Credit: Bing Creative Commons.
When you think of housing, what do you think of?
Typical conversations about housing place housing types into two categories: single-family houses versus high-rise multi-family residences.
Conversations not only usually categorize housing like this, but they also tend to pit those two examples of housing against each other with a number of qualities. People often associate single-family houses with higher incomes and lower density, while they associate multi-family residences with lower incomes and higher density.
The truth is that there are dozens of types of housing, and affordability varies within each housing type. For example, there are affordable apartment units that cost under $500 per month and market rate homes with mortgages over $3,000. But, there are also market rate apartments and townhomes that cost $3,000 each month and affordable homes with mortgages under $1,000.
Conversations not only usually categorize housing like this, but they also tend to pit those two examples of housing against each other with a number of qualities. People often associate single-family houses with higher incomes and lower density, while they associate multi-family residences with lower incomes and higher density.
The truth is that there are dozens of types of housing, and affordability varies within each housing type. For example, there are affordable apartment units that cost under $500 per month and market rate homes with mortgages over $3,000. But, there are also market rate apartments and townhomes that cost $3,000 each month and affordable homes with mortgages under $1,000.
What types of housing does this initiative address?
The Housing Continuum diagram at the top of this page illustrates eight major housing categories. This Initiative focuses on four of those categories: affordable rentals, affordable home ownership, market rate rentals, and market rate homeownership. For visuals that show the huge diversity of housing types within these categories, click through the slideshow below.