The following collection of resources and tools can help EDDs better understand their regional housing needs and assist EDDs in building their region’s response to housing challenges.
American Planning Association (APA) – Housing and Community Development Division
The APA’s Housing and Community Development Division provides training and networking opportunities for planners as they work through housing and community development issues in their communities.
This resource from the APA gives planners key insights and recommendations for how they can work to address housing accessibility, affordability, and availability in their communities. Specific recommendations include changes to zoning codes and land use controls that are affecting community’s ability to respond to growing housing issues.
EDA and HUD – Coordinating Local Planning Efforts: the Con Plan and CEDS
This collaborative resource between the Economic Development Administration and HUD provides guidance for regional organizations in aligning HUD-required Consolidated Plans and CEDS to further coordinate regional economic development that is consistent with meeting region’s housing and community development needs.
This resource provides a substantial legal overview of many of the complex issues facing communities with affordable and quality housing shortages including making recommendations on the role local planners and elected officials can play in addressing this crisis.
HUD Exchange is the one-stop shop for all resources, trainings, webinars, and educational resources related to HUD program policies and the issues HUD aims to address like housing, community development, and neighborhood revitalization.
National Association of Counties (NACo) – Federal Nexus: Using Federal Resources to Support Housing
This resource gives regions insight into how federal resources can be used to address affordable housing issues in their region. Information about funding opportunities and other creative financing is discussed.
NACo – Housing Task Force Final Report
NACo convened a taskforce of county leaders from across the country to make recommendations and strategies to address multiple issues facing counties related to affordable housing. This resource provides several county-led housing solutions.
NADO – Case Study Post-Disaster Transformational Housing
This past NADO resource highlights how Southwest Illinois Planning Council addressed housing issues in their region post-disaster and what they have done to create a safer and more resilient region.
NADO – Resource Sheet for Rural Housing Funding Opportunities
This past NADO resource shows some of the different funding opportunities and technical assistance guides related to rural affordable housing development.
National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) – Housing Needs by State
NLIHC provides an expansive dataset and overview of housing affordability issues in each state, congressional district, county and MSA. Planners can use this resource to support housing strategy planning.
Out of Reach is an annual publication from NLIHC that aims to display the large gap between renters’ income and average rent price across the country. NLIHC provides this information at the state level.
Like Out of Reach, The Gap is an annual NLIHC publication that provides datasets and information related to rental affordability in each state across the country. Particularly useful to regional planners is the ‘Metropolitan Comparison’ section in the Appendix of the full report.
Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) – Regional Housing Strategy
PSRCs Regional Housing Strategy gives regions a template for what effective regional housing planning looks like. Including SMART goals, extensive data to back up recommendations, and action-oriented strategies with clear responsibilities for entities makes this plan a model for other regions as they work on housing planning.