Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge Frequently Asked Questions
The Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge, an initiative of the American Planning Association (APA) and the National League of Cities (NLC), is a nationwide network designed to accelerate the implementation of proven and innovative housing strategies and expand the supply of housing in communities across the country.
Rooted in action and results, the challenge will support local leaders to put the Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook: Solutions, Systems, Partnerships into practice. Participating communities will gain access to best practices, technical assistance, housing supply experts, and a peer exchange.
General Questions
How can a city apply to the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge?
Cities, towns, and villages and their partners, such as, but not limited to, metropolitan planning organizations, chamber of commerce, council of governments, local builders, and Realtors® chapters, can apply to the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge by applying.
Simply create an account through Submittable, complete the questionnaire, and answer the short response questions.
Are cities of all sizes eligible to participate in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge?
Yes. Strategies and tactics discussed in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge will be tailored to serve all cities.
Does a city need to be a dues-paying member of APA or NLC to join the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge?
No, cities are not required to be APA or NLC members to participate. Any city that is committed to addressing its local housing supply needs is encouraged to apply, regardless of membership status.
Is there a cost associated with participating in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge?
There is no cost associated with the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge.
What are the selection criteria for participation in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge?
For each application period of the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge, APA and NLC will select up to 30 cities to participate.
Applications will be reviewed and selections made in the order they are submitted during each application period.
If the challenge has reached capacity by the close of an application period, cities that are not selected will be pre-enrolled into the next challenge cohort, and Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge's program staff will reach out at a later date to confirm participation and readiness.
Who should apply for the Housing Supply Challenge, and is a letter of support from the mayor or city manager required?
Any city's department, office, or agency staff associated with the housing supply may apply to participate in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge. Two (2) lead participants from the city must be committed to actively participating in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge and should be identified in the application.
Representatives from partner organizations (including metro planning organizations, local and regional housing or planning nonprofits, or county staff) are also welcome, but not required, to participate as part of a given city team.
The city staff members applying to the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge do not need a letter from their mayor or city manager to apply to this program, but should seek to demonstrate the city's commitment to taking meaningful action on housing supply needs.
What about nonprofits, philanthropies, and other partner organizations? Can non-municipal organizations apply or participate in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge?
Non-municipal organizations involved in housing supply efforts are encouraged to participate in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge as part of a city's team, but are not eligible to apply directly.
Partner organizations interested in participating should seek to connect with their local government team and encourage them to apply for the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge.
What are the responsibilities of the lead participants for a city in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge?
Lead participants will serve as the primary points of contact for a city's team. These individuals should be city staff members who are equipped to actively participate in and contribute to ongoing Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge programming. This includes joining and contributing to the learning lab(s), participating in optional webinars or coaching, and sharing relevant resources.
They will also support internal coordination with the city as needed, such as by facilitating connections to other city departments or teams to apply learnings from the program.
These individuals are also expected to support evaluation of the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge by completing an initial onboarding survey, periodic progress reports, and a final feedback survey at the conclusion of the program.
The lead participants are encouraged to invite additional city staff members, external stakeholders, and partners to participate in the Housing Supply Accelerator's virtual programming as needed. Lead participants can engage individuals to participate in one-off sessions relevant to their work.
What happens if one of the lead participants leaves their role in the city?
We ask that the departing team lead engage a city colleague to participate in their place and facilitate a transition to that new team member.
What if more than one application is submitted for the same city?
Applicants from the same city will be asked to merge their teams and participate as a single group. The applications will be evaluated together when determining whether a given city will be accepted into the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge.
Are there opportunities to enroll in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge at a later time?
Yes, there will be opportunities to enroll in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge at a later time. Information about future cohorts will be made available on both APA's and NLC's websites after the selection of the current cohort has been finalized.
After my city is accepted into the challenge, what are the next steps?
After registering, selected cities will be contacted to schedule a 30-minute Readiness Call, where we can learn more about city capacity. Following the readiness call, cities will receive an onboarding survey and a calendar invite to the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge's virtual orientation.
Program Components & Participation Questions
What topics will be covered and focused on through programming and resources?
Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge programming will be responsive to the specific needs and interests of participating cities, but key topics of discussion will likely include:
- Collaborations and Partnerships
- Construction and Development
- Finance
- Land Use and Regulations
- Infrastructure & Workforce-Related to Housing Supply
- Messaging
- Community Engagement
What programming are participants expected to attend, and what additional assistance will be available through the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge?
Depending on the community's designation status, communities will have access to the following resources and technical assistance.
| Activity | Adopter(s) | Accelerator(s) | Innovator(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Lab | X | ||
| Coaching | X | X | |
| Webinars | X | X | X |
| Peer Exchange | X | X | X |
| Technical Assistance Opportunities | X | X |
Participants will also regularly receive resources through a newsletter.
Will the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge's participants meet in person?
The Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge has no current plans to convene in person. Activities related to the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge will largely take place over video conference calls.
Can more than two people from the same city participate in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge? What about partner organizations?
Absolutely! In addition to the two lead participants, it's suggested that cities develop a core team of individuals regularly participating in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge programming.
These additional participants should be directly involved in refining the strategy to address local housing supply challenges, and can include other individuals within city government or agencies, or from external partners such as metropolitan planning organizations, council of governments, community-based organizations, local homebuilder chapter, local Realtor® chapter, health systems, local employers, philanthropies, or universities.
Individuals can also join for one-off sessions relevant to their work around housing supply, rather than participating on an ongoing basis as part of the city's core team.
The Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge can complement work being done through an existing city or community task force focused on housing supply or can serve as a spark for developing such an internal workgroup.
Will participants be automatically enrolled in the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge's technical assistance offerings?
No. Participants must apply separately for any technical assistance offered through the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge.
How will participants be made aware of technical assistance opportunities available through the Housing Supply Accelerator's Challenge?
Based on the designation's eligibility, participants will be notified of technical assistance opportunities and its application process via direct e-mail.
Will grant dollars be available through the Housing Supply Accelerator's technical assistance opportunities?
Not all technical assistance opportunities will have grant dollars. Each technical assistance opportunity will detail whether grant dollars are available.
Additional Questions
Have a question not answered here?
Email the APA and NLC teams with any additional questions.