City Population Size: small-mid (100-150k)

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.

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.