Affordable Housing

Microsoft's $500 Million Pledge to Solve Housing in Seattle and its Suburbs
You might have read that headline and wondered why other wealthy tech companies aren't stepping up to make contributions to their home towns. There is a lot to understand about this news before jumping to conclusions.

'Housing Now' Initiative Takes Shape in Toronto
Housing advocates still expect controversies over the loss of parking to make room for thousands of affordable housing units.

Rising Homelessness, Erroneous Data: Rethinking Utah's 'Housing First' Policy
An annual reports finds a growing number of homelessness in Utah. That information, coupled with mistakes in earlier reports, casts doubt on the state's record of success in housing vulnerable populations.

Boston Mayor's Proposal Would Allow More Increases in City Linkage Fees
Developers pay impact fees to fund affordable housing and job programs, but the mayor wants the city to have more discretion around changing the requirements.

New Guide Helps Citizens and Communities Understand Zoning
"Chicago Land Use: A Guide for Communities" is a new online resource whose release has been accompanied by community events to share info and empower Chicagoans to understand the zoning where they live.

CA Gov.: Cities Must Meet Housing Goals or State Will Withhold Gas Tax Funds
Newly inaugurated California Gov. Gavin Newsom made waves on Thursday in his budget address, threatening cities and counties with the possibility of losing a portion of their gas tax subventions if they fail to meet their state housing requirements.

From Vacant Property to Affordable Housing Development
The city of St. Petersburg provides a model for transforming blight to a blessing.

California Needs a Marshall Plan for Housing, According to New Governor
Governor Gavin Newsom talks tough on housing in California.

Affordable Housing Advocacy Efforts Taking Root in St. Paul
St. Paul, Minnesota, is working on its comprehensive plan, and advocates want to see upzoning changes similar to what happened in Minneapolis.

Philadelphia Unlikely to Follow Minneapolis' Lead in Zoning Reform
Minneapolis is setting a bold example by ending single-family zoning, but chances are a similar change won’t be coming to Philadelphia.

Denver Condo Project Aims for 'Permanent Affordability'
More often the province of rental housing, affordability policies are limited in the for-sale market. A partnership in Denver aims to change that with a mixed-use project including at least 86 condos destined to be "permanently affordable."

San Francisco Home Construction Expected to Slump This Year
Due to various market and industry factors, developers are not planning to start many new construction projects in 2019.

Democratic Presidential Contenders May Elevate Housing Policy
Housing measures fared well in the 2018 election, and it's likely that Democratic contenders for the presidency in 2020 have taken notice and will boost those issues in their campaigns.

Assessing Feasibility Studies for Inclusionary Zoning
Cities use the studies to inform decisions about inclusionary housing programs. But a closer look shows that there is great variation in the methods and metrics, with no one correct approach for every situation.

Climate Gentrification in Miami
With the threat of sea level rise, homes on higher ground in Miami are becoming increasingly desirable. But they are located in low-income communities of color, and residents are facing rising housing costs and displacement.

Affordable Housing Cap-and-Trade Idea Resurfaces
In New Jersey, a cap-and-trade system existed for two decades and appeared to just perpetuate housing and social inequities. But now legislators and researchers are considering it again.

San Francisco-ization, a City's Biggest Nightmare
Cities spend a lot of time and energy pointing to examples of what they don’t want to become.

How D.C. Made Housing Vouchers Work
To provide affordable housing to meet the demand, DCHA has worked to make the housing voucher process easier for landlords.

University of Washington Gets Approval for Major Expansion
With several stipulations, Seattle City Council has signed off on the university's plans for up to 6 million square feet of new construction, including high-rises.

Is PHIMBY Realistic?
Government-subsidized housing is a useful complement to market-rate housing, but an affordability strategy that relies solely on low-income housing may be impractical.
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