Housing Production Acceleration Efforts

Though implementation is dependent upon administrations and local contexts, a variety of policy tools can help to both create more density amongst existing housing and accelerate the construction of future housing. In 2023, Vermont banned single-family zoning, while Washington passed legislation to allow most housing types in most jurisdictions. A 2024 Colorado measure prohibits the restriction of how many unrelated roommates can live in one home.

Other strategies have recently emerged, such as New York City's 2024 fast-track rule streamlining the environmental review process of small- and medium-sized housing projects. Outside of the U.S., Canada has considered a return to wartime housing construction strategies consisting of a pre-approved catalogue of home designs to help accelerate building construction and lower costs.

And big corporations are beginning to move into the housing sector. In 2023, Costco announced the development of a mixed-use housing complex above an upcoming new retail store, including designated low-income units. Apple has invested in a Bay Area fund that supports affordable housing development, and Amazon announced its foray into housing in 2021 to help combat the increase in housing costs that generally accompany new Amazon headquarters, though its progress thus far has been criticized.