For 40 years, National Housing Trust (NHT) has championed the preservation of affordable housing. Preserving our existing affordable housing must continue to be a vital piece of the housing supply puzzle, without which the affordable supply that took so much time and resources to build will be lost. To combat our nation’s continued preservation needs, National Housing Trust continues to identify, develop, and amplify policy solutions grounded in our experience as a real estate developer, lender, and resident services provider.
States and localities are tackling this crisis by implementing an array of strategies that address today’s preservation challenges. Preservation not only ensures that existing housing units remain affordable for residents, but also provides a stable home for low-income households - an essential precondition for their economic, physical, and mental well-being.
Preservation Resources
As part of our Preservation Building Blocks series, NHT has developed topic-specific reports that explain how preservation policies affect housing options that are stable, resilient, and foster agency. This series will be continually updated, so check back to learn more!
Stabilizing Affordable Housing in a Time of Rising Costs
Stabilization funds are emerging as a critical response to rising operating costs and market pressures. As housing challenges intensify, models across the country offer important lessons for protecting both residents and the nation’s existing affordable housing stock.
Coordinating Preservation Through an Inter-agency Working Group
Effective preservation of affordable housing requires more than individual programs - it depends on coordinated and committed public infrastructure. Inter-agency preservation working groups are a proven strategy for aligning housing, planning, finance, and tenant protection agencies around a shared preservation mission.
Preservation Framework & Matrix Strategies
State and local governments must organize efforts around a clear, unified preservation strategy that aligns priorities and coordinates resources across government agencies and with external partners. A preservation framework and preservation matrix work in tandem to support the efficient allocation of resources for the preservation of affordable housing.
Strategies to Preserve Small Subsidized Affordable Housing Properties
Small properties play a critical yet underappreciated role in the affordable housing ecosystem and serve as a lifeline for low-income households. As affordability restrictions expire and operating challenges mount, there is a real danger of losing a substantial portion of this essential housing stock.
NHT in the Spotlight
NHT’s national thought leadership continues to uplift the need for preservation as a key piece of the housing supply conversation.
NHT’s New Chapter in Fighting For Affordable Housing Preservation
Next City – While We’re Racing to Build New Homes, We’re Losing Old Ones
Bisnow – Cities, States Step Up with Funding to Fill Affordable Housing Gaps
Shelterforce – Why the Affordable Housing Business Model is Unravelling
Affordable Housing Finance – Saving Stock, Preservation Roundtable
Shelterforce – In the Rush to Build, Existing Affordable Housing is Falls Apart
NHT Update – The Role of Rehabilitation in Housing Preservation
To learn more about Preservation and Long Term Affordability in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, check out NHT’s Infobriefs here.
This work is made possible by the generous support of JPMorgan Chase.