The rising interest in urban living has meant a growing shortage of affordable housing in cities across the country. Roger Lewis proposes a new approach to help solve the crisis: building workforce housing funded by the public sector.
When the federal government stopped building "public housing" in the 1970s, it tried a different approach aimed at subsidizing the construction of units at below-market rents by the private sector. "[O]ver the past four decades," says Lewis, "these strategies have failed to meet rapidly growing housing needs."
"Let’s rethink how to create new affordable housing, for which demand is growing while supply is shrinking," he argues. "It’s time once again to consider building workforce housing sponsored and funded directly by the public sector."
"We should take a cue from Europe, where countries such as Denmark and Austria build 'social housing.' Social housing is public housing, but only in the sense that it is government-financed. European social housing is subsidized yet serves middle-class as well as low-income households, thereby avoiding many of the socioeconomic issues associated with America’s public housing."
FULL STORY: Let’s go from ‘public housing’ to ‘social housing’
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Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service