< Back To Index 06.10.2016

In 2016, the Housing Justice Center (HJC), together with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) and Becker Consulting, completed a study on policies which metro cities can, and should, adopt in order to reduce the cost of producing affordable housing. The research found that reform of local practices in a variety of areas could substantially reduce the cost, and thereby significantly increase the amount, of affordable housing produced annually. A detailed report on the study is available here.

The report covers the following topics:
-Project Scale and Density; density bonuses
-Local Financial Resources: TIF, TIF pooling, tax abatements, 4d, levy authority, housing revenue bonds, G.O. bonds, public ownership
-Site Selection and Acquisition; land leases
-Reduced Parking Requirements, proof of parking
-Fee Reduction or Waivers
-Administrative Processes and Delay
-Materials and Site Requirements
-Manufactured Housing
-Preference for Mixed Income Development
-Inclusionary Housing Policies
-Addressing Community Opposition
-Overcoming Barriers to Affordable Housing