Building in Affordability

Rebecca Cohen and Emily Salomon of the Center for Housing Policy examine existing policy tools to preserve and expand affordable housing near planned transit stations.

1 minute read

March 15, 2011, 5:00 AM PDT

By Matthew Brian Hersh

Cohen and Salomon argue that policies need to be in place up front to deal with rapidly escalating prices related to the building of transit:

"While working families often have the most to gain from access to low-cost transportation alternatives, experience has shown that land costs near planned stations often escalate rapidly in anticipation of new transit investments, and failure to act early and build in affordability at the outset can make it extremely difficult and costly to preserve and expand housing affordable to working families and others along transit corridors. A similar dynamic may apply to the areas around existing transit stations-and to village and town centers-that are the focus of reinvestment and redevelopment."

Cohen and Salomon present some options for ensuring affordability.

Thanks to Matthew Brian Hersh

FULL STORY: Building In Affordability

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 in Shelterforce

Housing United States Affordable Housing TOD Transit Oriented Development afford View More

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