Affordable housing can be difficult to develop in many suburban areas. Zoning and land use controls often limit opportunities. Unnecessary costs and time spend getting building permits and project approval compound this problem.  Thus, most affordable housing is within the more urban central-city.

However, job opportunities are more frequently concentrated in the suburban areas.  This creates problems for working class households. They cannot find affordable housing near where they work.

Developers must overcome the costly and time-consuming barriers if they wish to develop affordable housing in the areas most needed.

Tools and Information for Developers:

Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse from the the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - solutions to state and local regulatory barriers to affordable housing

Resource Center for Affordable Housing and Community Development - tools and information for affordable housing and community development from KnowledgePlex

Equitable Development Toolkit from PolicyLink - a national research and action institute

Affordable Housing Development 101 from PolicyLinkn institute

Regulatory Barriers to Housing Affordability - information and resources from the National Association of Home Builders

Toolkit for Affordable Housing Development - from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is a compilation of policies and tools for local governments and developers of affordable housing