Research

Shared equity housing creates lasting affordability, builds wealth for people with limited incomes and helps create vibrant and inclusive communities. Shared equity programs typically realize these outcomes by limiting the sale or rental price of homes in their portfolios; requiring the sharing of home appreciation gains; and providing homeownership assistance to program residents. Residents and community members often participate in governing shared equity programs through democratic decision-making and/or a cooperative ownership structure. 

This short paper takes a first look at middle neighborhoods in a cluster of Desert Southwest cities in order to provide some initial and provisional answers to these questions. We selected six, more or less, representative cities to examine: Fresno, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; Albuquerque, new Mexico; and Arlington and Lubbock, Texas. 

As part of our efforts to build the capacity of nonprofits to use shared equity and cooperative housing strategies to preserve long-term affordable housing, build wealth for low-income families and promote neighborhood stabilization, we produced this guide to serve as a starting point for organizations and community leaders. We offer a set of guiding questions and considerations that should be noted when exploring the benefits and tradeoffs of pursuing shared equity housing models. 

NeighborWorks America's strategic plan calls out the need to better assist underserved populations and to support diversity, equity and inclusion in its programs. One strategic objective includes a goal to develop and resource a Native strategy and to identify opportunities to increase awareness about Native communities including cultural competency and sovereignty.

Over the course of a year, we sought to capture what art, culture and creativity can contribute to creating equitable and engaged communities that offer opportunity to all. Our creative community development report describes our exploration process and findings.

Our goal is to make every place a community of opportunity. Unfortunately, some areas are being left behind more than others as our global and national economies continue to shift. Rural communities are among them. 

Our Catalytic Grant Program was inspired by our mission to support efforts to build vibrant local communities that provide equitable opportunities for people to thrive. Noting that even years after the Great Recession had officially ended, many communities across the United States were still suffering from housing disinvestment, foreclosures and concentrated poverty, we set out to create a program that could build on the assets in these communities, strengthening the capacity of local organizations to tackle complex issues. 

Ten certifications to consider when rehabilitating homes in rural communities.

Nathalie Janson, candidate in Master in Urban Planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, researched comprehensive community development, including its impact, challenges and opportunities for support.

Now housing developers must change their approach to marketing and selling in order to expect good results.NeighborWorks America's Stable Communities Initiative created this guide to:

1. Assist you in developing a marketing and sales plan for your homes
2. Help you train and manage your development and sales team
3. Share templates, examples and resources to aid quick implementation of your plan