Policy Brief: Housing Affordability in Urban Neighborhoods
Our latest policy brief examines rising housing costs and outlines evidence-based recommendations for equitable urban development.
Rising housing costs continue to reshape urban neighborhoods, pushing lower-income households farther from employment centers, schools, and essential services. This policy brief summarizes recent data from our housing affordability index and proposes actionable responses for local governments, housing authorities, and community advocates.
Scope of the problem
Between 2020 and 2025, median rents in the districts we track increased by 34%, while median wages for service and care workers rose by only 11%. The result is a widening gap between what residents earn and what they must pay to remain in their communities.
Displacement is no longer limited to central business districts. Peripheral neighborhoods that once offered relative affordability are now experiencing rapid investor activity, short-term rental conversion, and rising eviction filings.
What the data shows
Rent burden
Nearly half of renter households in our sample pay more than 30% of income toward housing, the standard threshold for cost burden. Among households earning less than 60% of area median income, that figure rises to 78%.
- Median rent increased 34% over five years
- Affordable unit production lagged population growth in 7 of 9 districts
- Eviction filings rose sharply after the expiration of emergency protections
Supply and preservation
New construction has concentrated in higher-rent segments, while the stock of naturally occurring affordable housing — older walk-ups, small multifamily buildings, and accessory units — faces mounting maintenance pressure and acquisition risk.
“Affordability is not only about new buildings. It is about whether the homes people already live in remain safe, stable, and within reach.”
Policy recommendations
We recommend a three-part strategy focused on protection, production, and participation.
1. Strengthen tenant protections
- Expand notice periods for rent increases and no-fault evictions
- Fund legal assistance for tenants facing displacement
- Improve enforcement of habitability standards in older buildings
2. Increase affordable supply
- Prioritize affordable units near transit and community anchors
- Incentivize rehabilitation of small multifamily properties
- Set inclusionary requirements for rezoned corridors
3. Require meaningful participation
- Mandate community impact review before major redevelopment approvals
- Fund resident organizing and translation for planning processes
- Publish displacement risk assessments for proposed projects
Conclusion
Housing affordability is not a single policy problem — it is a systems challenge connecting wages, land use, tenant rights, and public investment. The recommendations in this brief offer a path toward more equitable outcomes, but only if implementation is paired with accountability to the residents most at risk of displacement.