Cities receive funds to replicate successful housing programs
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Bloomberg Philanthropies will invest between $450,000 and $750,000 in 14 U.S. cities across 12 states to help them address housing shortages.
The organization announced the funding on October 15, choosing cities based on their readiness to adopt proven housing strategies and demonstrated leadership. These cities, including Albuquerque, New Mexico and San Jose, California, will replicate successful programs from Austin, Texas; San Diego, California; and Atlanta, Georgia.
Austin’s program legalised accessory dwelling units, smaller homes on the same property as a main house, and resulted in nearly 3,000 new units permitted between 2015 and 2024. San Diego saw an 82% increase in housing construction permits after implementing a policy to speed up approvals for affordable housing in 2023. Atlanta created a team in 2022 to advance affordable housing projects, aiming to deliver 20,000 units in less than ten years by coordinating city agencies.
The program intends to extend these strategies to at least 16 more jurisdictions, with around 10 of them potentially implementing all three approaches. Funding will support technology for housing approvals, staffing for strike teams, and architectural work on permit plans, with additional support from Accelerator for America and other specialists. Local governments can register with the Bloomberg Cities Idea Exchange to seek support.
