America has a housing problem. It affects every county in every state, without exception.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the United States needs 7.2 million more affordable housing units just to meet the needs of extremely low-income families. Middle-income brackets are struggling as well, stretched to find quality housing that works within ever-tightening budgets. And, now — with soaring unemployment numbers and erratic economic turns — municipal leaders are looking for answers about how, when and where to begin solving their community’s housing challenges.

Top Three Housing Challenges

1. Cost. Over the past 60 years, housing costs have been increasing faster than wages across most income brackets. All the while, the cost of construction continues to rise and the labor pool shrinks. Municipalities struggle to provide quality, affordable options that fit within their budget.

2. Supply. Housing demand is high, and supply simply can’t keep pace. Communities need to develop a wide variety of housing types to satisfy a wide range of incomes.

3. Quality. Residents want desirable housing—places to live that go beyond the basic minimum for health and safety as set by building codes. Investing and reinvesting in housing is critical to offering housing options that will appeal to residents for the long term.

Getting Started with a Housing Study and Housing Action Plan

Communities do — and should — have control over many aspects of their local housing development. Charting a path forward starts with deciding that housing is a priority.

This article was authored by former MSA Senior Planning Team Leader Jason Valerius, AICP, a 19-year employee of the firm.

Download our report to learn more about the realities that communities are facing and how to get started.

Or, tune into this Planning for Housing Webinar from August 18, 2020, where MSA housing experts discuss housing challenges and how communities can find solutions.