Journalists are drawn to covering problems, and when it comes to housing, we know there are plenty. Earlier this month, I published a review essay on three new books about the housing crisis, and it might be easy to conclude, based on all the dizzying statistics and warnings, that little progress is being made.
That would be a mistake. One of my favorite aspects of working at Vox is having the space to explore innovative and promising solutions, and this year we covered some really good ones in housing in particular. The kinds of ideas that, after I finish reporting, after I’ve finished asking sources all my toughest questions, leave me genuinely excited. Many of these policy ideas not only offer new, creative ways to increase our housing supply or get people into existing housing, but also help communities tackle other problems like blight and social isolation.
Here are six housing policy ideas I’ve reported on in 2024 that I feel (cautiously) enthusiastic about:
1. Converting abandoned strip malls into housing
The Irondequoit Mall in upstate New York opened in the early 1990s and was once a bustling destination for the suburban town outside Rochester. But over time, as more retail shopping went online, the brick-and-mortar stores closed, leaving a lot of empty storefronts. One nonprofit housing developer had the idea to retrofit the mall’s vacant Sears department store into new affordable housing for seniors. Her team converted the empty building into 73 new rental apartments, connected to a new four-story multifamily rental building on the adjacent parking lot.
Policymakers, researchers, and real estate developers are paying close attention to mall conversions like this one. Strip malls in particular offer some unique advantages for developers because they usually come with big empty parking lots that make it easier to build. Recent research estimated that converting just the top 10 percent of strip mall candidates could create more than 700,000 new homes across the country. In 2022, California passed a new law to help facilitate these kinds of conversions, and in 2023 the Biden administration released new guidance to help leaders and developers navigate the financing process.
Unlike vacant office buildings, many abandoned strip malls nationwide are already decades old and require long-backlogged repairs. They can be real drags on their communities, and maintaining them can be more expensive than just demolishing and rebuilding. You can read our full story on this idea here.
2. Giving tenants cash instead of housing vouchers
The Housing Choice Voucher program (known formerly as Section 8) celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, and while more than 2 million families currently use the subsidies to pay for housing, it’s often a dysfunctional process for those involved. One federal study found only about 60 percent of voucher-holders can even find a landlord willing to rent to them.
There’s quiet momentum building in Washington to use cash instead. Advocates think the cash-based approach might not only prove more effective, but also prove more dignifying for renters, and even save governments money — allowing them to focus more on providing services and building new housing. While policymakers are pitching the initiative as a modest inquiry, officials involved are keenly aware that a small pilot program could lead to massive, permanent changes to the bipartisan $30 billion annual program. You can read that full story here.
3. Mixed-income public housing, where local governments play the role of housing developer
I first covered this idea back in 2022: It’s a new model for local governments to build more housing by taking over as developers that then own the newly created housing assets. The idea is to leverage relatively small amounts of public money to create a fund that could finance short-term construction costs.
I wrote about it again this year because the idea no longer just exists on paper. One place leading the way is Montgomery County, Maryland, which opened its first mixed-income apartment complex in 2023. With 268 units, it’s nothing like the ramshackle public housing you might typically imagine. It’s sleek and modern, with a fitness center and a courtyard pool. Other cities and states, including Chicago, Atlanta, and Rhode Island, have been moving forward with their own versions.
I take some pride in this one because after we published our story in February, some folks in the Biden White House took notice and reached out to one of our main sources for a meeting. About a month later, a proposal supporting this idea was included in Biden’s 2024 budget, and Kamala Harris also backed it on the campaign trail. The idea was also elevated this year at the Bloomberg CityLab conference, and just this month San Francisco published a report affirming the model’s feasibility for their city.
4. Yes in God’s Backyard
The YIGBY movement, an acronym for “Yes in God’s Backyard,” really kicked off in San Diego, where a local Black church turned its empty 7,000-square-foot lot into 25 apartments for seniors and veterans. The YIGBY movement is taking advantage of two different societal trends: Religious institutions across America are grappling with declining memberships and rising costs, with up to 100,000 churches projected to close in the next few years; meanwhile, cities desperately need more affordable housing.
Last year, California passed a law that will make it easier for churches, temples, synagogues, and mosques to build housing, bypassing typical zoning rules that often block new development. The potential is huge: California alone has 47,000 acres of faith-owned land that’s suitable to build on.
The idea is picking up steam. States from Hawaii to New York are organizing for similar legislation, and there’s even a federal bill to support these projects nationwide. It’s something of a win-win proposition: For religious institutions, it can be a way to fulfill their mission of helping others while putting empty land to good use and generating new sources of revenue. For cities, it’s a creative solution to their housing crises, and can also help many communities deal with abandoned or deteriorating buildings. You can read more about that here.
5. Putting factory-built housing and ADUs on community land trusts
In August, I wrote about an innovative idea that combines three distinct affordability strategies. The experiment began in San Bernardino, California, on a single plot of land.
First, they’re building homes in factories instead of on-site, which cuts construction costs nearly in half. Because the homes are built to meet the construction standards set by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, they qualify for special financing options, meaning they can be produced more efficiently at scale.
On top of that, the developers are adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on the same property, increasing supply on the same plot of land. And lastly, they’re using a community land trust (CLT) to keep these homes affordable for future buyers. A local affordable housing group owns the plot of land the homes are built on, and the CLT will effectively limit how much the homeowners could resell it for when they’re ready to move on. The city of Palm Springs took notice and is now piloting the idea on three vacant lots the city owns. You can read the story and about the pilot’s first family here.
6. Affordable dorm-style living using empty downtown office space
One reason we haven’t seen more office-to-residential conversions — despite a post-pandemic office vacancy rate approaching 20 percent nationwide — is because the economics of those projects often aren’t financially feasible. This kind of adult dorm project, however, addresses a lot of those economic concerns.
The idea is to create smaller apartments with shared kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces. In cities like Denver, these units could rent for between $500 to $1,000 per month (far below the city’s $1,771 median rent) while still turning a profit. The communal setup could cut conversion costs by 25 to 35 percent compared to traditional office-to-apartment conversions.
I looked at three cities — Denver, Seattle, and Minneapolis — that are already strong candidates to pursue this idea thanks to recent zoning changes that allow for this kind of co-living. It’s a modern take on the single-room occupancies (SROs) that housed millions of urban workers in the early 1900s before cities banned them. While some might bristle at the small units, the central locations and affordable rents have the potential to be meaningful options for students, young professionals, service industry workers, retirees, and urban newcomers. You can read more about that idea here.
The housing affordability challenges ahead are real, but a lot can change for the better when hard-working people pay attention. Lest you were worried, we’re not wearing rose-colored glasses over here. We’re going to keep watching how these ideas develop and what implementation actually looks like. We’ll bring you a progress report next year, as well as (hopefully) some new ideas to add to the list. Your readership and financial support make this kind of reporting possible, so thank you.
You’ve read 1 article in the last month
Here at Vox, we’re unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you — threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.
Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.
We rely on readers like you — join us.
Swati Sharma
Vox Editor-in-Chief
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings