on climate issues, and could talk eloquently, and sometimes passionately, about how the U.S. will wean itself off fossil fuels. Candidates spoke about the country?s swift transition to wind and community solar, the U.S.?s incredibly carbon-intensive built environment, and yes, they even talked about transportation, albeit the discussion was mostly about electric cars. Now the candidates need to do the same for the U.S.?s affordable housing crisis.
Tonight?s debate is the third televised event where Democratic candidates will face off and the first to put all the top-polling candidates on stage together.

While several of those candidates have housing plans?and speak often about housing affordability on the campaign trail?no housing questions were asked at the first or second debates.
Advocates have been working hard to make sure that doesn?t happen again.
On September 5, a coalition of 600 organizations known as Our Homes Our Votes 2020 sent a letter to the debate?s moderators asking them to address the nation?s affordable housing...