ProGov21 Policy Library

Livable Communities: Innovative, Inclusive and Equitable Cities

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2020

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source National League of Cities

Policy Areas Community Development, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

Livable communities that cultivate leadership, a sense of community, and embrace diversity are vital, but many of these characteristics are hard to measure. This report identifies the importance of incorporating innovative, equitable, and inclusive and provides recommendations from...

Housing Affordability and Property Taxes

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2025

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

...

Equitable Transit Oriented Development (ETOD) Centers Anti-Displacement

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) All States, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois

Source SPARCC

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Transportation & Mobility

Across U.S. cities, investments in transit-oriented development (TOD) have too often triggered displacement, gentrification, and rising rents in low-income communities and communities of color-undermining the benefits of public transit investments and exacerbating racial and economic...

Ohio Foreclosures 2016: Damage in the Wake of the Housing Crisis

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) Ohio

Source Policy Matters Ohio

Policy Areas Housing, Public Safety

This report analyzes the state of foreclosure filings in Ohio in 2015 and discusses the consequences of foreclosures on families, neighborhoods, and local governments. The report reveals that while foreclosure filings have declined, they remain times higher than pre-subprime lending...

Section 28 of Jefferson County Zoning Code Establishing a Mixed-Use District

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2013

Level County

State(s) Colorado

Source Jefferson County Colorado Planning and Zoning Commission

Policy Areas Community Development, Housing

Jefferson County addressed underutilized parcels, car-centric development, and a lack of integrated housing, retail, and transit options in key areas by reforming its zoning codes to establish a flexible mixed-use district that encourages compact, walkable, and transit-accessible...

Paper Outreach for Emergency Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention Services

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source National League of Cities and Stanford Legal Design Lab

Policy Areas Community Development, Housing

There is limited awareness and access to emergency rental assistance and eviction prevention services. City should create a portfolio of basic communication materials, including community handout flyers, simple posters or cards, service referral sheets, and court summons outreach...

Developing a Mom-and-Pop Landlord Engagement Strategy to Prevent Evictions

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source National League of Cities

Policy Areas Housing

Mom-and-pop landlords play a crucial role in eviction prevention and housing stability, especially in affordable housing options in local communities. This toolkit guides cities through a step-by-step framework for building a mom-and-pop landlord engagement strategy. It recommends...

Creating an Affordable Housing Ecosystem

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2024

Level City or Town

State(s) All States, Tennessee

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Community Development, Housing

The housing burden, exacerbated by the expiration of pandemic-era relief measures and rising inflation, has made it difficult for local governments to keep people housed despite rapid new housing developments. Access to affordable housing in urban areas is limited, leading to economic...

2018 Oakland Ordinance 13571 Amending Municipal Code to Clarify and Expand Vacancy Tax

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) Oregon

Source Oakland City Council

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice

Oakland adopted a vacant property tax to address blight, housing underutilization, and fund homelessness services, but needed clearer definitions and procedures to fairly implement the policy. This ordinance clarifies what qualifies as "use" or "vacant," expands and specifies exemption...

Promoting Housing Stability Through Just Cause Eviction Legislation

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2022

Level City or Town, National, State

State(s) California, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington

Source National Low Income Housing Coalition

Policy Areas Housing

The depletion of Emergency Rental Assistance funds and the end of eviction moratoriums have increased housing instability for low-income renters. To address this, cities should pass "just cause" eviction laws, which would ensure tenants can only be evicted for valid reasons, limit...

2014 San Francisco Ordinance Updating Inclusionary Zoning Guidelines

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2014

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source -

Policy Areas Housing

San Francisco's affordable housing shortage is worsened by zoning rules that limit where and how low-income and educator housing can be built. This ordinance expands eligibility and relaxes zoning restrictions-like height limits and open space rules-to make it easier and faster to...

Residential Vacancy Tax: Economic Impact Report

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2022

Level City or Town, County

State(s) California

Source City and County of San Francisco’s Office of the Controller

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

A proposed San Francisco ballot measure imposing a tax on owners of vacant residential units would target units vacant for over 6 months in buildings with more than two units, contributing revenue to the Housing Activation Fund for affordable housing. Census data reveals an average...

How to Establish and Improve Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Housing

Emergency Rental Assistance programs must be improved as COVID-19 put millions of low-income households behind on their rent and landlords may be unable to meet their financial obligations. This brief highlights model emergency rental assistance programs and provides best practices....

