Center for Urban &
Regional Analysis
(CURA) at VCU
Research to Strategies to Action to Change:
Stakeholder Engagement
Ka t h r y n H o we l l , P h D
J o h n A c c o r d i n o , P h D , FA I C P
Richmond, Virginia
@
Research: A Moment In The Change Process
Research – design it so it connects with action and change.
Engage Stakeholders from the beginning.
Research: A Moment In The Change Process
 Iterative process (stakeholders & consultants):
 Study purpose & design
 Quantitative results
 Stakeholders interpret results
 Stakeholders suggest solutions
 Research of best-practice cases
 Stakeholders vet, discuss, create additional options
 Implementation
 Monitoring
Stakeholder Engagement – This Study
Housing Policy
 Housing Policy Advocates / Change Agents
 Capital Region Collaborative
 Partnership for Housing Affordability
 Regional Housing Alliance
 Study Steering Committee
 Consultants: VCHR & CURA@VCU
Stakeholder Engagement
Housing Policy
 Housing Policy Advocates / Change Agents
 Capital Region Collaborative
 Partnership for Housing Affordability
 Regional Housing Alliance
 Study Steering Committee
 Consultants: VCHR & CURA@VCU
The study is
their tool.
Interviews with Key Housing Actors
12 regional experts on results of quantitative analysis
Nonprofit housing advocates and service providers
Government agency staff
Foundations
Engaged & educated key actors/leaders, provided depth of
understanding, informed structure of survey.
Survey of Regional Stakeholders
 Survey: 700 regional stakeholders – 162 responses
Elected Officials
Nonprofit housing advocates and service providers
Government agency staff
Nonprofit and for-profit developers
Foundations
Community-based advocates
Survey
of
Regional Stakeholders
Participants by Sector
7%
3%
6%
Government Agency
26%
For-profit developer
Non-profit developer
Community Advocate
14%
Elected Official
Service Provider
7%
5%
Realtor
Lender
Philanthropy
16%
16%
Survey
of
Regional Stakeholders
Why do you think there is a housing affordability gap?
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Land Use/Zoning
Funding/Financing
Economy/Income
Public Opinion/NIMBY
Institutional Capacity
Survey
of
Regional Stakeholders
Demand-Side Solutions
DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE
DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE
MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
INCREASE JOB TRAINING RESOURCES
IMPROVED REGIONAL TRANSPORTATIO
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Survey
of
Regional Stakeholders
Supply-Side Solutions
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
SITE AFFORDABLE DEDICATED LOCAL
HOUSING NEAR JOB FUNDING SOURCE
CENTERS AND
FOR AFFORDABLE
TRANSIT
HOUSING
LINK AFFORDABLE INCREASE DENSITY
HOUSING
PRODUCTION TO
COMMERCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
REDUCE OR
ELIMINATE
PROFFERS
LOAN GUARANTEES
FOR HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT
Workshop
on
Policy Solutions
65 local participants –
public, private non-profit, private for-profit
 Engaged & educated actors/leaders, moved from problem toward policy ideas &
constraints
Workshop
on
Policy Solutions
Improve connections between transportation & housing
Increase job training & education opportunities
Link affordable housing & new development
Increase density
Greater engagement by public officials
Community land trust
Follow-up Research on
Workshop Recommendations
Scan of Best Practices across United States
Yielded Policy Recommendations & Examples
Approaches
to
Housing Affordability
 Develop flexible, dedicated funding source for affordable housing
 Housing Trust Funds: Lexington, Washington DC, Atlanta, Seattle
 Improve access to the regional transit system, including dedicated
funding, expansion, or new service
 Richmond BRT is a Beginning
 Transportation Trust Funds – Northern VA is Model
Approaches
to
Housing Affordability
Preserve & renovate existing affordable housing
 Rehabilitation Loan Program for Small Rental Properties (Montgomery County, MD)
 Portland 11 x 13 Preservation Campaign (Portland, OR)
Support access to affordable housing thru employee assistance
 House Keys for Employees and Live Near Your Work (Baltimore, MD)
 Housing Trust of Silicon Valley – CA
 American Family Life Assurance Company (AFLAC) (Columbus, GA)
Approaches
to
Housing Affordability
Community Land Trust to support long-term affordable housing
 Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (Boston, MA)
 Westmoreland County Land Bank (Westmoreland County, PA)
Approaches
to
Housing Affordability
Strengthen local & regional coalitions to advocate policy, do
projects
 Regional demonstration projects based on joint contributions of public, private & non profit sectors that reflect best-practices in mixed-use & mixed-income development
 South Richmond Single-Room Occupancy (Henrico, Chesterfield, Richmond)
 South Hampton Roads Regional Task Force to End Homelessness (Chesapeake, Franklin, Isle of
Wight, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Southampton, Suffolk, Virginia Beach + 12 non -profits)
 Ohio Preservation Compact
 Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development (Washington, DC)
Approaches
to
Housing Affordability
Incentives / requirements: affordable housing near job centers
 Affordable Dwelling Unit / Inclusionary Zoning (Fairfax County, VA)
 Affordable Housing Incentives (King County, WA)
Approaches
to
Housing Affordability
Expand by-right development through zoning
 Suburban Mixed-use (West Broad Village, Reston Town Center)
 Accessory Dwelling Units / Caregiver Suites (Arlington County, VA)
 Infill Redevelopment (Austin, TX)
Toward Actions
Partnership for Housing Affordability is:
Educating the Region about Needs & Policy Options
Monitoring the Region’s Progress on Affordable Housing
Center for Urban & Regional Analysis
(CURA @ VCU)
John Accordino, Director
[email protected]