Best Practices in Suburban Housing Affordability: Understanding, Motivating, and Policy Options

Suburban communities across the United States have different housing strengths and weaknesses; however, they have all experienced a steady rise in median housing prices. Lower housing affordability has a host of negative consequences including increased homelessness, poor health outcomes, unaddressed racial housing inequality, and lower disposable incomes.

Although research and resources often focus on urban and rural areas, an increasing number of suburban areas face housing affordability pressure from rapidly expanding major urban cores. Similar housing pressures face regional metropolitan areas (anchored by smaller cities such as Boise, ID and Spokane, WA), which serve as economic, cultural, social, or health-care hubs for surrounding rural communities.

Applied Research Fellows Tyler Augst, Craig Carpenter and Dave Ivan, all from Michigan State University, developed a position paper on affordable housing, focusing on first and second ring suburban cities and smaller, growing urban centers. This paper will serve as the foundation for determining future opportunities for Extension, such as the development of programming or curricula to help metropolitan leaders establish effective housing policy.

Products & Resources

Paper

Carpenter, Craig Wesley, and Tyler Augst. 2021. “Best Practices in Suburban Housing Affordability: Understanding, Motivating, and Policy Options.” Western Center for Metropolitan Extension and Research.

Web Resources

Project Website (external): https://www.canr.msu.edu/redlining/

Presentations

2022 National Urban Extension Conference, Camden, NJ

Events & Programs

Community discussions around housing: Explaining common key terms (Michigan State University Extension article)

(Upcoming) Michigan State University Housing, Planning, and Zoning Housing Programs