Early as it is in the presidential campaign, but it’s never too early to point out the important issues that the candidates are ignoring or overlooking.

Issues such as — you guessed it — the affordable housing problem.

Today’s synopsis comes from “The State of Nation’s Housing 2015” by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, which states, among other things, that:

“The shortfall in affordable housing remains substantial as the number of cost-burdened low-income renters continues to rise. Reversing this trend will require a firm recommitment of the nation to the goal of secure, decent, and affordable housing for all.”

How big the national shortfall? For every 100 extremely low-income households (less than 30 percent of median income), there were just 34 affordable units. And for every 100 very low income households (up to 50 percent of median income), there were 58 affordable units. Moreover, housing cost burdens are increasing for moderate-income households as well, especially in pricey metro areas.

What is to be done? The report states (emphasis added):

“Since the private sector cannot profitably supply very low-cost units, the government must play a critical role in ensuring that the nation’s most disadvantaged families and individuals have good-quality, affordable housing.”

This brings us to the presidential candidates. If either major party is going to favor government intervention on behalf of affordable housing, it’s likely to be the Democrats, so we begin our seat-of-the-pants research project with them. We check in on each of their campaign websites, and go to the “issues” or “priorities” or “vision” tab, whatever it’s called. Is there any mention of the affordable housing problem?

Lincoln Chafee: No.

Hillary Clinton: No.

Martin O’Malley: No

Bernie Sanders: No.

Jim Webb: No.

Mind you, these people have plenty to say about fortifying the middle class, expanding Social Security, making college more affordable, creating good jobs, and so on –all of which could weigh in favor of millions of benighted renters. But they’re not talking about what government can or should do to address the housing problem per se.

Oh, well, it’s still early. One of these days we’ll look at the Republicans.