Budding developers can access funding and low-cost vacant lots for affordable housing construction.
A symposium organized by the Omaha Municipal Land Bank and the nonprofit Spark brought together local developers interested in developing infill properties, reports Cindy Gonzales in the Nebraska Examiner.
The symposium also connected emerging developers, bankers, architects, and others interested in housing development. According to Land Bank executive director Leslie Smith, encouraging infill development could have community benefits beyond just new housing, raising local property values. One such project, ‘Curtis Corner,’ built nine new homes on a formerly vacant lot in North Omaha.
The city recently sold 50 properties for as low as $1 with one catch: the new owners have a deadline to develop housing on the lots. “And as long as the homes are restricted for the designated income-qualified population, the buyer can access gap funding from nonprofit sources such as the local Spark Capital program to bridge the cost between construction and sale price.” The Land Bank is using a $1.25 million state grant to clean up and prepare 20 or more lots for building.
FULL STORY: Unprecedented moves seek to ramp up affordable housing options in Omaha
San Diego School District Could Accelerate Workforce Housing Program
A proposal to build housing on five district-owned properties could yield 1,000 housing units for low- and moderate-income district employees.
Oregon Cities Debate Expanding Boundaries
A recent bill allows cities to apply for a one-time expansion to Oregon’s historic urban growth boundaries, which limit development at the edges of cities.
Colorado Cities Seek to Address Housing Crisis With Modular Housing, STR Rules
Cities are incentivizing more affordable housing types and limiting permits for short-term rentals in an effort to keep housing affordable for residents.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research