Research private and/or public organizations that are innovating to solve the housing affordability crisis. you will need submit two one-page research
summaries in the areas either in public policy, finance and construction/design (2 total in 2 different areas). The organization can be based anywhere in the world and you can choose two institutions in the same area but at least one of the two research summaries must be about an organization based in the United States. The research summaries will cover organizations (private or public) that are actively working to solve the housing affordability crisis
You CANNOT use any of the organizations in the top 25 (the ivory prize winners) over the last four years. A list of these organizations can be found on the link attached. While you CANNOT use any of these organizations as your submission, I encourage you to explore these organizations for ideas on innovative solutions to housing affordability. the link for the ivory prize winners example:
https://ivoryinnovations.org/portfolio
Private and/or public organizations that are innovating to solve the housing affordability crisis
Full Answer Section
Impact: Trust Neighborhoods has created over 1,000 units of permanently affordable housing in Oakland. The organization has also been instrumental in preserving existing affordable housing units in the city. Research Summary: Finance Organization: Community Housing Solutions (CHS) Location: Denver, Colorado, USA Mission: To provide access to affordable housing and financial services for people in need. Innovation: CHS uses a variety of innovative financing tools to make affordable housing more accessible. These tools include:- Low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs): CHS uses LIHTCs to finance the development of new affordable housing units.
- New markets tax credits (NMTCs): CHS uses NMTCs to finance the development of affordable housing in low-income communities.
- Community development financial institutions (CDFIs): CHS provides loans and grants to CDFIs, which then use these funds to make loans to affordable housing developers and borrowers.
Sample Answer
Research Summary: Public Policy
Organization: Trust Neighborhoods
Location: Oakland, California, USA
Mission: To create and preserve permanently affordable housing in mixed-income neighborhoods.
Innovation: Trust Neighborhoods uses a unique approach called the Mixed-Income Neighborhood Trust (MINT) to create and preserve permanently affordable housing. MINT is a community-controlled entity that owns and operates a portfolio of rental housing. This approach ensures that affordable housing is not isolated from market-rate housing, but is instead integrated into vibrant and diverse neighborhoods.