New CSSP Policy Brief: Affordable Housing as a Platform for Family Well-being

With homeownership at 66 percent, one of the lowest rates in years, and rental rates equivalent to more than 100 hours per week of minimum wage work* – the housing crisis is having a significant effect on not only the national economy but the social, emotional and physical well-being of children, youth and families.

Safe, stable and affordable housing plays a significant role in the prosperity of local economies and in the lives of families. It can be a factor in a number of issues, including health, educational achievement, economic prospects and more.

Recently, however, more and more public officials are recognizing the necessity of comprehensive housing policies and other supports to improve conditions for families.

CSSP has developed two new resources that focus on the role policymakers and community stakeholders have in creating places where all families can thrive.

The new materials make the connection between housing and family well-being, provide state policymakers with recommendations supported by research and data and offer examples of how states and communities are leveraging existing federal resources.

• Policy for Results: Strategies to Promote Affordable Housing

• Financing Community Change: Affordable Housing as a Platform for Improving Family Well-Being: Federal Funding and Policy Opportunities