One measure of a successful community is whether it provides an adequate supply of housing for residents of all levels of income and at all stages of life. The vitality of each community depends on how and where that housing is built.

Compact, mixed use and infill development near transit, jobs, shops, schools and other community centers can strengthen communities, expand housing choices and affordability, and promote the prosperity. On the other hand, sprawling "greenfield" development without mixes of uses tends to limit housing choices, segregate citizens by income level and force many to live in places that are far from their jobs. Poorly planned development also can negatively affect regional economic competitiveness if employers cannot attract workers due to high housing costs.

In this section, we describe ways that housing can foster comprehensive redevelopment, encourage neighborhood revitalization, improve air quality, reduce traffic and create more vibrant, livable communities.

Policies

• Encourage cities and counties to permit more multi-family and higher density housing
• Update or establish state sub-code for housing rehabilitation
• Support redevelopment of vacant and abandoned properties
• Provide incentives to encourage people to live near work or transit
• Support Community Development Corporations
• Modify allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to reinforce location efficiency
• Adopt fair-share requirements for affordable housing
• Establish a dedicated revenue source for affordable housing
• Encourage upper-story development downtown
• Align Community Development Block Grant funds with state land-use policies