Nonprofit organizations in the creation of affordable housing: Three case studies.

摘要

Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted and research literature was reviewed concerning the roles nonprofit housing organizations perform in the creation of affordable housing in the cities of Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; and San Fransisco, California. Five criteria were examined to determine the effectiveness of nonprofit affordable housing activities. Those criteria were: the historical context of housing; housing policies; roles of nonprofit housing organizations; political environment; and additional support mechanisms. The research revealed six factors needed to have effective nonprofit housing organizations. The six factors are: state and local housing partnerships; supportive state and local legislation; expertise and depth of the nonprofit community; usage of Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) legislation; community support for affordable housing; and foundation and corporate support for nonprofits. The data suggests that nonprofit housing organizations are the catalyst for the creation of affordable housing activities, although the scale of their impact is unknown.