Recap: Task Force co-chairs highlight State and Local Housing Action Plan, proven initiatives

Taking action was a central theme of a recent State and Local Housing Action Plan webinar co-hosted by the Task Force and Accelerator for America, featuring three of the four Task Force co-chairs: Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah, Mayor Justin M. Bibb of Cleveland, and Fifth-Third CDC President Susan Thomas.

Mayor Bibb closed out the webinar with wisdom from his grandmother that captured the essence of the event: “As my late grandmama told me, well done is better than well said. Right now, I have an execution-first mentality. We know what the agenda is; we just have to do, do, do, do. Do it fast. Do it at scale, and do it right to solve the problem, and I think if we all have that mentality, we can solve this crisis together as a country.”

In Cleveland, Mayor Bibb has exhibited that mentality through comprehensive zoning reform, streamlined permitting processes, an initiative to pre-purchase modular housing, and the launch of the Cleveland Housing Investment Fund, an innovative partnership with Cleveland LISC and Key Bank to create up to 3,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years.

Fifth-Third CDC President Susan Thomas shared wisdom on how communities looking for private and philanthropic resources need a shared vision, leadership from elected officials and community organizations, and a dedicated lead who knows the nuts and bolts of a project’s pro forma.

“It’s not about putting up a building; it’s about putting up a building that’s going to thrive in a neighborhood that’s going to be successful for generations,” Thomas said.

In Utah, lawmakers are utilizing state funds to make private investments in attainable homes less risky in a path-breaking effort to build more housing for families to own. Under Gov. Cox’s leadership, the state has an ambitious goal to build 35,000 new starter homes by 2028 and established a $300 million Utah Homes Investment Program to incentivize the creation of these attainable homes. Gov. Cox has opted to focus on building rightsized single-family homes in an attempt to help build communities – not just housing – and to make housing production more palatable for existing neighborhoods.

In his final thoughts, Gov. Cox noted that we must implement solutions quickly and effectively to increase access to housing for families across geographies and income levels.

“There were choices we made that got us into this, and there are choices we can make to get us out of it. It really is about doing and building. And I still believe in us, and that’s the thing I’m taking away from this group — that we can do this together.”