A partnership between the National League of Cities (NLC) and the American Planning Association (APA), the Housing Supply Accelerator is a national campaign to improve local capacity, identify critical solutions, and speed reforms that enable communities and developers to work together to produce, preserve and provide a diverse range of quality housing by realigning the efforts of public and private stakeholders in the housing sector to meet housing needs at the local level.
About the Campaign
The Housing Supply Accelerator will bring together local governments, community planners, builders, financial institutions, housing policy associations and state and federal partners to develop, align and advance solutions for housing supply challenges at the local level.
Through this solutions-oriented campaign, we will develop model practices, ordinances and resources to accelerate and incentivize local approaches to land use, housing development and preservation.
A Campaign for Locally Driven Housing Supply Solutions
Learn more about the launch of this effort to realign stakeholders and advance solutions that accelerate and incentivize local approaches to land use, housing development and preservation.
Why are NLC and APA Partnering Together Now?
Housing stability is a prerequisite for economic mobility, job security, and health and well-being. Housing is the single biggest factor impacting economic mobility for most Americans. When residents have stable living conditions, the benefits are apparent — students do better in school and health outcomes improve. Communities benefit as a whole from this stability. Opportunities for investment growth and economic prosperity develop when housing policies and products serve the needs of residents across generations and income levels. It’s up to local governments and leaders to evaluate and reform ordinances and rules to create positive outcomes for residents and communities.
The affordable housing crisis harms every community. In many places, housing instability and homelessness are outpacing the capacity of local governments, housing developers and financial institutions to meet the evolving housing needs of cities and towns. Although localities are not impacted equally, every city, town, and village, from urban to rural, is negatively impacted by the housing crisis. Because housing markets are regional, clashing ordinances related to housing and homelessness can drive racial inequities and produce negative economic outcomes across a region.
Every level of government is being pressured to act. Elected officials at every level of government are hearing from constituents that housing is a major problem where they live. In response, cities and states are pursuing a wide range of different, and sometimes contentious, solutions.
Local governments and leaders are an essential part of the solution. Local leaders are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for local governments to meet demand for housing. Cities are experimenting with zoning and code reforms and, lacking other alternatives, some are building housing on their own. Annual federal funds for housing and homeless assistance programs are deeply appreciated but insufficient to meet the demand. Local governments are filling gaps by utilizing one-time funds through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act to finance the production and preservation of housing. The Housing Supply Accelerator will help localities do more with their housing dollars and maintain their efforts even after these one-time programs wind down.
Campaign Steering Committee
To guide and inform this important campaign, NLC President Mayor Victoria Woodards (Tacoma, WA) and APA President Angela D. Brooks, FAICP, have engaged a steering committee of local leaders and planners, each with unique perspectives and experience in housing policy, planning or development. To learn more about the committee, read our latest blog post, National Experts Join the Housing Supply Accelerator to Guide Meaningful Action.
Become a Sponsor
A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are available to organizations looking to support this important work and drive meaningful impact to address the pressing challenge of local housing supply needs. Learn more about the packages and benefits available to partners by downloading the prospectus.
Stay Up-to-Date
Local government leaders and planners have an opportunity to provide critical insight to this campaign through engagement with National League of Cities and the American Planning Association. To stay up to date, complete the form below.
Campaign Sponsors
This campaign is made possible with the generous support of our sponsors, including:
For questions on becoming a sponsor, contact sponsorships@nlc.org.