Report: Nation Short 3.8 Million Housing Units

Housing underproduction in the United States is growing more severe and more widespread.

2 minute read

July 20, 2022, 8:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Rental Construction

SounderBruce / Flickr

The Up for Growth Housing Underproduction™ report for 2022 details the state of housing production in the United States, as well as “practical and tangible solutions” for advocates and policymakers.

According to the report, the nation is short 3.79 million housing units as of 2019, up from 1.65 million in 2012. The shortage is also growing more widespread: while 100 metropolitan areas experienced underproduction in 2012, that number was up to 169 metro areas in 2019. “The extent of underproduction varies from state to state: California has the largest deficit of homes at 980,000, while Mississippi is only short 1,000. Only Vermont saw an improvement.”

The factors impacting housing production are varied: “For example, in Detroit, underproduction is driven by uninhabitable units, while in Sacramento, a lack of housing is driving the shortage. In Washington DC, underproduction is fueled by a lack of household formation,” the report notes.

Even before the pandemic, areas that had not previously experienced housing shortages began to see a deficit. As an article by Emily Badger and Eve Washington in the New York Times puts it, “What once seemed a blue-state coastal problem has increasingly become a national one, with consequences for the quality of life of American families, the health of the national economy and the politics of housing construction.”

To help boost housing production, Up for Growth has developed “a policy framework that seeks to create more homes in areas with high economic mobility, access to jobs, and existing infrastructure” they call A Better Foundation. A Better Foundation “optimizes the distribution of these underproduced homes by prioritizing development in high-opportunity neighborhoods—places that are rich in jobs, transportation, infrastructure, and community assets—at a density scaled to fit into the existing neighborhood while increasing housing options.”

One major step is changing outdated zoning laws that don’t allow for flexibility in density and uses, mandate large lot sizes and parking, and prevent the construction of “missing middle” housing. The full report details the housing types recommended for different types of neighborhoods based on their existing density and strategies for improving equity and affordability.

Thursday, July 14, 2022 in Up for Growth

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight