More Than a Roof

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The affordable housing industry has changed in many ways in the past two decades.

One is the growing awareness – in policy and practice – of the critical importance of resident services in   rental housing developments to provide the residents with the tools for success and to build a sense of community.

At one time a new housing deal involved only building and filling the units. That, fortunately, is no longer the case, and developers, owners, managers, and service providers are creating success stories each day as they enrich the lives of residents with an ever-broader array of programs and activities, offered both on-site and off.

It’s fitting then that we report this month on current trends in resident services, including some of the programs and activities being offered, different models for furnishing and funding services, and the increasing focus on evaluating the effectiveness of resident services through measurement of outcomes. (“More Than Shelter,” p. 10)

Another change in our industry, still unfolding, is the growing linkage between housing and health care. This is especially occurring regarding seniors, many of whom need both affordable shelter and extensive medical care, and among special needs populations, such as the formerly homeless. Different experiments are underway to try to find more cost-effective ways to deliver service-enriched affordable housing for vulnerable populations in ways that better serve their needs while reducing costs for taxpayers. One example, which we take a look at, is a mixed-tenure, mixed-income supportive housing development in The Bronx that is being funded partly by savings achieved by New York State’s restructuring of its Medicaid program. (“Making History in New York,” p. 4)

The Bronx development, Creston Avenue Residence, is largely funded by low-income housing tax credits, a staple of the affordable housing industry. In this issue we report on current trends in the LIHTC equity market. (“Stability at Last,” p. 28), and detail major changes being made by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to its competitive process for awarding housing tax credits and other multifamily funds. (“A New Direction,” p. 24)

Change propels the affordable housing industry to improve and to create a better end product – vibrant residential communities – for the nation’s most vulnerable individuals and families. These communities are now more than just a roof, and will be for years to come.