LHS Unveils Two Online Trainings to Help Communities Develop a Local Housing Strategy

For officials with more direct oversight of housing policy, the follow-up module, Developing a Strategy, guides users through the next stages of turning knowledge into action. This more advanced training will help housing policymakers navigate the process of creating a comprehensive local housing strategy. 

A local housing strategy is a detailed and wide-ranging plan in which a local government outlines all of its housing objectives and its path to meeting them. The strategy should coordinate all of the agencies and divisions that administer programs affecting housing and take advantage of every option in a locality’s policy toolbox. 

This module teaches users which stakeholders to engage and how, what metrics might be insightful and where to find them, among other topics. In addition, the Developing a Strategy training guides housing planners through Local Housing Solutions’ four pillars of housing policy, our framework for structuring a comprehensive local housing strategy. It also includes a video guide to using LHS’s Housing Needs Assessment tool, an invaluable data resource for gauging local needs. 

Learn how to use the Housing Needs Assessment tool to generate customized reports on local demographics, affordability metrics, housing stock characteristics, and more, for any U.S. Census Bureau jurisdiction.

Both modules include links to Local Housing Solutions’ expansive Housing Policy Library, which contains a wealth of information on topics ranging from conducting virtual community engagement to methods for tracking vacant properties. These policy briefs offer detailed policy explanations, resources, and examples from around the country, providing practical lessons for local housing officials. 

If you would like to learn more about our online courses or other ways to connect with us, Ask the Lab.