Shortfalls in subsidized affordable housing have expanded across the U.S. due in part to rising construction costs that limit developers’ ability to fund projects and reduce the impact of affordable housing program funding. To address the shortfall, there is a need to identify solutions that alleviate these constraints on affordable housing development.
This study aims to explore the viability of combining two potential solutions to reduce overall costs of affordable housing: off-site construction and Passive House.
An examination of four projects that employ these construction methods demonstrates their ability to lower overall costs and provides guidance to developers on how to minimize their challenges and maximize their benefits. These case studies also provide recommendations for policy levers that could be used to increase affordable housing development with these methods to address the shortfall while providing equitable access to more resilient, healthier housing.