Reducing Barriers to Producing Affordable Rental Housing for Extremely Low Income Households in Massachusetts.
Quirk, Melissa.
2011
-
Abstract: This study investigates why housing developers in the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts are not producing more affordable rental housing units for extremely low
income (ELI) households, the most economically vulnerable population, and explores how the
Commonwealth can increase this development. First, production barriers were identified by
developers. Policy experts from four states then ... read moredescribed policies that increase ELI
production in their states. Finally, policy criteria were crafted and used to evaluate
these policies with respect to Massachusetts developers' barriers. Several findings emerged
including, that developers want to increase ELI production and that state coordination
could simplify ELI development. Given these findings, policy directions to increase ELI
development include increasing subsidy, targeting funds to ELI units, addressing investor
apprehension, linking service and housing funding, broadening responsibility for ELI
housing to multiple state departments, initiating ELI-specific programs, and expanding use
of zoning tools. Implementing these policy directions could employ the Commonwealth's
resources to incentivize additional development of ELI housing for Massachusetts' most
vulnerable households.
Thesis (M.A.)--Tufts University, 2011.
Submitted to the Dept. of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.
Advisor: Laurie Goldman.
Committee: Rachel Bratt, and Aaron Gornstein.
Keywords: Urban Planning, Public Policy and Social Welfare, and Area Planning and Development.read less - ID:
- q811kw69r
- Component ID:
- tufts:20976
- To Cite:
- TARC Citation Guide EndNote