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Land Market Interventions for Affordable HousingLessons for global affordable housing and urban redevelopment from recent experiences in the United States

Chris Andrews, Cloudburst Consulting Group

Malcom D. Childress, Land Alliance

Research Premise• Decline in affordable housing

and community development dollars in United States

• Shared challenges globally in implementing affordable housing and community development programs

• Explore lessons learned and strategies from US community of practice in affordable housing and community development to understand their potential application in developing countries

Research Question

US Land Market Strategies

1. Land Banks

2. Community Land Trusts

3. Transferable Development Rights

4. Exactions

Land Banks

• Agency to control and mitigate impact of vacant, abandoned and tax delinquent land

• Repurpose under-utilized land for public or private purposes

Credit: Dnpatton, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Genesee County, Michigan Land Bank• Created in 2004

• Goal is to return properties to productive use in one to two years

• Linked to enabling legislation and revised tax foreclosure law in Michigan

Credit: Bobby P., CC-BY-SA-3.0

Community Land Trust

• Originated in 1960s to address racial inequality and wealth gaps

• Provide homeownership opportunities to low-income households

• Ground-lease parcels for development

• Employ resale covenants to maintain affordability

Credit: © Alan Fryer

Community Land Trusts in the US

Source: National Community Land Trust Network

Transferable Development Rights (TDRs)

• Control and target density

• Used for variety of purposes including historic preservation, environmental conservation, and affordable housing

• Development rights are transferred from one area (sending site) to another (receiving site)Credit: Hakilon, CC-BY-SA-3.0

TDRs in Seattle

• City managed TDR exchange

• Exchange density for community targeted needs (affordable housing and community facilities)

• Increase height and zoning limits on affordable housingCredit: Raime, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Exactions

• Fees and taxes to pay for affordable housing, infrastructure and community needs

• Inclusionary Zoning

• Impact/Linkage Fees

Credit: Calderoliver, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Global Experience of these Strategies1. Land Banks have been implemented in a number of markets, but

face concerns regarding public sector accountability.

2. Complementary examples from community owned land programs in Asia and Africa, but without same legal framework

3. TDRs have been used in Latin American and Asia; require land market prerequisites

4. Exactions are used for variety of urban goals, but not necessarily tied to housing or community development

Conclusions

1. Existing shared practices and approaches between developed and developing markets, however there is not a strong precedent for idea sharing and collaboration

2. Expand opportunities to further study synergies and opportunities for lessons learned and best practices to be shared across both communities of practice