Affordability is a priority for most Americans when looking for a home, NeighborWorks® America confirmed in a new survey, “Bridging the Missing Middle.” But so are safety, walkability and access to essential services. People are open to missing middle housing if it makes housing more affordable.

Alpresteon “Sabrina” Billings wanted to see her Mississippi neighbors living safely and comfortably. And she figured out a way to make it happen. When the single-family rental community of Roberts Estates and League Cove, originally financed through Low Income Housing Tax Credits, became available to purchase once the tax credits expired, she worked with the tenants to purchase those homes. That was the original lease-purchase agreement, she explained, and that’s what she’d envisioned from the beginning. But some residents needed a little extra help to make it across the finish line. Billings, Chief Executive Officer of Gateway CommunityAlpresteon Billings smiles in front of a home with a garage. Development Corporation, was there to provide it.

Over the past 18 months, NeighborWorks® America has partnered with seven rural-serving organizations through the USDA-funded Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI), building their capacity to tackle some of the most pressing housing and economic development challenges they identified in their communities. More than a grant program, the RCDI program offered tailored technical assistance and access to subject matter experts, helping these organizations secure critical funding, unlock new resources and implement innovative solutions with lasting impact. NeighborWorks America coordinated the program from start to finish: recruiting eligible organizations, assessing their needs, matching them with subject matter experts, managing the one-to-one dollar match and financial and narrative reporting to USDA, and providing individualized support to ensure each project advanced toward its locally determined goals.

Today we're excited to dive into a timely conversation about manufactured housing as a solution to the attainable housing crisis. Joining us are two leaders at the forefront of this innovative movement. Sarah Kackar, director of Rural Initiatives at NeighborWorks America, and Ramsey Cohen who supports housing solutions for nonprofits nationwide at Clayton.

Asian Community Development Corp., a Massachusetts nonprofit that creates and preserves affordable and vibrant neighborhoods in Chinatown and Greater Boston, celebrated becoming an official member of the NeighborWorks® America network last week. The event, held in conjunction with a groundbreaking for a new affordable apartment building with a ground-floor library – the first public library in Boston’s Chinatown since 1956 – marked the fifth and final new affiliate in the NeighborWorks network for 2025.

What kind of power does it take to build affordable housing? “People power,” said Dolores Huerta. The storied Civil Rights leader spoke last week at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new property by Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, a NeighborWorks® America network organization.