Field Building is an essential aspect of our approach at The Kelsey. Solving the current housing crisis will require input, cross-sector leadership and expertise from a wide array of relevant stakeholders. We recognize that this is far too big a problem for any organization to solve on its own. The goal is to show how our work does not happen without field building. If you are fuzzy about the details of field building, this piece is for you. This article will introduce and define the concepts of field building and collective impact, explain how they are central to our approach and end with ways to stay engaged with The Kelsey and our work.

LIHTC developments endeavor to provide safe and supportive environments for all residents, including those with support needs, through resident services, proactive safety measures, and adherence to federal fair housing guidelines. All residents, regardless of background, deserve a safe, affordable, inclusive home. By upholding fair housing principles, LIHTC developments contribute to diverse and inclusive communities, prioritizing resident safety and community diversity as fundamental commitments. Developers of LIHTC projects do not need to choose between LIHTC funding and resident safety - this article will show you how both can be achieved with proper planning.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is the nation’s primary vehicle for financing affordable housing. LIHTC, however, is failing to meet the growing demand for accessible housing. Through this program, each state develops their own housing priorities through a Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) – guidelines that help state housing agencies determine how they allocate tax credits across their affordable housing infrastructure. The Kelsey’s research reveals that accessibility is not considered a priority for 19 states, and only 22 states require developers to construct any accessible units. Advocates can help influence QAPs by submitting public comments to housing finance agencies and educating policymakers on the importance of requiring accessible design in all LIHTC properties.

The purpose of this Learn Center resource is to give you tangible tools to make the most of the time you have with participants in your inclusive community workshops. We’ll get into the details and best practices of running community meetings, including sample agendas and the types of activities you can include in your meetings.

Affordable housing developers must surmount an array of hurdles to bring their projects to fruition, including land use politics, funding shortfalls, rising construction costs, and layers of funding requirements. The call to also make affordable housing accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities strikes some as one leap too many. But contrary to assumptions, building with disability-forward design principles in mind makes developments more appealing to a broader range of residents, extends the usefulness of a space, and can attract new funding partners and supporters.

Whether a developer has an existing affordable housing project or is conceptualizing their next, designing a resident-centered experience that considers the whole person is becoming increasingly important. At The Kelsey, we believe developers excel at this by: Supplementing their designs with disability-forward practices; Infusing the resident experience with inclusive services; and Consistently creating partnerships with each person who walks through the front door. To further these goals, this article demonstrates how developers and affordable housing operators can better understand Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), which undoubtedly cultivates a well-rounded, supportive, and affirmative experience for every resident in the place they call home.

One in four Americans lives with a disability, yet it’s estimated that less than 6% of the national housing supply is designed to be accessible. As housing communities are created, they don’t often meet the diverse accessibility and inclusion needs of people with disabilities. While basic code and compliance measures require specific features, no holistic set of guidelines and standards define an implementable, progressive approach to design truly accessible and inclusive housing communities. Equipping designers, builders, and developers with a set of standards and a new framework for disability-forward design, that highlights accessibility and inclusion, can drastically improve housing quality and housing options for all people.

As a part of our Getting Started Guide, this article is intended for people and organizations who would like to build disability-forward housing but need a partner to successfully execute their project idea. In this article, we provide context and common language used in the field to build your understanding so you can choose an appropriate development partner that will help you execute a housing community you envision.

This overview walks you step-by-step through hosting your own inclusive community workshops for your housing project. It covers the type of workshops, who and how to invite participants, and accessibility of process and materials with tips and best practices throughout. This resource will give you practical insight into anchoring community workshops in inclusion and helping participants feel comfortable, welcomed and valued.

26% of people have a disability, yet it’s estimated that less than 6% of the national housing supply is designed to be accessible. The Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion consist of over 300 Elements, which reflect design operations and choices that include development strategies, building features, or operational policies that support accessibility and inclusion. The Design Standards organize elements by Design Categories, Impact Areas, and Additional Benefits. Click to download the standards and a self-certification tool.