City Population Size: small (50-100k)

Balancing tourism and housing: Innovative approaches in Provincetown, MA; Big Sky, MT; Moab, UT; and Frisco, CO

Tourist destinations like Provincetown, MA; Big Sky, MT; Moab, UT; and Frisco, CO, face significant housing challenges due to high demand for short-term rentals, second homes, and seasonal worker accommodations. Rising housing costs and limited availability make it difficult for local workers to find affordable housing. To address these issues, each locality has implemented unique strategies, such as short-term rental regulations, deed restrictions, impact fees, and housing trust initiatives. These policies aim to balance the needs of the tourism industry with affordable housing options for local residents and essential workers.

Boulder County Regional Housing Partnership

The Boulder County Regional Housing Partnership spearheaded the development of a new regional housing plan that aims to triple the amount of affordable housing in the region over the next fifteen years.

Charlottesville, VA’s path to equitable zoning reform

Charlottesville, VA, overhauled its zoning code in 2023 to address housing affordability and racial equity. Learn how the city eliminated single-family zoning, added affordability incentives, and protected vulnerable neighborhoods from displacement.

Designing a local remediation ordinance: Lesson from Cleveland, OH; Syracuse, NY; and Toledo, OH

This brief provides a practical guide to local “lead laws” for cities interested in preventing exposure to lead-based paint hazards. It begins with a primer on these ordinances: what they are and how they work. We then provide a brief scan of local lead laws around the country. The third section draws on interviews with practitioners working to implement three recently approved lead laws in Cleveland, OH; Syracuse, NY; and Toledo, OH; to identify key decision points. Finally, we provide individual case summaries on the three sites.

Exploring rental registries across U.S. localities

This brief examines the implementation and impact of rental registries in five U.S. localities—Portland, ME; Cedar Rapids, IA; Jersey City, NJ; Oakland, CA; and Concord, CA—illustrating how these customized databases enhance understanding of local rental markets.

From conflict to collaboration: How Davis, CA, built a partnership with UC Davis University to address housing concerns

In Davis, California, a collaboration between the university, city, and county resulted in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to address the strain on housing and public services caused by the growing student population. The MOU outlined commitments to increase university-sponsored housing, invest in transit, and ensure the university contributed to public resources. Key takeaways include the potential of MOUs to improve town-gown relationships, establish accountability mechanisms, and facilitate regular tracking of progress.

How public and private partners joined forces to fund affordable housing in Tompkins County, NY

Learn how Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca, and Cornell University joined forces through the Community Housing Development Fund to expand affordable housing and leverage millions in additional state and federal funding.

How YIMBY activists helped secure new housing in Charlottesville, VA

Pro-housing advocacy was vital in promoting development in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the City Council approved the construction of two large apartment buildings despite opposition from the University of Virginia and some residents. The local YIMBY group, Livable Cville, played a key role by actively supporting the development through direct advocacy, writing letters to city officials, and educating the community on the benefits of increasing housing supply. Their efforts highlight how local YIMBY activism can significantly impact policy and planning decisions.

Local policies that support missing middle housing and accessory dwelling units

This brief profiles land use and other policies related to missing middle housing and ADUs in eight localities.

Preserving legacy homeownership for seniors: Lessons from Baltimore’s HUBS Program

Discover how Baltimore's HUBS program supports senior homeowners with home repairs, accessibility upgrades, and energy efficiency improvements while fostering community partnerships to preserve legacy homeownership and promote equity.

Preserving naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) in Brooklyn Park, MN

This case study examines a suburban community that dedicated funding to preserve its stock of market-rate affordable rental properties, commonly referred to as naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH). The City of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, established the Brooklyn Park NOAH Preservation Program in 2017. Since its inception, the program has preserved over 1,400 units through low-cost loans to developers and rental property owners for the acquisition or rehabilitation of NOAH rental properties. This case study reviews the program’s history and operations and its progress toward reducing displacement and improving the quality of existing housing stock.

Transforming spaces: Examples of adaptive reuse from Windsor Locks, Connecticut; Buffalo, New York; and Alexandria, Virginia

Adaptive reuse involves repurposing existing buildings, such as schools, hotels, or offices, into residential spaces, contributing to the housing supply. A three-part case study series highlights how localities have implemented innovative policies and programs to facilitate such projects.