Housing Policies

This policy inventory compiles some housing policies that states can choose to put into place to support economic security for families with young children.

NCSL’s Housing and Homelessness Legislation Database includes state-level legislation on many of the below housing and homelessness topics.
SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan have released searchable data profiles on child and youth homelessness at the county and congressional district levels, school district, state, and national levels.
The Brookings Institution has gathered information about the emerging bipartisan pro-housing movement in states.

Child Care Priority During Homelessness

Establish automatic or streamlined eligibility for children experiencing homelessness
Establish priority for children experiencing homelessness to receive child care subsidies

Source:

School House Connection: State Laws on Early Childhood Education

Child Care Subsidy Exceptions During Homelessness

Implementing exemptions from work requirements for parents experiencing homelessness
Waiving co-payments for parents experiencing homelessness
When children are experiencing homelessness, exempting or putting in place a grace period for the submission of eligibility/enrollment documentation (with immediate enrollment pending document submission)
Grace period for children experiencing homelessness to meet immunization requirements (with immediate enrollment pending meeting requirements)

Source:

School House Connection: State Laws on Early Childhood Education

Pre-K Priority During Homelessness

Focusing on recruiting families experiencing homelessness to pre-k programs

Example:

Illinois

Prioritizing children experiencing homelessness for pre-k slots

Example:

Maryland, Texas, Illinois

Source:

School House Connection: State Laws on Early Childhood Education

Rental Assistance for Low-Income Families

Funding a housing program that provides rental assistance to low-income families with children to avoid eviction or homelessness

Six states have established this kind of program.

Source: NCCP: Early Childhood Profiles

Creating a state-level rent voucher program

Example: New York

Source: NYU Furman Center: A State Level Rent Voucher Program

Policies to Keep Rents Low

Rolling back state laws that preempt cities and local governments from imposing rent controls
Requiring landlords to give six months’ notice before substantial rent increases
Give greater protections to renters whose landlords stake claims to damage deposits

Examples: New Mexico, Michigan, Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia and Arizona

Source:

Pluribus News: States consider rent control to address housing crisis

Housing-Based Food Access

Establishing a food security program in which housing authorities distribute food to low-income communities

Source:

Urban Institute: How Stable Affordable Housing Can Help Tackle Food Insecurity

Proxy for Income in Rental Assistance

Allowing a proxy to determine rental assistance eligibility

Programs can use a reasonable proxy, such as average incomes in a neighborhood, in conjunction with self-attestation to determine household incomes, in order to determine eligibility for Emergency Rental Assistance

Source:

National Low-Income Housing Coalition: Implementing Fact-Specific Proxy in ERA Programs

Improving Affordable Housing Supply Through Zoning and Procedural Changes

Using zoning, land-use regulations, and procedural changes to increase affordable housing supply

The BPC brief linked below provides an overview of how zoning affects housing supply—first describing local governments’ comprehensive plans and, second, zoning and some of its critical elements.

Examples: New York, Virginia, Montana, Utah, Oregon

Sources:

Bipartisan Policy Center: What are zoning and land-use regulations and how do they affect housing supply?

Brookings Institution: Is zoning a useful tool or a regulatory barrier?

Brookings Institution: Who’s to blame for high housing costs? It’s more complicated than you think

NCSL: Targeting Policies that Help Families Stay Afloat

NCSL: Middle Housing: Filling a Gap in Available Housing Options

Improving Affordable Housing Supply Through Tax Credits to Developers

Providing tax breaks to developers willing to construct low-income housing.

The state programs are designed to supplement the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Twenty-four states have implemented this strategy.

Example:

Colorado has been one of the most successful at leveraging state tax dollars to expand affordable housing.

Source:

Pew: Here’s one way states are boosting affordable housing

Using ARPA Dollars for Housing Assistance

Using federal rescue dollars for short term aid to renters and homeowners, services to people experiencing homelessness, affordable housing production, home repairs/weatherization, and supportive housing

Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia have used this strategy.

Source:

CBPP: States Should Use Flexible Federal Pandemic Aid to Boost Access to Affordable Housing and Reduce Homelessness

Tenants’ Rights