Author: Rigel A. Behrens

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13:

A regional affordable housing plan was one objective of a larger, continuing economic development planning effort in Northern Kentucky called Vision 2015. Efforts to move the housing plan forward ultimately stalled and the effort was abandoned by Vision 2015 in the summer of 2009. Why did Northern Kentucky's attempt to develop an affordable housing plan fall apart? This question serves as a jumping off point for a broader examination of the regional housing network's ability to plan and collaborate. The literature describes the devolution of American housing policy from the federal to the local level and the growing importance of partnerships among local government, non-profit agencies and the private sector. The potential for flexibility and innovation in local approaches has increased, but so has the complexity and fragmentation of American housing policies. This case study relies on semi-structured interviews of participants in the Northern Kentucky's housing network. Attitudes and opinions are presented in the words of interview respondents to describe the challenges participants negotiate to create successful partnerships for affordable housing. Barriers include weak private sector participation, lack of municipal involvement outside the region's urban core, and the need for leadership to unify the vision and objectives of the network. Nonetheless, Northern Kentucky's housing network has built strong relationships and developed a culture of collaboration, particularly among non-profit and social service agencies. The region's housing and planning context is also considered in light of the literature on regional cooperation, housing planning, and the impact of evolving U.S. housing policy on local affordable housing development.