an attorney for her landlord tells cnn rising property taxes and mortgage rates are to blame. i freaked out. we can t afford. can t do it. there s a housing affordability crisis. home prices are sky high, forcing more americans into a competitive rental market. gillmain, a single mom and disabled veteran, is reliant on rental assistance from housing and urban development. she already had fewer options, but now landlords looking to capitalize on rising rents are less willing to accept the strict guidelines of her rental voucher. how critical is the voucher to your existence? that is our existence. without it, we would be homeless. rents are rising across the country. up a record nearly 20% on average in two years. double that in cities like memphis, tampa, and riverside,