ULI Report Outlines Local and State Solutions to the Housing Crisis

ULI Report Outlines Local and State Solutions to the Housing Crisis
News| August 7, 2025| Amy Wolff Sorter
Apartment Buildings

The federal policies regarding housing remain uncertain. While the National Housing Crisis Task Force has suggested recommendations to boost federal involvement in housing, nothing seems to be done; in fact, there have been suggestions of rollbacks on tools designed to help with new housing.

As a result, state and local jurisdictions are starting to pay more attention and are passing their own rules and legislation to help meet the housing crisis. The ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing’s recent report, “Building the Future 2025,” discussed how state and local policies can be used to help reform the current situation.

One suggestion in the report was to remove the barriers that impede housing supply expansion. “Across the country, public officials and nonprofit partners face a common set of challenges,” the report said. These challenges include outdated zoning codes, permitting processes that take years, rigid assessment systems and tax burdens that impact affordable housing.

The report pointed out that in 2025, cities and states are moving to modernize the systems, pairing zoning reform with targeted incentives.

The second suggestion was to align housing strategies with infrastructure, data and public resources. “Success increasingly depends on interagency and cross-sector planning efforts,” which move towards systems thinking in housing policy. For instance, connecting housing with transit and infrastructure can help generate housing in locations close to jobs, schools and essential services.

The third suggestion was to leverage land, capital and alternative building approaches to help provide needed housing. The report explained that “traditional financing mechanisms are proving insufficient to meet today’s affordability challenges.” As a result, public sector leaders are working with different funding strategies, including loan funds, bond allocations and tax increment financing. Such tools are meant to help bridge gaps and move stalled projects ahead.

The report also describes housing development reform progress in states including Massachusetts, New York, Georgia and Florida. “Across the country, governments are no longer waiting for federal permission—they are creating their own pathways to housing stability, affordability and opportunity,” the report said.

Other News

One Beverly Hills Reaches Milestones Ahead of Schedule

California & West + Apartment Buildings

The development team behind One Beverly Hills (1BH) said construction on the $10-billion luxury mixed-use project is proceeding ahead of schedule. The Beverly Hilton expansion structure topped out approximately 10 weeks ahead of schedule and one of the residential towers is progressing six weeks ahead. “This was accomplished while significant operations were maintained at The...

Learn more

Metro Loft, David Werner Secure $231M Loan for Midtown East Residential Conversion

New York & Tri-State + Apartment Buildings

Northwind Group has originated a $231-million first mortgage construction loan for 675 Third Ave., a 32-story, 337,000-square-foot office building in Manhattan’s Midtown East neighborhood that is slated for conversion into residential apartments. The conversion is being led by a joint venture between Nathan Berman’s Metro Loft Management and David Werner Real Estate Investments. Loan proceeds...

Learn more

Rental Affordability Declines in Most Metros, but Improved Housing Quality is a Factor

Apartment Buildings

Rental housing affordability declined in 82% of U.S. metropolitan areas between 2014 and 2023, with renters experiencing the equivalent of an average $256 annual reduction in income after accounting for changes in housing quality. That’s according to a new report released Tuesday by the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Research Institute for Housing America. The report, Housing...

Learn more
New call-to-action

Brokers

View All

Lenders

View All

Management

View All
Login
or
Sign up