Dive Brief:
- To kickstart housing growth initiatives, 14 U.S. cities spanning 12 states will receive investments of $450,000 to $750,000 each from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the organization announced Oct. 15.
- Participating cities will replicate at least one of three housing programs that have proven to be successful, including an accessory dwelling unit initiative in Austin, Texas; permitting reforms to fast-track approvals in San Diego; and a housing “strike force” team in Atlanta tasked with dislodging stalled projects.
- The program plans to extend at least one of the three strategies to an additional 16 jurisdictions, and around 10 of those local governments are expected to deploy all three housing strategies.
Dive Insight:
As the U.S. faces continued affordable housing shortages, more city leaders are embracing reform efforts aimed at greasing the wheels locally to encourage more development and more housing.
The first 14 cities to receive funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies to advance initiatives include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Alexandria, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Cleveland; Columbia, South Carolina; Durham, North Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky; Miami; Nashville, Tennessee; Omaha, Nebraska; Pittsburgh; Providence, Rhode Island; and San Jose, California.
Selected jurisdictions were evaluated based on their local government’s alignment with the ideas, readiness to adapt and demonstrated mayoral leadership on housing, according to an email from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Local housing pressures and population size were also considered.
Austin, Atlanta and San Diego all continue to face housing challenges, but their respective initiatives are producing results, according to a news release.
Legalizing accessory dwelling units in Austin — smaller housing units attached to a primary residence, sometimes called “granny flats” — on more single-family lots in 2015 led to nearly 3,000 new units permitted by 2024.
Housing construction permits issued in San Diego jumped 82% the year following a 2023 executive order to cut processing times for affordable housing projects to no more than 30 business days.
The strike force team in Atlanta was formed in 2022 with a goal of advancing 20,000 affordable housing units in under a decade by bringing together multiple city agency leaders. “We learned that the most effective way to get homes built is to bring every agency and organization with a hand in housing together under that one clear mission,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a news release.
Funding from the program will go toward piloting technology for housing approvals, hiring staff for a housing strike team and architects to draft permit plans. Funding will also go toward operational support from the nonprofit Accelerator for America and other specialists, according to Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“Housing is issue number one for America’s mayors, and working with Bloomberg Philanthropies to adapt what is working elsewhere gives Miami more resources to lead as boldly as the challenge demands,” Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins said in a news release. “We expect fast results, measured in more homes cleared for construction, and we are proud to do this work alongside leading local governments nationwide.”
Local governments interested in receiving support from the initiative are encouraged to register with the Bloomberg Cities Idea Exchange.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with information on how local governments were selected for the initiative.
