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A recent Urban Land Institute Terwilliger Center for Housing article emphasizes the scope of the US housing shortage. According to the article, new residential construction is below its historic average and even Great Recession-era levels.
Currently, much new apartment development aims for the high end of the market to make the financials work for developers. Rising land and labor costs, local regulations and NIMBYism make it even more difficult and expensive to build new housing.
Many cities are spending precious funds to subsidize rent-restricted units, proving that we as a society care about housing affordability. Maybe we should consider the maxim of “first, do no harm.” How can cities reduce barriers to encourage more housing development, both market-rate and rent-restricted? How can we get community stakeholders to recognize that some development and change is needed to accommodate new residents and maintain affordability for renters?
We passionately discuss topics like this affecting cities and towns at the RSG office, in search of solutions. Contact us today if you’re looking for such solutions.
Written by Dima Galkin, an Associate at RSG