State & Local Policy

Wages have long been out of step with housing costs. Santa Fe hopes to change that by tying minimum wage increases to HUD’s Fair Market Rent estimates.

Bridge to Power aims to boost partner organizations’ capacity, information exchange, and agency.

Baltimore, Boston, and Cleveland voters recently showed what happens when leaders loosen zoning and modernize permitting, while investing in community-scale development at the same time. Federal policymakers should take notes.

A tenant opportunity to purchase act (TOPA) is a policy that gives tenants some specific rights when their building goes up for sale. Learn what it covers and what it doesn’t in this video.

We can upkeep homes without punishing low-income residents. Here are some lessons for change, and cities already doing that work on the ground.

Years ago, officials in dozens of cities and states showed interest in passing legislation that required landlords to accept alternatives to the traditional lump-sum security deposit. Today, much of that momentum has diminished.

A decade after city officials promised to cut flood risks in the Edgemere neighborhood, critics say it remains just as vulnerable.

Almost every state in the U.S. requires that landlords maintain safe and livable residential units. This is often called a “warranty of habitability.” In some places, there are laws that specify exactly what those requirements are; in others, the standards are less defined.

A Massachusetts initiative uncovers how fragmented programs make healthy homes harder to achieve—and helps local leaders reduce the friction.

Across the country, tenants and lawmakers are pushing for better standards around mold, cooling, and more. How did we get here?

Multiple states and localities brought affordable housing measures to the polls in 2025, to varying results.

For low-income seniors with limited English and tech proficiency, navigating New York City’s affordable housing systems is a challenge. To help, we must think beyond affordability.