Addressing the housing crises requires creativity, collaboration

With interest rates and real estate costs on rise, cities and counties across the nation are moving to address housing needs in their communities—but the problem is complex and there aren’t any easy solutions. If action isn’t taken and more housing isn’t made available expediently, it’s expected to worsen. I

n New York City, a report published Tuesday projects the city will need 560,000 new apartments by 2030—just to keep up with projected growth.

“For the second straight month, there was only one filing for a new building with more than 100 residential dwelling units,” reads a statement about the Real Estate Board of New York’s latest “Multi-Family Foundation Plan Application Report.” And that one new building “accounts for nearly 30% of all proposed new units from February filings.”

Despite the looming crisis and its potential to worsen, Zachary Steinberg, senior vice president of policy at the real estate board, in a statement noted the state’s legislature opted not to take “any substantive steps to increase New York City housing production” in its latest budget proposal.

“This data shows just how much worse the city’s housing crisis will become if we continue on the path laid out by the State Legislature’s one-house budget bills,” Steinberg said. “If the state budget fails to include sensible housing policies, New Yorkers should not expect these dire housing production numbers to improve.”

The friction that’s arisen between regional and local officials over housing issues and funding isn’t only in New York. In Boise, Idaho, for example, the regional government of Ada County unanimously denied a request by the city’s mayor to replenish funding for a program that houses homeless families and senior citizens in a local hotel. The funding is expected to end mid-April. 

“I won’t turn our back on those who need help to remain housed, even if their housing is a temporary hotel room. I won’t tolerate tent cities, and I won’t give up on people,” Boise Mayor Lauren McLean wrote in a statement.

Given the severity of the need and the complexity of the solution, collaboration—and creativity—is needed at all levels of government, and across jurisdictions.

In California, a state that was on the front line of the nation’s housing crisis well before the pandemic sent housing prices skyrocketing, Gov. Gavin Newsome announced this week “the state’s largest mobilization of small homes to serve people experiencing homelessness, especially those living in encampments,” according to an explainer about the initiative. Per the governor’s order, the California National Guard will deliver 1,200 small shelters to Los Angeles, San Diego County, San Jose and Sacramento. A $1 billion funding opportunity for local housing assistance and aid through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program was announced simultaneously—with a goal of reducing the state’s homeless population by 15 percent in about two years.

“All different types of housing—small homes, motels, hotels, and more—are needed to urgently confront this crisis,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “This housing will help us bring more people inside, which is what our city needs right now.”

Even so, the move was criticized across party lines by Sen. Brian Jones, R-San Diego, minority leader in the California State Senate. 

“This is just another band-aid on a crisis that is out of control in California,” Jones said. “We know that throwing money at this problem doesn’t work. California has already spent $20 billion over the last five years on homelessness and the crisis has only gotten worse with more than 172,000 people living on the streets in this state. While I appreciate the governor’s creativity to construct 1,200 tiny homes, that is a drop in the bucket.”