Study Compares Nearly 900 Inclusionary Housing Programs

A new paper from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy analyzes 886 local inclusionary housing policies across 25 states. The comprehensive study sheds light on how different jurisdictions have structured development requirements, as well as how effective they are in creating affordable supply.

The authors identified the jurisdictions that have adopted inclusionary housing programs, then categorized them by "whether they are mandatory or voluntary, whether they create for-sale or rental units, and crucially, the length of time for which they require units to remain affordable," Lincoln's blog explains.

Around 200,000 affordable housing units and $2 billion in-lieu fees can be attributed to inclusionary housing programs nationwide, according to the paper. Nearly all programs require units to remain affordable for 30 years or more—significantly longer than is typically mandated by federal programs.