Analysis | April 10, 2020
Density Will Be a Strength as America Recovers from COVID-19
Though we are weeks away from many American cities and states “bending the curve” on new COVID-19 cases, a popular argument has emerged – primarily among those already skeptical of cities – that the global pandemic should make us rethink a push towards denser development. It’s a point-of-view that is easy to digest: when combatting […]
Federal Policy | April 3, 2020
After the CARES Act, What’s Next for Housing?
As we discussed in last week’s insights post, the CARES Act contains several provisions that either directly or indirectly address housing. The $2.2-trillion legislation directs money to housing programs for low-income Americans, while providing expanded Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits to the millions of Americans now out of work. For many of these beneficiaries, housing was […]
Federal Policy | March 26, 2020
COVID-19 Economic Relief Passes the Senate. How Does Housing Fare?
On Wednesday, March 25, the Senate released and later unanimously passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act – a $2.2 trillion stimulus designed to stave off the worst of COVID-19-related economic fallout. The centerpiece of the legislation is direct funding for businesses hurt by the sudden loss of revenue, additional resources for the […]
| March 20, 2020
Housing is Particularly Susceptible during COVID-19. How Should Congress Address These Challenges?
The United States’ already broken housing ecosystem is facing even more strain as the COVID-19 crisis continues to threaten public health and economic well-being. Despite years of huge economic growth, in the last decade housing starts were at some of the lowest levels in history. For a variety of reasons that we’ve documented over the […]
Analysis | March 13, 2020
Washington Legislature Overwhelmingly Approves Extension of Key Housing Affordability Legislation
This week, the Washington State House of Representatives and Senate passed one of Up for Growth Washington’s key legislative priorities: extending the state’s Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE), which preserves affordable units in mixed-income communities. The legislation, HB 2950, passed by a 93-4 vote in the House and 42-7 vote in the Senate, signaling broad bipartisan […]
Federal Policy | March 6, 2020
Funding the Housing Trust Fund is Critical to Comprehensively Addressing our National Housing Shortage and Affordability Crisis
As the United States grapples with a massive housing crisis – a 7.3-million home shortage, as found in Up for Growth research – federal leaders are seeking innovative solutions to alleviate the burden that such a significant lack of affordable homes places on American families and individuals. One such piece of legislation is H.R. 5599, the Fulfilling […]
Analysis | February 28, 2020
Solutions to the Housing Crisis Come in All Sizes – Including Small Homes
When we talk about solving the housing crisis, we often focus on how to increase zoning to allow for more housing options – primarily multifamily developments, cottage clusters, duplexes, triplexes, etc. Indeed, this type of construction uses less land to house more families of all income levels and should be options for the communities most […]
Federal Policy | February 24, 2020
State and Local Momentum Underscores Need for H.R. 4351, the Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY) Act
As we’ve written in previous insights posts, 2019 was a banner year for housing policy in cities and states across the country. Oregon’s HB 2001 and Minneapolis 2040 earned much-deserved national recognition for ending exclusively single-family only zoning across much of their jurisdictions. These reforms continue to inspire other states seeking similar changes to their zoning laws – Washington, Nebraska, and Virginia, […]
Federal Policy | February 7, 2020
Removing Barriers to Housing Will Require Action at All Levels of Government
Last June, Up for Growth participated in the launch of the White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing. Created through an executive order, the Council is designed to target and mitigate myriad barriers to housing affordability that exist across the country, at every level of government. Last week marked an important inflection […]
Analysis | February 5, 2020
Partnerships Key to Tackling Housing Shortage
With more than 2,700 member companies, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) is proud to represent those who have helped build homes of all shapes and sizes across our region for more than a century. That includes everything from apartments, condos, and townhomes to accessory dwelling units and single-family homes. Building homes […]