Mission

The Center for Housing Policy, NHC’s research affiliate, specializes in developing solutions through research. In partnership with NHC and its members, the Center works to broaden understanding of the nation’s housing challenges and to examine the impact of policies and programs developed to address these needs.

Combining research and practical, real-world expertise, the Center helps to develop effective policy solutions at the national, state and local levels that increase the availability of affordable homes.

Goals

The Center for Housing Policy's work seeks to advance four goals:

• Expanding Awareness of the Nation’s Housing Needs
  By working closely with some of the nation’s leading housing researchers, as well as conducting independent analysis, the Center seeks to raise awareness of the housing challenges facing American households with a particular emphasis on the housing needs of working families with low- to moderate-incomes. From the unique graphical style of its publications to its online interactive databases, this research is presented in a format accessible to policymakers, the public and practitioners alike.
  
  
• Identifying Proven and Promising Solutions to the Nation’s Housing Challenges
  The Center goes beyond documenting housing problems to identify proven solutions and bring them to the attention of community leaders. Through research, the Center collects and analyzes information on programs and policies from around the country that have been shown to expand housing opportunities for working families. The Center shares this information in an easy-to-follow format that provides a roadmap for developing effective state and local housing strategies.
  
  
• Working to Ensure a Better Understanding of the Role That Housing Plays in Advancing Key Societal Goals
  The Center works to identify the important connections between stable, affordable housing and other social objectives, such as improved health, stronger educational outcomes, reduced crime and community and economic development. Through this work, the Center seeks to expand the base of support for affordable housing and to develop housing policies that more effectively achieve key social objectives.
  
  
• Laying the Foundation for the Next Generation of Housing and Related Policies
  The Center works to develop the research base needed to inform future housing policies and programs. For example, the Center has conducted a series of reports and analyses on the intersection of housing and transportation policy that have helped to change the way practitioners and policymakers think about housing affordability problems and solutions. Among other things, this research has heightened the focus on including housing affordable to low- and moderate-income families within transit-oriented development. The Center is also examining the implications for housing policy of the aging of the U.S. population.

Publications

The Center for Housing Policy produces publications that cover a range of topics, programs and policies related to our four goals. 

Please visit our Publications section today!

To receive periodic updates from the Center, please email chp-feedback@nhc.org and type "Join Mailing List" in the subject line.