By Julie Pagaduan, Housing Policy Research Intern (LinkedIn)
After a hiatus, the Neighborhood Fundamentals blog is returning with more content. Last week, we announced the release of the ULI Terwilliger Center Home Attainability Index (read more about this national data resource). Moving forward, new content will be posted more frequently. In the meantime, the following is an overview of recent projects supported by Neighborhood Fundamentals .
New Deal for Housing Justice: A Housing Playbook for the New Administration (January 2021)
The New Deal for Housing Justice was published by Community Change, a national organization focused on community health and social justice. It focuses on the Biden administration’s opportunities to implement federal initiatives that will advance racial justice and address the nationwide affordable housing crisis. Policy recommendations highlight the need for strengthening community organziations, expanding government programs, addressing racial and ethnic barriers to housing, and adopting a strong COVID-19 relief program .
Neighborhood Fundamentals was a contributing author to the Playbook, focusing on issues related to improving housing opportunities and access in rural areas. Tackling critical challenges such as persistent poverty and racial homeownership gaps, policy recommendations focus on coordinated action among the federal government, non-profits, and community-based organizations. Proposed initiatives included building community development capacity and institutions, expanding access to capital, preserving rental housing, and advancing geographical equity in federal grant/loan programs.
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development: Statewide 10-Year Housing Needs Assessment (December 2020)
The National Center for Smart Growth and Enterprise Community Partners developed a 10 -Year strategic plan to make Maryland a more affordable place to live by 2030. The proposed framework and intervention tools are informed by regional assessments in the Maryland and DC area. This framework will guide the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and local partners to address specific housing barriers in each jurisdiction.
Neighborhood Fundamentals was a contributing author for the Needs Assessment, authoring the local housing policy profiles that identify how local governments can structure their housing policies and programs to adopt broader best practices and better leverage state affordable housing programs and financial resources. The state programs evaluated in these policy briefs address a range of initiatives, including rental housing development (Rental Housing Program, Partnership Rental Housing Program), homeownership supports (Maryland Mortgage Program), and improving housing quality (Maryland Housing Rehabilitation Program).
Montgomery County, MD Preservation Study (November 2020)
On behalf of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, HR&A Advisors, LSA, and Neighborhood Fundamentals conducted a review of rental housing in Montgomery County, with the goal of identifying interventions to better preserve the existing affordable housing stock, including both market-rate and expiring subsidized properties..
As part of this effort, Neighborhood Fundamentals conducted a comprehensive evaluation of policy tools to support preservation efforts in Montgomery County. Associated recommendations include enhancing the County’s capital resources for preservation (including trust fund resources and property tax incentives) and adopting land use and planning incentives to encourage the preservation of affordability in redevelopment initiatives.