U.S. voters pass numerous affordable housing measures

Voters in many U.S. jurisdictions passed housing measures Nov. 8 that will collectively set aside billions of dollars in new funding to create more affordable housing and provide protections for renters.

Notable propositions impacting housing include:

With 92% of votes counted, in Colorado, voters favored passage of Proposition 123, which would require the state to allocate about 2% of income tax revenues in the annual budget for affordable housing.
A so-called “mansion tax” in Los Angeles appeared headed for passage. It would impose a one-time tax on residential and commercial property sales that exceed $5 million with money directed to construction of affordable housing, emergency rent subsidies, and services for those at-risk homelessness.
Berkeley, Calif., passed a $650 bond measure that sets aside $200 million to create 1,500 affordable units for low-income residents and people experiencing homelessness.
Oakland, Calif., passed a $350 million bond measure to buy, rehabilitate, and build affordable housing.
A bond measure passed in Buncombe County, North Carolina, (including the City of Asheville) that raises $40 million to pay for low-to-moderate-income affordable housing.
Austin, Texas, passed a $350 million bond measure for low-income rental housing, low-income homeownership, home repairs, and preservation of existing affordable housing.
A $200 million bond package passed in Columbus, Ohio, to create new affordable units, aid affordable home ownership, preserve existing affordable units, and support residents experiencing homelessness.
In Kansas City, Missouri, a $50 million bond measure will help rehabilitate, renovate, and construct housing for very low- to moderate-income households.

Roughly one in three office buildings in the largest U.S. cities are well suited to be converted to multifamily residential properties, according to a study by global real estate firm Avison Young. Some 6,206 buildings across 10 U.S. cities present viable opportunities for conversion to residential use.

The Shipyard Condos

Multifamily Housing | May 19, 2023

Biden administration beefs up energy efficiency standards on new federally funded housing

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A woman uses her iPhone to access the elevator and her apartment door.

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Affordable Housing | May 17, 2023

Affordable housing advocates push for community-owned homes over investment properties

Panelists participating in a recent webinar hosted by the Urban Institute discussed various actions that could help alleviate the nation’s affordable housing crisis. Among the possible remedies: inclusionary zoning policies, various reforms to increase local affordable housing stock, and fees on new development to offset the impact on public infrastructure.

Multifamily Housing | May 16, 2023

Legislators aim to make office-to-housing conversions easier

Lawmakers around the country are looking for ways to spur conversions of office space to residential use.cSuch projects come with challenges such as inadequate plumbing, not enough exterior-facing windows, and footprints that don’t easily lend themselves to residential use. These conditions raise the cost for developers.

Rendering of Class A apartment building in Metuchen, N.J, that replaces a factory-warehouse.

Multifamily Housing | May 12, 2023

An industrial ‘eyesore’ is getting new life as an apartment complex

The project, in Metuchen, N.J., includes significant improvements to a nearby wildlife preserve.

Aegis Living Lake Union senior living community in Seattle aims to be world’s first to achieve Living Building Challenge designation

Senior Living Design | May 8, 2023

Seattle senior living community aims to be world’s first to achieve Living Building Challenge designation

Aegis Living Lake Union in Seattle is the world’s first assisted living community designed to meet the rigorous Living Building Challenge certification. Completed in 2022, the Ankrom Moisan-designed, 70,000 sf-building is fully electrified. All commercial dryers, domestic hot water, and kitchen equipment are powered by electricity in lieu of gas, which reduces the facility’s carbon footprint.