Snapshots of regional coordination of affordable housing and public transportation: Five Case Studies

Following on the release last month of TCRP Synthesis 162 authored by MZ Strategies that examines the coordination of public transit services and investments with affordable housing policies, this blog post provides a deeper dive into the five case studies. Atlanta, Boise, Chicago, Kansas City and the San Francisco Bay Area provide a spectrum of approaches and challenges in these regions, but also replicable to other parts of the country.

September 03, 2019 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #Railvolution, #Enterprise Community Partners, #TOD, #equitableTOD, #MTC, #MetroTransit, #affordable housinig, #FamilyHousingFund

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Leveraging Public Assets for Public Benefit

Creating an inventory of public lands, analyzing the inventory for its development and market potential, and revising policies to align with community goals are all steps that government staff and local elected leaders can take to ensure that these invaluable public resources facilitate the type of development that best serves the community. Leveraging public assets for public benefit requires partnership, and sometimes patience. But the rewards can be realized by residents for years to come.

May 28, 2019 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #CASACompact, #SPARCC, #Enterprise Community Partners, #MTC, #ABAG, #Great Communities Collaborative, #housing

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It’s Time: Endorsing a Bold New Regional Housing Idea for the San Francisco Bay Area

Cross-positing a blog written for the Strong Prosperous and Resilient Communities Initiative spotlighting work happening in California to address a growing affordable housing crisis at the regional level. The CASA Compact includes a comprehensive set of recommendations targeting production, preservation, tenant protections and institutional challenges to meeting the state’s housing needs. Lessons here for other regions as well, both in the value of regional approaches to housing but also the perils of only focusing on job growth and not also ensuring enough housing for workers.

December 12, 2017 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #affordable housinig, #Enterprise Community Partners, #MTC, #ABAG, #BayAreaMetro

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Addressing Affordable Housing at the Structural Level: Calling out the Elephant in the Region

This week Enterprise Community Partners released a new report calling for the creation of a new regional housing entity to address the Bay Area's alarming housing crisis. MZ Strategies co-authored the report with Enterprise staff, and while the report details specific recommendations and a set of actions for Bay Area partners, many of the ideas presented have resonance in other communities. The report includes case studies of innovative tools, structures and partnerships being deployed in New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Washington. The Elephant in the Region: Charting a Course for Bay Area Metro to Lead a Bold Regional Housing Agenda challenges the many partners and public agencies involved in housing to think differently and seize this moment in time to write a new chapter for the region.