| November 1, 2019
Federal Action on Housing Can Start with a Housing Task Force
In the 115th Congress, Senator Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis Act, along with a bipartisan coalition of Senators. In June 2019, he introduced the same bill in the 116th Congress, also co-sponsored by a bipartisan coalition including Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Angus King (I-ME), and 13 […]
| October 25, 2019
New Study Suggests Room for Improvement in TOD Planning, Need for Build More Housing Near Transit Act
A new study from ECONorthwest’s and MapCraft Labs’ Ian Carlton suggests that housing is already a significant consideration for many transit planners. However, the track record for building housing near transit is mixed, in large part because of unrealistic expectations and oversimplified, out-of-context concepts and theories. Carlton’s research found that many transit planning professionals often […]
| October 18, 2019
Part One of our Series on the Broken Housing Ecosystem: Impact Fees
For the next few months, Up for Growth will delve into factors that can prevent housing supply from meeting demand. This series will also address short and long-term solutions that may help restore balance to the broken housing ecosystem. Over the past ten years, the United States produced fewer housing units than at any other point […]
| October 11, 2019
Housing Affordability Starts with Strengthening Existing Programs
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is one of the primary ways the federal government spurs the creation of affordable housing for lower income Americans, responsible for nearly 90% of the affordable units in the country. Established by the landmark 1986 tax overhaul, LIHTC provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit to private entities developing affordable housing […]
| October 4, 2019
Why the YIMBY Act is an important first step for federal housing legislation
The United States is in the midst of a major housing shortage and affordability crisis. Research from Up for Growth found that from 2005 – 2015, we fell 7.3 million homes short of meeting housing needs. This shortage means that families and individuals struggle to find high quality, affordable homes in the areas where they want […]
| September 27, 2019
Revitalizing Disinvested Neighborhoods through the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act
Housing decay, obsolescence, and widespread vacancy comes with a high cost – both economically and socially. Vacant homes and lots not only reduce property values for surrounding units, they also mean a loss in property taxes, which pose significant challenges for government. Key infrastructure like schools, roads, and utilities face dwindling property tax revenue. From […]
| July 16, 2019
Housing is on the Move in the Nation’s Capital
In recent weeks, a flurry of housing legislation was introduced in both the House and the Senate. You can read our press releases on the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, the Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis Act, the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, the YIMBY Act, and President Trump’s Executive Order creating a White House […]
| June 19, 2019
Oregon inches closer to reducing exclusionary zoning
Earlier this year, Oregon made housing headlines when House Speaker Tina Kotek introduced legislation that would end single-family-only zoning in the Portland metro area and in Oregon’s larger cities. HB 2001 was – and continues to be – viewed as a significant step towards addressing Oregon’s severe shortage of homes. According to our own research, […]
