CRP 388
Affordable Housing Policy

Unique Number: 01270
Instructor: Elizabeth J. Mueller, Ph.D.

A complex and powerful ensemble of federal, state and local policies shape the cost and availability of housing in the U.S. Substantial direct and indirect subsidies are provided to households capable of purchasing private homes or residential properties. Other forms of government support have been used to improve access to housing for low-income households including provision of public housing, housing vouchers, and subsidies to landlords and developers. Housing policies for middle and upper-income strata remain uncontroversial. But government support for low-income housing, like other areas of social policy, is undergoing a period of fundamental reexamination and debate. This course is designed to provide students with a deeper understanding of the affordable housing crisis, the array of affordable housing policies and programs, and the institutions active in affordable housing production. In addition, the course will expose students to the practical elements of low-income housing project development and management, with an emphasis on housing development by non-profit organizations.

The course will be organized as follows. The first part of the course will review key theories and concepts pertaining to housing markets and housing policy. Theories of land rent, land use, and housing and neighborhood development will be studied. In the second section, the evolution and current structure of federal, state and local housing programs will be analyzed. The class will focus on recent trends including the devolution of federal housing programs to state and local governments and the increasing role of community-based groups in housing production and management. In the third part of the course, we will learn the steps and political and financial challenges associated with non-profit housing development, production and project management. Successful non-profit development practices will be studied through an analysis of actual projects in Austin and elsewhere.