Insurance Rates Rise Sharply for Affordable Housing

Increases of up to 104 percent in insurance rates are squeezing nonprofit affordable housing developers as rates rise around the country.

1 minute read

December 18, 2023, 12:00 PM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Base Camp Village

A project built by the Base Camp Village nonprofit in Butte County, California. / via Shelterforce

Rising insurance costs are burdening affordable housing developers, who often pay 10 to 15 percent more than market-rate developers, according to a report by Nancy Marshall-Genzer for Marketplace.

One insurance co-op, the Housing Partnership Insurance Exchange, saw rate increases between 34 percent and 104 percent for next year. “Whether it’s flooding or fires on the West Coast, we believe that those are adding inflationary pressure to our premiums,” said Paul Bernard, vice chair of the Exchange. For the nonprofits that manage affordable housing, this often means shifting funds from resident programs. 

As extreme weather events like wildfires and flooding make the market riskier in many parts of the country, insurers have raised rates and started leaving some states, such as California, altogether.

Friday, December 15, 2023 in Marketplace

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

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

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.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

"Units for sale - contact your local realtor" sign in front of homes.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods

A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

5 hours ago - Next City

Turquoise blue Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan

A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

6 hours ago - Inside Climate News

Alpine Recreation Center sign in park in Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown

Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.

7 hours ago - American Community Media

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.