Condominiums play an important role in providing affordable homeownership to first time homeowners and retirees. Fifty years after condominiums became a popular housing model, policy makers are encouraging more condominium construction to provide needed affordable housing and entryways into homeownership. But several inherent weaknesses in the condominium model must be addressed to provide affordable and … Continue reading Public Policy Blind Spots Are Putting Condominiums as a Housing Model – And Their Owners – At Risk
Neighborhood Revitalization
Guiding efforts to stabilize and improve neighborhoods for existing residents requires a multi-pronged approach that is designed and implemented in partnership with residents. May 8 is working with cities, towns and rural counties to nourish and guide neighborhoods that have been hit by major macroeconomic shocks while proactively avoiding resident displacement.
Philadelphia Equitable Development Platform 2023
PACDC’s Equitable Development Policy Platform offers 22 recommendations to lay the foundation for a thriving and inclusive future for Philadelphia that benefits all communities, all residents and all workers. Over 100 community leaders and residents were interviewed to identify 22 recommendations that fall into six categories: Quality of Life, Inclusive Communities, Anti-Displacement, Housing, Economic Development … Continue reading Philadelphia Equitable Development Platform 2023
Creating a Culture of Property Maintenance
Topeka has launched an ambitious initiative to create a culture of property maintenance throughout all of its neighborhoods. The goal for this initiative is an improved and thriving city where all neighborhoods are safe and healthy, and all residents live in decent and safe homes. The focus for this report, released in the first year … Continue reading Creating a Culture of Property Maintenance
Evidence-Based Policy Making: An Analysis of Six Strategies to Stabilize Neighborhoods
In order to provide practitioners with evidence-based guidance in real time as they define a local response to the COVID economic crisis, May 8 and Reinvestment Fund analyzed the ability of six standard policy intervention tools to stabilize low-income and middle neighborhoods wrestling with the negative impacts of an economic shock. The policy interventions selected … Continue reading Evidence-Based Policy Making: An Analysis of Six Strategies to Stabilize Neighborhoods
The Power to Stabilize Neighborhoods: Research on the Impact of Policy Interventions on Low-Income and Middle Neighborhoods After a Macroeconomic Shock: A Post-2008 Literature Review
Faced with the destabilizing impact of a global economic crisis (such as the recent Covid-19 economic shutdown), local governments and their partners often turn to a standard set of policy interventions to stabilize low- income and middle neighborhoods. While governments and philanthropy spend billions of dollars each year on tools such as code enforcement, vacant … Continue reading The Power to Stabilize Neighborhoods: Research on the Impact of Policy Interventions on Low-Income and Middle Neighborhoods After a Macroeconomic Shock: A Post-2008 Literature Review
What Works to Promote Inclusive, Equitable Mixed-Income Communities
Achieving Durable Mixed Income Communities Through Affordable Housing Preservation The latest What Works Volume features an essay by Karen Black along with Michael Norton and Jacob Rosch from Reinvestment Fund about how to create mixed-income neighborhoods through affordable housing preservation. This case study highlights the viability of context-specific strategies, including a mix of public and … Continue reading What Works to Promote Inclusive, Equitable Mixed-Income Communities
West Philadelphia Scattered Site Model: An Affordable Housing Impact Study
In this study, May 8 Consulting and Reinvestment Fund set out to understand how the rehabilitation of 1,100 affordable housing units in 760 single-family houses or duplexes from 1989 to 2013, has impacted the West Philadelphia neighborhoods in which they are located. It compared the scattered site approach to developments that produced a similar number … Continue reading West Philadelphia Scattered Site Model: An Affordable Housing Impact Study
When Investors Buy Up the Neighborhood
Preventing Investor Ownership from Causing Neighborhood Decline This report by May 8 Consulting and PolicyLink examines the issue of investor purchasing of foreclosed and distressed properties, presents a set of best practices and promising approaches being used in communities to prevent irresponsible investor ownership from leading to neighborhood decline, and makes recommendations about what stakeholders … Continue reading When Investors Buy Up the Neighborhood
Reclaiming Foreclosed Properties for Community Benefit
May 8 helps to bring information to municipalities and states on successful foreclosure recovery strategies. Communities across the country are facing the negative impact of the foreclosure crisis as vacant properties increase and property values plummet. This PolicyLink report, Reclaiming Foreclosed Properties for Community Benefit, highlights promising practices that are already underway for localities looking to stabilize … Continue reading Reclaiming Foreclosed Properties for Community Benefit