Safe, decent, and affordable: The Transportation Costs of Affordable Housing in the Chicago Region

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2012

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States, Illinois

Source Center for Neighborhood Technology

Policy Areas Transportation & Mobility, Community Development, Housing, Data & Technology

The CNT's Housing + Transportation Affordability Index examines the impact of local efficiency on transportation costs and overall affordability in 337 US metropolitan areas. This report uses publicly available interactive tools developed by CNT to show that transportation costs are...

How "Smart" is the Split-Rate Property Tax? Evidence from Growth Patterns in Pennsylvania

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2008

Level City or Town

State(s) Pennsylvania

Source Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

Urban sprawl and inefficient land use result from property tax systems that discourage dense development and reward holding underused land. A split-rate property tax-taxing land at a higher rate than buildings-encourages more compact growth by incentivizing construction and increasing...

2024 Action Agenda: Make Government Work for All Communities

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2024

Level National, City or Town

State(s) All States

Source National League of Cities

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Housing, Public Safety

The majority of Americans live in small and mid-sized communities and deserve equitable access to federal resources. This guide to advocacy supports legislation ensuring all communities can access federal grants, invest in workforce development, provide flexible funding for public...

Incentivizing Landlords to Advance Eviction Prevention

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source National League of Cities

Policy Areas Housing

Cities must rethink their strategies for incentivizing mom-and-pop landlords to participate in eviction prevention programs and advance housing stability. This toolkit provides recommendations for increasing incentives to engage landlords in local eviction prevention efforts and improve...

Creating an Affordable Housing Ecosystem

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2024

Level City or Town

State(s) Michigan

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Housing

Access to affordable housing in urban areas is limited, leading to economic disparities and concentrations of poverty. Communities can enhance economic development and sustainability by distributing affordable housing and job opportunities more equitably. This example from Lansing,...

Home Insecurity 2015: foreclosures and housing in Ohio

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2015

Level County

State(s) Ohio

Source Policy Matters Ohio

Policy Areas Housing, Public Safety

This report discusses the foreclosure situation in Ohio, highlighting that foreclosure rates still exceed pre-recession levels. It recommends continuing efforts to combat foreclosure, and emphasizes the effectiveness of foreclosure counseling, funding the demolishing of blighted homes,...

Housing Rehabilitation Codes

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source Local Housing Solutions

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Housing

Housing rehabilitation codes preserve housing availability and reduce building rehabilitation costs by aligning code requirements with proposed renovations and prioritizing safety improvements. This guide helps local governments develop rehabilitation codes and features examples of...

State and Local Housing Action Plan National Housing Crisis Task Force

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2025

Level City or Town, State

State(s) All States

Source National Housing Crisis Taskforce

Policy Areas Housing

The 2025 elimination of fair housing protections and cuts to the HUD workforce may be followed by increased construction costs, reduced federal support for public housing, vouchers and other programs. State and local governments must expand the supply of housing, boost homeownership...

Local Mansion Taxes: Building Stronger Communities with Progressive Taxes on High-Value Real Estate

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2024

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

Many cities struggle with underfunded public services, housing crises, and regressive tax systems that disproportionately burden low- and middle-income residents. Local "mansion taxes" on high-value real estate transactions generate progressive, voter-supported revenue to fund housing,...

Ensuring Tenant Protections & Rental Housing Quality

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town, National, State

State(s) All States, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Housing

Historically marginalized renters are faced with rising costs, deteriorating conditions, and a system designed to favor landlords and management companies over tenants. Cities must do everything in their power to even the playing field and ensure renters in their community are guaranteed...

2010 Baltimore Ordinance 342 Amending Non-Owner-Occupied Dwellings and Vacant Structures Zoning

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2010

Level City or Town

State(s) Maryland, Wyoming

Source Baltimore City Council

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Housing, Public Safety

This ordinance extends the registration requirements for non-owner-occupied dwelling units to encompass vacant structures; modifies the information required for registration statements; modifies the fees for registration; modifies or repeals certain registration fee exceptions; modifies...

Aligning Emergency Rental Assistance with Other Eviction Prevention Interventions

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source National League of Cities

Policy Areas Housing

Emergency rental assistance (ERA) can prevent a significant share of evictions, but it will not unilaterally address all evictions or every case of housing instability. This policy brief highlights the need for cities to align ERA programs with other eviction prevention interventions...

ProGov21 Policy Library

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