America's Affordable Communities Initiative

Information by State  Print version   National Call to Action HUD is launching a National Call to Action to spawn a nationwide movement to encourage the production of affordable housing through regulatory reform. Read more...   National Call to Action Symposium National Call to Action Alert... Robert L. Woodson, Jr. Award   Robert L. Woodson Jr. Awards Program   Read the press release Related Information   Mission statement   Federal register notices   Press releases and media   Knocking down barriers to affordable housing   Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse   Byrant Applegate's bio   Krista Mills' bio Want More Information?   Neighborhood reinvestment corporation supports regulatory reform   Design advisor   NIMBY resources   Strategies for producing affordable housing   Local regulatory barriers in Waukesha County, WI   Reducing the Cost of New Housing in New York City   Creating a local advisory commission on regulatory barriers

The United States is the best-housed nation in the world, yet millions of hard-working American families struggle to find homes and apartments within their budgets. They are often forced to commute long distances, live in sub-standard housing, or live in over-crowded conditions due to exclusionary, discriminatory, and/or unnecessary regulations that drive up costs that are eventually passed on to the consumer.

Over the years, HUD has found that regulations such as out-of-date building codes, duplicative or time-consuming design review or approval processes, burdensome rehabilitation codes, restrictive or exclusionary zoning ordinances, unnecessary or excessive fees or taxes, extreme environmental restrictions, and excessive or "gold-plated" land development standards, all contribute to higher housing costs and production delays.

For middle-income individuals such as teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, service sector employees and others, barrier removal is an integral component of meeting their housing needs. By reducing development costs by as much as 35 percent through the removal of affordable housing barriers, millions of American families will be able to buy or rent suitable housing that they otherwise could not afford.

	Program Highlights
National Call to Action Newsletter (September, 2008)   National Call to Action Newsletter (August, 2008)   National Call to Action Newsletter (July, 2008)   National Call to Action Newsletter (June, 2008)   National Call to Action Newsletter (May, 2008)   National Call to Action Newsletter (April, 2008)   National Call to Action Newsletter (March, 2008)   National Call to Action Newsletter (February, 2008)   National Call to Action Newsletter (January, 2008)   Jackson appeals to nation�s mayors to cut red tape choking workforce housing   HUD honors four communities with Woodson Award   HUD hosts third annual Affordable Housing Roundtable   "Why Not?" report studies impact of Regulatory Barriers on working families   President Bush calls for reducing excessive regulation   HUD hosts Affordable Housing Roundtable!   Nation's counties support HUD's initiative   Hillsborough County, Florida answer's HUD's call!   Campaign for Affordable Housing meets with HUD   Ormond Beach, Florida answers HUD�s call!

	Highlights
Former HUD Secretaries Kemp and Cisneros endorse HUD's effort to reduce excessive regulation   Local governments and private industry comment on HUD's effort to reduce regulatory barriers   Regulatory Barriers: Secret (and Not so Secret) Weapons Against Affordable Housing   Announcement of incentive criteria on barrier removal in competitive funding allocations   Initiative brochure, March 2004: HUD Helping Communities Create Affordable Housing Through Regulatory Reform