The National Housing Crisis Task Force has released tools to help communities tackle the housing crisis. The State and Local Housing Action Plan highlights innovative strategies in land use, capital, construction, regulation, and governance. With reduced federal support, state and local leaders can use these tools to boost housing production and affordability. Initial tools focus on zoning reforms, tax incentives, and modular construction.

The U.S. housing system, long supported by consistent federal policies, faces unprecedented uncertainty due to recent government shifts. While programs like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and Housing Choice Vouchers have historically underpinned affordable housing, new administrative actions threaten to disrupt this stability.

Housing investment lags as private capital prioritizes data centers amid AI growth. Despite a shortfall of over 20 million units, systemic barriers like overregulation and high costs deter new development. A complete reimagining of the housing ecosystem is crucial to address this urgent need and unlock its potential as a major investment opportunity.

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 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.

Addressing the housing crisis requires a major federal overhaul to increase housing production, preserve existing stock, and establish a comprehensive housing safety net. The Task Force’s recommendations aim to cut regulatory barriers, offer substantial support, and incentivize the creation of over 750,000 new housing units annually, while also safeguarding current housing and creating new institutions to transform the sector for the modern era.

The housing crisis demands a comprehensive approach that includes increasing affordable housing supply, supporting low- and moderate-income renters, and providing a robust safety net for the most vulnerable. Key strategies include universal vouchers, tax credits, and rehabilitating existing subsidized housing to prevent homelessness and ensure stability. Addressing homelessness requires targeted federal investments, like expanding emergency rental assistance, increasing shelter capacity, and promoting supportive housing.

The urgent housing crisis in the U.S. needs a national, coordinated approach. The federal government can take a lead role by focusing on these five key areas: reducing barriers, mobilizing federal capital, fostering innovation, and protecting vulnerable populations.

The federal government can take steps to treat the housing crisis like the crisis it is. We know the government has the capability to lead in a crisis, as evidenced by recent responses to COVID-19 and the climate crisis. We proposed that the first key step for the government to take is to lead and focus the nation, appointing empowered White House leadership to begin taking organizational, administrative, and legislative action.

Housing market conditions in the U.S. are undeniably in their worst state in years. Housing is any given American’s largest recurring expense and is linked to health, climate, jobs, and productivity. Home price to income ratios have reached record highs, more and more renters are cost-burdened or severely cost-burdened, homelessness is at unacceptable levels, and we have a massive shortage of homes.

The National Housing Crisis Task Force, launched by the Nowak Metro Finance Lab and Accelerator for America, aims to address the U.S. housing crisis through collaborative efforts across government, private, and civic sectors. The Task Force emphasizes increasing housing supply, addressing homelessness, leveraging federal resources and features leaders from diverse sectors, focusing on innovative solutions and systemic changes.

The U.S. housing crisis affects both homeowners and renters, driven by diverse and complex challenges. Addressing this requires a mix of scalable, innovative solutions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. State and local governments are already testing creative strategies to tackle this widespread issue.

The U.S. housing market faces affordability issues, despite a significant oversupply of rental units in some areas. While vacancy rates have risen, most new apartments target high-income earners, leaving affordable housing concerns largely unmet.

Rising rental costs and housing shortages are putting increasing pressure on cities, exacerbating affordability challenges for low-income renters. While federal resources, such as the American Rescue Plan and Housing Tax Credits, offer potential solutions, the lack of affordable housing stock remains a critical problem.

A National Housing Commission is needed to tackle the U.S. housing crisis, addressing rising homelessness, rent burdens, and racial inequities. The initiative seeks collaboration from financial institutions and philanthropies to develop policies that expand affordable housing and homeownership opportunities.

The growing trend of large-scale real estate investors purchasing single-family homes has led to reduced housing affordability and increased market volatility. This practice, often driven by institutional investors, can displace local residents and limit homeownership opportunities, further exacerbating housing inequality and pushing up rent prices.

Addressing this issue requires policy changes to prioritize affordable housing and curb the unchecked expansion of corporate real estate holdings.

In order to better understand the impact of investor purchases on existing homebuyers, we have written “We Buy Houses”: You Lose Out. This report looks at the differences in price and geography between houses that sell on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and those that sell off the MLS, to investors and to individuals, in Philadelphia between January 2018 and June 2022.

Investor purchases of single-family homes are rising in distressed U.S. neighborhoods, driven by supply-demand imbalances and targeted investment strategies. This trend, fueled by corporate landlords and institutional investors, is reshaping local housing markets and creating challenges for homeowners and renters.

The Nowak Metro Finance Lab and Reinvestment Fund have teamed up to analyze changing housing markets in three very different cities: Philadelphia, PA; Jacksonville, FL; and Richmond, VA. For decades, Reinvestment Fund has implemented their Market Value Analyses (MVA) in cities across the US to understand the diverse tapestry that is America’s local housing markets.

The U.S. housing shortage is exacerbated by investors focusing on high-return rental properties, limiting opportunities for homeownership and wealth-building, particularly for lower-income and younger individuals. Addressing these investment dynamics is key to creating more inclusive housing solutions.