Interim Report: Estimating the Cost to Preserve the Nation’s Public Housing
The 10 Year Roadmap for Public Housing Sustainability is pleased to release its Interim Report and preservation cost estimate. Public housing is one of our nation’s most enduring assets and a vital foundation for economic stability, community well-being, and opportunity. For nearly a century, tens of millions of low-income families have called it home.
The 10 Year Roadmap collaborated with researchers at the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation (PAHRC), advised by Ingrid Gould Ellen of New York University’s Furman Center, to produce a groundbreaking approach to estimate the cost of preserving the public housing portfolio. The baseline cost to preserve the nation’s public housing portfolio in 2025 dollars is $169.1 billion nationwide. This Interim Report provides an in-depth analysis and methodology used to arrive at this number.
While proven strategies like expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) already offer a path to preserving public housing, we must continue to seek additional financial tools. Broadening the coalition to include voices beyond traditional housing advocates can spark transformative ideas. With a reliable and rigorous preservation cost estimate now established, this moment calls for action. Let’s get to work.
How We Arrived at this Preservation Cost Estimate: A Deeper Dive
To learn more about our innovative methodology for and our process to estimate the baseline cost to preserve the remaining U.S. public housing stock, access the accompanying technical report authored by PAHRC here.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
10 YEAR ROADMAP CO-CHAIRS
The Honorable Ritchie Torres, Member, U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Shaun Donovan, CEO & President, Enterprise Community Partners
La Shelle Dozier, Former Executive Director, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA)
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Peggy Bailey, Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Development, Center on Budget & Policy Priorities (CBPP)
Diana Blackwell, Board Member, National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
Emily Cadik, Chief Executive Officer, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition (AHTCC)
Asia Coney, Resident Commissioner, Philadelphia Housing Authority
Mark Gillett, Immediate Past President, Public Housing Authorities Director’s Association (PHADA)
Ingrid Gould Ellen, Paulette Goddard Professor of Urban Policy and Planning, Director for Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, New York University (NYU)
Ismael Guerrero, President & CEO, Mercy Housing
George Guy, Immediate Past President, National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
Priya Jayachandran, CEO, National Housing Trust (NHT)
Joy Johnson, Resident Leader, Charlottesville Housing Authority
Andy McMahon, Principal, Health Management Associates, Inc.
Joshua Meehan, President, MTW Collaborative
Jeffery K. Patterson, President, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA)
Dennis C. Shea, Executive Vice President and Chair, J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC)
Sarah Rosen Wartell, President, Urban Institute
Renee M. Willis, President & CEO, NLIHC
CONVENER
Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director, CLPHA
FACILITATOR
Greg Russ, Principal, Pine Street Partners
COUNSEL
Steve Holmquist, CLPHA General Counsel, Reno & Cavanaugh, PLLC
ADVISORS
Greg Byrne, Principal, Greg Byrne Consulting
Patrick Costigan, Principial, CF Housing and Strategic Adviser, RAD Collaborative
Jaime Bordenave, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Communities Group
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Kelly McElwain, Manager, Research and Industry Intelligence, Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation (PAHRC)
Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition
National Council of State Housing Agencies
CAPITAL NEEDS WORKING GROUP MEMBERS
FACILITATOR: Greg Russ, Principal, Pine Street Partners
COORDINATOR: Malcolm Guy, Sr. Research & Policy Analyst, CLPHA
Cate Asp, Research Analyst, PAHRC
Keith Bayer, Director of Environmental Programs, Dominion Due Diligence Group (D3G)
Kecia Boulware, Deputy Director of Development, SHRA
Gregory Byrne, Principal, Greg Byrne Consulting
Emily Cadik, CEO, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition (AHTCC)
Rob Dicke, Senior Manager, Baker Tilly Advisory Group
Margaret Donnelly Moran, Deputy Executive Director for Development, Cambridge Housing Authority
Dan Emmanuel, Research Manager, NLIHC
Stephen Evanko, Director of Sustainability & Energy, D3G
Ingrid Gould Ellen, Paulette Goddard Professor of Urban Policy and Planning, Director for Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, NYU
George Guy, Immediate Past President, NAHRO
Robert Hazelton, CEO, D3G
Vlada Kenniff, President, NYC Public Housing Preservation Trust
Rich Larsen, Partner, Novogradac and Company LLP
Ellie Lochhead, Graduate Assistant, NYU Wagner and Furman Center
Kelly McElwain, Manager, Research and Industry Intelligence, PAHRC
Rishad Mitha, Deputy Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino
Eric Oberdorfer, Director, Policy & Legislative Affairs, NAHRO
Marisela Ocampo, Director, Housing Services, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA)
Libby O'Neill, Senior Policy Analyst, NLIHC
Camille Préel-Dumas, Policy Associate, Community Preservation Corporation
David Gonzalez Rice, Senior Vice President of Public Policy, NLIHC
Claire Russ, Chief of Agency Analytics, Inspections and Technology, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
Rod Solomon, Partner, Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP
Lauren Song, Senior Staff Attorney, Greater Boston Legal Services
Michael Webb, Senior Policy Analyst, PHADA
DISCLAIMER
The authors are grateful that the individuals and organizations listed above participated in meetings and provided valuable input to advance the 10 Year Roadmap. However, that participation does not constitute an endorsement by a participant of any information or views contained in this Interim Report.
This report is for general information only. PAHRC makes no representation or warranty about the accuracy or applicability of this information for any particular use or circumstance. Your use of this information is at your own discretion and risk. PAHRC and any author or contributor identified herein assume no responsibility for your use of this information. You should consult with your attorney or subject matter advisor before adopting any strategy or policy.