Young professionals and families are being priced out of the promise of homeownership or find that they are facing ridiculous transportation burdens. Older folks are reluctant to sell their homes because there are not housing options in their own neighborhoods that meet their needs. Renters are probably the most stressed because there are so few options that are not a luxury level…
Affordable Housing and the Challenge of Becoming Climate Ready
Energy efficiency, sustainability and resiliency measures – connected to addressing the real effects of climate change – are important elements for safe guarding the operations of multi-family housing. Click here to read Susan’s October op-ed in Banker & Tradesman.
There’s a Bipartisan Bill That Will Boost Housing
The predominant tool used to finance affordable housing is the very effective Low Income Housing Tax Credit. Since its inception in 1986, the program has helped more than 10 million families put roofs over their heads. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act is an opportunity to make a good thing even better. Click here to…
New Insights Into Multi-family Zoning
Housing experts and advocates are frustrated because of the many barriers that exist to creating more multi-family housing. A new survey of 100 cities and towns in Greater Boston could guide us towards solutions. The report, titled “State of Multi-family Housing in Greater Boston,” focuses specifically on regulations that restrict or promote multi-family housing. In her latest op-ed, Susan asserts that by gathering current policy data and looking at which communities have grown their housing supplies and which have not, this new report will help us increase the efficacy of future policy creation.
Let’s Invest In Making Density Bonuses Work
In an effort to produce more affordable housing, municipalities are exploring tools like inclusionary zoning and density bonus incentives. However, in the absence of significant data, density bonuses are not well-understood and can be difficult to deploy effectively. Susan stresses the importance of supporting communities in order to achieve the results that are so desperately needed.
