Reading Room

AFFORDABILITY STRATEGIES

Building on Church Land

Housing Trust + Community Land Trust models

Community Benefits Agreements

Dedicated Revenue Sources

Deed Restrictions

Inclusionary Zoning

ROC’s (Resident-Owned Communities) 

A ROC is a member-owned manufactured housing cooperative.

Short-term rental restrictions

Tax incentives/tax credits

  • Washington Post article: “A model for neighborhood renewal: Two lawyers have helped build thousands of affordable houses in 30 cities using an obscure federal tax incentive”

Tiny Homes

Diagram from University of Texas at Austin.
A pen signing a non-descript form (everything but "Name" and "signature" and "date" is blurred)
Woman holding her arms open and smiling in the middle of a street in a mobile home park.
Photo Credit: Lynn Friedman
A cluster of 7 or so tiny homes. There is a lawn and a fence. A few neighbors chat on a porch.
Photo Credit: Inhabitat

HOUSING TOOLS

CASE STUDIES

Podcasts:

  • “Blister” Podcast: Part 1 — Mountain Town Economics and Affordable Housing                                                                                 Dr. Jenny Stuber talks about some of the policies that the town of Aspen has employed, and which of them might be applicable to other towns trying to navigate the needs of full-time residents, part-time residents, local workers, and the visitors that many of these towns rely on.
  • “Blister” Podcast: Part 2 — Mountain Town Economics and Affordable Housing
    With Troy Russ, the community development director of Crested Butte. 
  • “Blister” Podcast: Part 3 — Mountain Town Economics. Developing Housing, Addressing Climate Change, & Mitigating Megafires  Interview with affordable housing developer. Includes how community planning can become an excuse for inaction: Developing to actually solve affordable housing and The sordid history of development, regulations, & building code
Shot of downtown Breckenridge, CO, at sunset. Warm light shines through the building windows. Mountains are in the background.
Aerial view of Bellingham, WA.
Logo for Blister Podcast - microphone surrounded by red

LEGAL (LOCAL LAWS, CODES, & POLICIES)

Jefferson County

City of Port Townsend

Washington State

Growth Management Act

Jefferson County logo
City of Port Townsend logo
Washington State flag.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

FURTHER EDUCATION

More resources: