The State and Ambition of Home Repair Programs in the US
An overview the impact of RWJF grantees in the home repair field
Please join us for a special event celebrating the exciting work happening in the home repair field from five different Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grantees:
- New York University Furman Center
- Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
- Coalition for Home Repair
- Partnership for Housing Affordability
- National Council of State Housing Agencies
As organizations passionate about uplifting the importance of affordable housing and home repair, each through different projects, programs, and methods, we are excited to collaborate on this event to share our collective impact in the home repair field.
The goal of this event is to highlight the unique perspectives and expertise each organization brings to the field of home repair. Although each organization has its own vision, mission, and goals, we're all working towards a better future through home preservation and rehabilitation, and we are stronger together.
During this webinar, we'll hear from each organization on the projects they've been working on with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Learn more about each organization on their tab.
This webinar is free for all to attend. We welcome all housing preservation partners and advocates! There will be time after the presentations for any audience questions.
About the NYU Furman Center
The Housing Solutions Lab at the New York University Furman Center helps small and midsize cities plan, launch, and evaluate evidence-based local housing policies that advance racial equity; increase access to opportunity; and improve long-term health and wellbeing for residents. Support for the Housing Solutions Lab is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Project Overview
This Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding supports efforts by the Housing Solutions Lab to convene, support, and learn from cities that are building home-repair programs to support existing homeowners, including many homeowners of color, and that are tackling racial disparities in homeownership and wealth. This project will help cities establish effective repair programs, evaluate housing ecosystems, and identify long-term investment opportunities. Deliverables will include a scan of repair programs, expert recommendations, and a final report.
About the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies strives to improve equitable access to decent, affordable homes in thriving communities. We conduct rigorous research to advance policy and practice, and we bring together diverse stakeholders to spark new ideas for addressing housing challenges. Through teaching and fellowships, we mentor and inspire the next generation of housing leaders.
Project Overview
In collaboration with key partners at University of Missouri-St. Louis, Center for Community Progress, and Rhodes College, the JCHS: 1) reviewed the state of scholarship on housing deterioration, household outcomes, repair programs (public and civil), program effects, and repair program policies; 2) involved practitioners of repair programs through three workshops: federal government; state and local government; and nonprofits at all scales (held May 6, 8, & 10, 2024); and 3) produced a set of recommendations for a revised national and local policy framework. The final report is available at www.jchs.harvard.edu.
About the Coalition for Home Repair
The Coalition for Home Repair provides funding, advocacy, and educational resources for organizations and institutions that ensure the preservation of safe, healthy, affordable housing for all. The Coalition began as a conference of like-minded organizations seeking ways to share wisdom, resources, and best practices within the home repair and rehab community. Out of that was born a national trade association and a foundation that brought together organizations from across the country to make our collective stronger. Today, we're a coalition of nonprofits, local governments, and faith communities who repair homes and partner with businesses, sponsors, other nonprofits, and individuals to make a bigger impact.
Project Overview
The Coalition for Home Repair was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to grow our capacity through increased staffing. As a result of our RWJF grant, we added four part-time employees, increasing our programming, advocacy, and resources. This funding was also critical in helping us write strong federal grant applications with qualified staff. We're proud to leverage their investment into more funds and awareness. Pending and secured funds pursued since RWJF supported our operations total $6M.
About the Partnership for Housing Affordability
The Partnership for Housing Affordability (PHA) was founded in 2004 as an independent 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness around affordable housing. Today, PHA serves as the Richmond region’s lead housing agency on policy, collaboration, and data. In response to housing needs in our communities, we champion policies, developments, and programs for quality affordable housing in the Richmond, VA region.
Project Overview
This project offers a unique opportunity to determine the combined impact that critical home repairs have on the financial wealth of low-income Black homeowners. Through the comparison of survey responses from Black households receiving home repairs in Richmond to those on the waitlist for such repairs, we aim to to determine the causal effect that critical home repairs have on the preservation of Black wealth—at a population and community level—in neighborhoods with high risks of displacement. By examining this research gap, PHA believes that communities will be more equipped to prevent the extraction of Black wealth, proactively address displacement, and systematically strengthen neighborhoods that have been historically and actively subject to predatory and market forces.
About the National Council of State Housing Agencies
For more than 50 years, state Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) have played a central role in the nation’s affordable housing system, delivering financing to make possible the purchase, development, and rehabilitation of affordable homes and rental apartments for low- and middle-income households. The National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization created to advance, through advocacy and education, the efforts of the nation’s state HFAs and their partners to provide affordable housing to those who need it.
NCSHA’s members are:
- the state HFAs, as well as the HFAs of the District of Columbia, New York City, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands;
- the agencies that allocate the Low Income Housing Tax Credit in the states where an HFA does not; and
- more than 350 affiliate members in the affordable housing field.
NCSHA’s Mission
To advance through advocacy and education the nation’s state Housing Finance Agencies’ efforts to provide affordable housing to those who need it.
NCSHA’s Vision
An affordably housed nation.
Project Overview
Grant funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supported an NCSHA analysis of state housing finance agency home repair programs and an assessment of opportunities for scaling them through impact investment. NCSHA surveyed its member HFAs and selected five programs for a more in-depth review of underwriting, servicing, and performance. The programs were: Idaho Housing and Finance Association’s Home Improvement loan; Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s Homeowners Energy Efficiency Loan Program (HEELP); MassHousing’s Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP); North Carolina Housing Finance Agency’s Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan (ESFR) program; and Minnesota Housing’s Fix Up Loan Program. NCSHA developed detailed term sheets for each, allowing detailed comparisons among the programs. NCSHA also convened a national virtual symposium featuring these programs, along with researchers, federal officials, and other experts. Thanks to RWJF’s generous support, NCSHA has gained deeper insight into what is constraining the growth of affordable home improvement and repair financing programs and how financing interventions may help alleviate them.
This webinar is free for all to attend.
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