Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Reflections on Local Affordable Housing

Nine Observations after Twelve Years as a Leader in Local Community Development


I shared the following reflections as I chaired my last Indy East Promise Zone (IEPZ) Housing Committee:


I am wrapping up nearly twelve years of leading Near East Area Renewal (NEAR) and 8.5 years chairing the Indy East Promise Zone (IEPZ) Housing Committee. It has been the privilege and experience of a lifetime. I am deeply grateful to all who have worked together with us to address critical quality of life challenges in our neighborhoods.


During the past decade, NEAR and our community nonprofit partners have been part of unprecedented affordable housing development. Since 2013, our organization alone has developed 150 single family houses for homeownership for low-to-moderate income households. You, our IEPZ partners, have contributed heavily to an increasing affordable housing stock. Thank you!


However, during the past decade we have also witnessed a resurgence in market-rate, privately-developed housing and housing prices escalating beyond the range of middle income households. Now, out-of-state investment groups are driving homeownership and rental housing in our neighborhoods beyond the range of low income households.


As much good as has been accomplished, we find ourselves in a local and national affordable housing crisis. Like never before, it must be all hands on deck from all local development nonprofits and our sustaining and investment partners in order to continue to make neighborhood housing accessible, affordable, and equitable.


As I step away from NEAR and the IEPZ Housing Committee, I have nine brief observations. They reflect my experience. They also reflect my challenge for current housing and community developers. In these, I express a definite bias for (1) very local decision making, (2) asset development among limited income neighbors, and (3) standing up for forward-looking housing policies and investments that involve taxpayer dollars.


  1. The nine-year-old Indy East Promise Zone housing strategy has always included market-rate housing, but we have focused primarily on affordable housing—housing that is affordable and accessible for households living at or below 80% AMI. This should continue. Market-rate housing cares for itself. But affordable housing—particularly for homeownership—must be fought for at every level on every front all the time.

  2. As neighbors and neighborhood advocates, we all need to welcome and bring newer neighbors--yes, even higher income neighbors--into our mission as partners with capacities to contribute to the common good. And we need to help our long-term neighbors include and care for newer neighbors. Us vs them must cease. ALL are needed to make a community whole.

  3. State and city funding priorities and policies have directed generous taxpayer funds into apartment dwellings. We need more investment in affordable homeownership. Housing created for affordable homeownership continues to be the best investment for building low-income household assets, creating long-term neighbors, and renewing urban neighborhoods. One thing that will absolutely drive our IEPZ neighborhoods to become mostly higher-income housing more rapidly would be diverting available funds away from affordable homeownership development.

  4. We must do what we can do together to make housing created for affordable homeownership permanent. The days of a mere “affordability period” must end. Taxpayer dollars invested in affordable housing must create long-term affordability. A community land trust is one important strategy. Incorporating deed covenants is another. All tools, policies and investments need to intensify the preservation of affordable housing.

  5. The IEPZ housing strategy is based on the principles of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and a priority for building assets that break generational poverty (based on Michael Sherraden's 'Assets and the Poor' research). This is essential in the priorities in the emerging Economic Mobility District. ABCD and asset building need to be upheld and revisited even as folks are being directed into permanent tenancy. Help neighbors build assets out of poverty, not just build buildings that generate more money for distant investors.

  6. Current and future affordable housing developers within the IEPZ should take their cues primarily from within our neighborhoods, from our neighbors, and our immediate community-based organizations. Create priorities and strategies from within or else we will become a bit part in others' intentions. Wag the dog.

  7. More needs to be done to connect renting neighbors to affordable homeownership opportunities. We need to work this continuum cooperatively and aggressively. Apart from supportive, special needs and senior adult housing, our collective rented housing portfolio should all be seen as “homeownership incubators.” Intentional strategies, relationship-building, information, and preparation with renting neighbors is required by all players to make this continuum real. All must help make this happen.

  8. Diversity, equity and inclusion strategies continue to be valid and critically needed in housing and all community development planning and implementation. Not because it’s required, but because it’s good for all and sets our neighborhoods and organizations on a trajectory that attempts to resolve the consequences of our sad history. 

  9. Finally, our good IEPZ housing priorities and strategies need more than attention and good management. We need leadership for our community regarding affordable housing. And we need leadership for the community at large. Be a diligent project or organization manager. But also make yourself a leader. Explore and affirm what you believe. Base your work in a “community first” outlook. Stand up for all that is critically needed to continue to build diverse, affordable, livable neighborhoods. Do what you can from the point where you currently serve. And from there, dare to act courageously for the bigger dream.

John Franklin Hay


See also: 'Rebuilding Urban Neighborhoods from the Inside Out,' which I wrote in 2013 as my initial 'community development manifesto.'


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