Eric Alexander’s Post

Community Board 8, which covers Prospect Heights and Crown Heights in Brooklyn, voted to support the city's Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan on Thursday, marking a critical point that will transform the area with new homes, businesses and streetscapes. The vote passed unanimously, 26-0, but the board added 25 conditions related to economic development, affordable housing, zoning, tenant protections and other land use measures. These conditions were adopted at prior subcommittee meetings, and included, among other things, a creation of a list that would identify area tenants who will likely be in danger of displacement to get prioritized new housing. Tap the link to read the full story below: https://lnkd.in/eCuP-Pmk

Good summary of the opportunities and challenges of how zoning reform can help provide more housing in Texas and, hopefully, bring the cost of housing down. It's complicated and more than one approach is necessary, but we have to start. It does seem to be one of the few areas where there is some bipartisan agreement and actual momentum. https://lnkd.in/gWyvvnxY

🗽 This week, in a bold move to combat the deepening housing crisis, the New York City Council has unanimously passed the 'City of Yes' initiative, an ambitious plan designed to dramatically reshape housing availability over the next decade. The city has been suffering from high rental burden with 500,000 households spending half their income on rent. The initiative includes: 🏗️ 80,000 New Homes: Aiming to significantly shrink the housing shortage over the next 15 years 💵 $5 Billion Investment: Dedicated to enhancing affordable housing and vital infrastructure 🔃 Zoning Changes: Creating opportunities for more housing near transit and commercial areas 🅿️ Parking Revisions: Reducing parking mandates to support new housing near transit hubs 🌆 This is a monumental initiative to attack the housing crisis. But this is just the start, tackling the housing crisis requires not only bold policy changes but also the adoption of advanced technological solutions and innovations. By accelerating real estate development cycles, we can more effectively meet the urgent demand for housing. The New York Times New York City Council

Community Board 8, which covers Prospect Heights and Crown Heights in Brooklyn, voted to support the city's Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan on Thursday, marking a critical point that will transform the area with new homes, businesses and streetscapes. The vote passed unanimously, 26-0, but the board added 25 conditions related to economic development, affordable housing, zoning, tenant protections and other land use measures. Tap the link to read the full story: https://lnkd.in/eCuP-Pmk

Yesterday we hosted our CIE Community Quarterly convening and learned a lot about the state of housing in Colorado along with the historical inequities and disparities that still impede us today. Thank you, Peter LiFari, for a wonderful presentation. Your insights and advocacy of affordable housing being something each citizen should enjoy. A couple key statements from Peter that really resonated were... 💡 “The future of housing is in the sky.“ (Based on density, environmental, social and community needs.) 💡 "Do we want MORE homeless or MORE housing?” 🤔   Housing values were a key takeaway from our discussion. Below are some things to consider: 🏠 Housing stability is national security 🏠 Housing is Civil Rights 🏠 Everyone needs a home to thrive 🏠 Housing abundance drives housing affordability 🏠 Housing is a continuum 🏠 Homebuilders are not the enemy 🏠 Filtering is real 🏠 The Market will not produce homes < 60%AMI without subsidy 🏠 Inclusionary Zoning alone will not solve your affordability challenges 🏠 Rent Control is a False Idol #inclusiveeconomy

Where does the line between urban development and gentrification start and end? For Rosemont residents, the neighborhood is at a crossroads. Could a proposed rezoning save this working-class community? My latest story for Fort Worth Report and Report for America takes a deeper dive into this issue: https://lnkd.in/gCH9YiNY

According to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, Florida is one of the most unaffordable states for housing. In fact, 50-58% of renters in Florida are cost-burdened, meaning their households spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. Our goal is to continue developing workforce and affordable housing to address the housing affordability crisis. The key to creating attainable housing for renters lies in public-private partnerships, where public funds help offset rising construction costs, allowing developers to pass the savings on to tenants. #sweetwater #affordablehousing #privatepublicpartnership #housingcrisis #publicsector #affordablehousingdeveloper #development #realestate #CREnews #community #miamidadecounty #southflorida #miamidade

A new Utah Foundation survey, sponsored by Call to Action Foundation, shows that municipal officials and staff are generally in favor of fostering affordable housing in their communities. However, they see the most substantial barrier to affordable housing is community opposition. “Decisions on which affordable projects get approved and which don’t often come down to city officials with varying levels of knowledge,” said Drew Maggelet, Director of Housing for Call to Action Foundation. “By surveying city officials on affordable housing, we learn more about where most decision-makers are on the topic and how developers and other stakeholders can educate and dispel common misconceptions. The more that all Utahns understand, the more likely they will be to embrace the benefits of building affordable housing in their backyard.” Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/gShCZne4

Terwilliger Center Advisory Committee members Henry Cisneros and Steve Stivers recently penned an excellent op-ed for Newsweek. The piece explores the unique opportunity before Congress and the administration to leverage previously appropriated funds to create a demonstration program aimed at streamlining the construction of affordable housing. The pressing need for such initiatives cannot be overstated. While estimates vary, the United States has underbuilt housing by millions of units over the past 15 years. This shortage has led to a significant rise in housing costs.    The proposed demonstration program prioritizes responsible deregulation, fostering public-private partnerships, and increasing access to affordable housing in opportunity-rich neighborhoods. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eztVd3WH  

If you are curious at all about what city leaders think about #AffordableHousing in #Utah and how they are approaching it, I highly recommend reading this full report. Thanks to the Utah Foundation for partnering with us on this fascinating survey!