Pro-Housing Designation Programs: How States are Incentivizing Pro-Housing Reform

In recent years, state governments have taken a more active role in encouraging local policy change to increase housing production and affordability. State-level pro-housing designation programs—which incentivize or require localities to proactively plan for and facilitate housing production—can be an important addition to the policy toolbox.

In this report, we profile and compare six pro-housing designation programs across the country—in California, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, and Utah. The report highlights states’ varying approaches to engaging stakeholders, determining participation and compliance, establishing incentives and penalties, and strengthening data collection to inform and refine current and future housing efforts.

While the programs are too nascent to fully assess their effectiveness, the report details opportunities for improvement and offers instructive lessons to other states interested in facilitating housing growth in ways that fit their specific legal, economic, and political contexts.

Authors:

Shazia Manji, Research Associate

Rachel Ozer-Bearson, Assistant Specialist

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