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Housing

Aerial view of suburban American homes

America’s housing crisis has reached a tipping point. No longer limited to the coasts, cities and metropolitan areas across the country are experiencing a supply crunch, rising rents, and tough questions about housing attainability. To navigate the nation through this volatile and complex period, the Nowak Metro Finance Lab at Drexel University, in partnership with Accelerator for America, launched the National Housing Crisis Task Force (Addressing America’s Housing Crisis | National Housing Crisis Task Force) in July 2024, an ambitious, two-year project. The Task Force, co-chaired by Republican Governor Spencer Cox (UT), Democratic Mayors Andre Dickens (Atlanta) and Justin Bibb (Cleveland) and Fifth Third Bank executive Susan Thomas, is a bipartisan, multisectoral effort meant to address the most challenging components of the housing crisis today. The work of the National Housing Crisis Task Force builds off previous research conducted by the Nowak Metro Finance Lab into the changing nature of America’s housing market today.

Recent Publications

Opportunity Zones: A Path Forward

Opportunity Zones have attracted over $100 billion in investments, addressing local issues like housing shortages. Moving forward, a "2.0" version is proposed to adapt to market changes like the real estate crisis and industrial growth. Effective local leadership and targeted investments are key to ensuring these zones create lasting, sustainable economic impact.

Opportunity Alabama: A Conversation with Alex Flachsbart

Opportunity Zones, introduced by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, are designed to attract private investment to distressed communities. In six years, Opportunity Zones have sparked $100 billion in investment, particularly in housing development. Alabama's Opportunity Alabama (OPAL) has emerged as a successful model, mobilizing local and national investments, with a focus on building a sustainable capital access ecosystem.

The Return of New Localism

The election of Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress heralds a period of volatility for U.S. cities and metropolitan areas.

View all of our Housing publications