Affordable housing networks: a case study in the Phoenix metropolitan region

Abstract

The lack of regional housing coordination in metropolitan areas has led to a disparity in the distribution of affordable housing. In its place is a haphazard, ad hoc system for developing and supplying affordable housing. Through a descriptive analysis of the greater Phoenix metropolitan regional housing arena, this study explores the positions of public, nonprofit, and private agencies in a network of participants producing affordable housing and the implications of the structure of this network for the successful implementation of affordable housing policies. Results show that the number of contacts actors had in the network are on average low, that private organizations are few and yet becoming more involved through partnerships with NPOs, and that government agencies have the potential to be brokers in the affordable housing network but currently do not take or are unwilling to take advantage of that position.

Keywords:

• affordable housing
• network governance
• low-income housing