To enhance local affordability. To foster inclusive communities.

Housing Policy Library

The Housing Policy Library contains information on housing policies that may be of interest to cities, towns, and counties. To help make sense of the dozens of policy options available to localities, review the Housing Policy Framework.

Each write-up provides an introduction to key policy components and considerations and links to materials providing more information. These policies are organized into a series of categories and sub-categories that correspond to key roles that are executed by local housing policy. Click on the policy name to access the policy description. The categories and sub-categories together comprise our housing policy framework.

Policy Briefs

I. Create and preserve dedicated affordable housing units

These policies facilitate the creation and preservation of housing units that come with legal restrictions on the incomes of the households that can occupy them and/or the rents or home prices that may be charged.

Establishing incentives or requirements for affordable housing

Generating revenue for affordable housing

Supporting affordable housing through subsidies

Preserving existing affordable housing

Expanding the availability of affordable housing in resource-rich areas

Creating durable affordable homeownership opportunities

Facilitating the acquisition or identification of land for affordable housing

II. Align housing supply with market and neighborhood housing conditions

These policies help localities match market rate supply with demand. Understanding local and regional housing market conditions and variation across neighborhoods can help localities determine whether (and where) they should focus on increasing the housing supply or addressing vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties.

Reducing development costs and barriers

Creating incentives for new development or redevelopment

Dealing with vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties

III. Help households access and afford private-market homes

These policies help renters afford the costs of privately owned housing units, help households become homeowners, improve affordability by reducing utility costs, and address housing discrimination.

Providing tenant-based rental assistance

Promoting mobility for housing choice voucher holders

Reducing barriers to homeownership

Reducing energy use and costs

Combatting housing discrimination

Regulating the use of existing housing stock

IV. Protect against displacement and poor housing conditions

These policies help reduce evictions and foreclosures, maintain and improve housing quality, stabilize neighborhoods, and reduce the loss of unsubsidized affordable housing units.

Enhancing renters’ housing stability

Enhancing homeowners’ housing stability

Enhancing community stability

Improving quality of both new and existing housing

Ensuring the ongoing viability of unsubsidized affordable rental properties

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