Housing & Innovation
We help communities confront America's housing crisis by identifying and scaling practical solutions —from unlocking underutilized public land and deploying innovative funding strategies, to modernizing zoning and streamlining permitting. We recognize that housing is the foundation of every household’s economic security, and through national partnerships with leading experts and philanthropy, we deliver data tools and hands-on technical assistance that help cities preserve and create safe and affordable housing, prevent displacement, and turn bold ideas into local action.
Current Initiatives
Impact Stories
CHATTANOOGA, TN
In Chattanooga, Tolemi’s data tools helped officials piece together property ownership insights they couldn’t previously access, informing everything from land bank investments to a clearer inventory of the city’s own property portfolio. That data-driven approach helped break down internal silos and spurred a wave of new action: a $20 million revolving loan fund, a new affordable housing pilot program, and the launch of the Chattanooga Land Bank Authority and Invest Chattanooga, a model the city adapted from another AFA community.
ST. LOUIS, MO
AFA is working with the St. Louis Community Foundation and St. Louis Development Corporation to establish a Housing Guarantee Fund to rebuild under-resourced communities, strengthen small community-based developers, and increase access to stable, long-term homeownership. This initiative expands upon AFA’s ongoing place-based efforts in St. Louis by providing additional technical expertise, industry connections, and best practices. The Housing Guarantee Fund’s inaugural project broke ground in August 2026.
