Through our partnership with California Community Builders, we’ve helped them develop a new policy and research focus on Multifamily Homeownership (MHO), a set of housing tenures that includes affordable (i.e. Community Land Trust), market-rate (i.e. condos) and informal versions (i.e. intergenerational houses).

This path-breaking work is an attempt to reshape how we think about and support homeownership. These tenures already exist, and are particularly prevalent in BIPOC communities, but remain under-supported by policy and industry alike. Both because they are cheaper on average, more flexible and can be more communal, they also represent a piece of the solution to the current crisis of homeownership. This diverse and open approach to homeownership also has the potential to create new housing allies in difficult times. 

We’re particularly proud that this work with CCB helped set the stage for a recent report from the San Francisco Federal Reserve which used a variation of this framework to produce the most comprehensive public sector analysis of homeownership beyond single family housing that we have seen. This work is based on our longstanding engagement with housing tenure, especially with innovative ways of thinking about tenure as a 2-dimensional map.

There are major opportunities in this area for creative and ambitious organizations and companies. Don’t hesitate to reach out to discuss possible collaborations. We’re actively looking for strategic planning clients who want to build new business models that service this sector.