Evidence Drives Efforts to Promote Equity in Affordable Housing

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Access to affordable, high-quality housing is a cornerstone of residents' health and well-being, but ensuring housing access nationwide continues to pose significant challenges, deeply rooted in historical inequities. Addressing these issues requires comprehensive policy reforms. On June 18, 2024, the Urban Institute, in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Policy for Action research program, hosted “Policies to Expand Equity-Oriented Affordable Housing,” a hybrid event focused on developing housing policies that foster racial and health equity. The event featured three panels where policymakers, researchers, and advocates exchanged insights and strategies.

HUD's Vision for Flexible, Evidence-Driven Solutions

In his opening remarks, HUD's Solomon Greene emphasized the importance of collaboration and adaptability in solving the affordable housing crisis. Reflecting on his childhood experiences with poverty, Greene underscored the need to “disentangle ZIP Code from destiny.” He highlighted that the housing crisis stems from multiple causes and requires locally tailored, evidence-based solutions informed by residents' lived experiences. Greene cited HUD’s initiatives like the Choice Neighborhoods program and the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity, which aim to promote housing mobility and address appraisal discrimination, respectively.

Measuring the Local Impact of State Policies

The first panel, “Evidence on State and Local Planning Policies,” moderated by Janneke Ratcliffe of the Urban Institute, featured Aaron Barrall from UCLA’s Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and Noémie Sportiche from Mathematica and Harvard University. They discussed their research on the equity impacts of state planning policies.

Barrall presented his study on California’s Assembly Bill 686, a 2018 law requiring cities to promote fair housing by analyzing their affordable housing inventory and equitably planning new sites. His research revealed that cities tended to focus on lower-impact activities, often planning for new affordable housing in lower-income regions. Using the Fair Housing Land Use Score (FHLUS), a metric assessing city efforts, Barrall found that most cities scored negatively, indicating a concentration of development in less affluent areas.

Sportiche’s study examined Massachusetts’ Chapter 40B, enacted in 1969 to combat exclusionary zoning and mandate that municipalities maintain at least 10% of their housing stock as affordable. The study found that Chapter 40B units were frequently located in affluent neighborhoods with access to quality schools and fewer environmental risks, highlighting the law’s effectiveness in diversifying housing opportunities.

Both researchers agreed that state-led policies with clear expectations and enforcement mechanisms can drive equitable development, expanding neighborhood choice and promoting fair housing.

Local Policies to Foster Equity

The second panel, “Evidence on Outcomes for Households and Residents,” moderated by Christina Plerhoples Stacy of the Urban Institute, examined local policies and solutions promoting equity. The panel included Lisa Bates of Portland State University, Christopher Donald of the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency, and Haydar Kurban of Howard University.

Bates shared findings from her research on a 2015 policy in Portland, Oregon, prioritizing individuals with family ties in specific tax increment financing districts for affordable housing waitlists. The policy aimed to help residents return to gentrified neighborhoods where their families once lived. Although the program improved participants’ lives, Bates noted the need for broader community development efforts to enhance economic mobility and social cohesion, especially for Black residents who often report exclusion in these areas.

Kurban discussed his team’s research on Washington, D.C.’s inclusionary zoning policy, which mandates affordable units in most new developments. Although the policy provides low- and moderate-income families access to higher-income neighborhoods, Kurban expressed concerns about affordability for very low-income households and the limited size of available units. Additionally, he raised issues about developers keeping affordable units vacant to avoid changing neighborhood dynamics.

Donald highlighted innovative mortgage finance models his organization uses to build equity for moderate-income families. By combining a conventional 30-year mortgage with a subsequent 15-year mortgage, his approach offers an accessible pathway to homeownership while enabling quicker equity building.

Communities Leading the Way

In the final panel, “Key Insights and Reflections from the Real World,” moderated by Michael Neal of the Urban Institute, practitioners discussed strategies and challenges in implementing housing equity policies. Panelists included Colleen Green from the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, Helen McIlvaine from Alexandria’s housing department, Ingris Moran of Tenants and Workers United, and Angie Rodgers from Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Green, McIlvaine, and Rodgers highlighted their jurisdictions’ use of inclusionary zoning, right of first refusal policies, and downpayment assistance programs to prevent displacement and increase affordable housing options. Moran stressed the importance of tenant empowerment and advocacy in pushing for deeply affordable housing and anti-displacement measures, despite limited state support. The discussion underscored the significance of collaboration between advocates, policymakers, and community groups to develop effective, evidence-based housing solutions.

Centering Structural Solutions Through Lived Experience

Addressing housing inequity demands a focus on the lived experiences of marginalized communities. Greene emphasized that by grounding policy solutions in these experiences, stakeholders can uncover the interconnected structural issues that perpetuate housing inequality. “When we center the lived experience and expertise of people most affected by policy decisions,” Greene stated, “it almost always takes us back to those root causes in interconnected structural solutions that have the potential to finally deliver on lasting equitable housing and health outcomes.”