New research from CLPHA and Econsult Solutions shows that PHAs generate and induce multiple streams of economic activity benefitting those who reside in public housing, as well as local employers, governments, and industries. "The Economic Impact of Public Housing: Ongoing Investment with Wide Reaching Returns," highlights four key findings:
Public Housing is an Economic Driver
Housing authorities generate economic impacts that ripple through the community, city, and region. PHAs own and manage large property portfolios as well as directly support real estate markets through Housing Choice Vouchers and other housing assistance payments.
- Every $1 million PHAs spend on capital investments generates $1.89 million in economic activity and supports 11 full-time jobs
- From FY13-17, PHAs in Akron, Charlotte, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, and Oklahoma spent $4.5 billion on capital needs and generated an estimated $7.6 billion in economic activity, supporting 7,600 full-time jobs
Public Housing is Workforce Housing
While the majority of public housing residents are elderly and/or disabled, among work-able households, most are either working, subject to work requirements, or have worked recently.
Public Housing is a Long-Term Investment
The 1.1 million public housing units around the country are a significant investment by the federal government, with a replacement cost of $183 billion.
Public Housing is a Tax Revenue Generator
Public housing is a critical element of regional and local infrastructure due to its proximity to transportation, business centers, educational opportunities, other housing, and community centers, as well as its multiple economic intersections and influence on the economic growth of their cities.
- 6 PHAs generate $69 million in city tax revenue and $215 million in state tax revenue each year.
From the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles' press release:
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) made history this weekend, hosting its first-ever Youth World Cup Championship at UCLA. The event, held on Saturday, July 11, brought together public housing families, youth and community partners for an inspiring day of championship soccer, celebration, and heartfelt remembrance. Representing Portugal, San Fernando Gardens left with the top prize, emerging as the first-ever HACLA Youth World Cup Champions.
Beyond the competition, the championship served as a powerful tribute to HACLA Community Engagement Manager Eric Washington. Washington’s vision and leadership were instrumental in creating and organizing the tournament. His dedication to expanding opportunities for HACLA youth and strengthening communities through engagement and service leaves a lasting legacy.
“The HACLA Youth World Cup represents everything we strive to create for our young people – opportunity, belonging, leadership, and hope,” said Lourdes Castro Ramírez, President and CEO of HACLA. “Eric Washington believed deeply in the power of community and in the limitless potential of every child we serve. This tournament reflects his vision and his heart. As we celebrate these remarkable young athletes and their accomplishments, we also honor Eric's lasting legacy by continuing the work he cared so deeply about – creating pathways that inspire our youth to dream bigger, achieve more, and build brighter futures."
In one of the day's most moving moments, Washington's mother, Tina Johnson, joined families and participants as they honored his memory. Before the matches began, youth and family members greeted Johnson with hugs, words of comfort, and shared memories, reflecting the profound impact Washington made on countless lives throughout Los Angeles.
A central goal of the tournament was to expose participants to institutions of higher education by hosting events on college campuses, reinforcing HACLA’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities for its residents. Approximately 150 players and family members toured the UCLA campus prior to the tournament. The championship also coincides with Build Hope Inc. preparing to award scholarships to HACLA residents pursuing higher education this fall, further supporting students as they continue their academic journeys.
“We are deeply grateful to UCLA for hosting the championship and for welcoming our players and their families with a campus tour. By opening their doors, UCLA gave our youth the chance to see themselves as students someday, reinforcing the importance of higher education and showing them that their dreams are within reach,” concluded Castro Ramirez.
The month-long tournament, which launched on June 13 at California State University, Los Angeles, featured youth ages 10 to 13 representing 11 HACLA housing communities across Los Angeles. The championship finals featured teams from Mar Vista Gardens, Pico Gardens, San Fernando Gardens, and Rancho San Pedro competing for the inaugural title. After an exciting day of competition, teammates and families cheered on San Fernando Gardens (Portugal), earning medals and the championship trophy for first place. Following San Fernando Gardens was Pico Gardens (Spain) in second, Mar Vista Gardens (France) in third, and Rancho San Pedro (Germany) in fourth.
HACLA will host a celebratory banquet in the coming weeks to recognize all tournament participants. Every player will receive a commemorative medal, with additional awards and trophies presented during the celebration.
The inaugural HACLA Youth World Cup Championship was made possible through the generous support of UCLA and community partners, including AltaMed, the Dr. Simi Foundation, Juventus Academy, LA Galaxy, Mayor Karen Bass, the Los Angeles Police Department Community Safety Partnership Bureau, Build HOPE, Primestor, South Los Angeles AYSO, Street Soccer USA Los Angeles, and Angel City FC.
The tournament’s success reflects HACLA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening communities through youth engagement, wellness programming, educational opportunity, and resident empowerment – an enduring legacy inspired by Eric Washington’s passion for serving others.
From New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani's press release:
Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, NYC Health + Hospitals, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and development partners broke ground on River Commons, a $255 million mixed-use development that will bring 328 affordable and supportive homes, an expanded public health care center and new public green space to the South Bronx.
Built on the campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania River Commons marks the first time NYC Health + Hospitals has integrated a health care facility into a residential building on hospital property, bringing housing, health care and community services together in one place.
“New Yorkers deserve safe, affordable homes and the stability that comes with them,” said Mayor Mamdani. “River Commons will deliver 328 homes to the South Bronx, with nearly 70% reserved for low-income New Yorkers and 98 supportive apartments for homeless H+H patients. By bringing affordable housing, health care and community services together in one place, we’re investing New Yorkers who deserve a chance to build a secure future.”
“Our city is confronting both a housing and health care crisis, made even worse by federal attacks on the health care that New Yorkers rely on,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. “Despite these threats, the Mamdani Administration is creating deeply affordable homes alongside expanded health care services. This is what government can accomplish when we bring people together to meet New Yorkers’ needs.”
“For many New Yorkers, housing and health are inseparable. Our Housing for Health initiative addresses a holistic set of New Yorkers' needs, using our public land to build housing, provide medical services, and ensure residents are able to thrive,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg. “My thanks to the H+H, HPD, and development teams for their work to make River Commons a reality, and I look forward to delivering even more Housing for Health projects across the city as a part of our Block by Block housing plan.”
“Housing is a powerful prescription for so many of our patients to support their health,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “Our Housing for Health initiative has placed nearly 2,000 patients experiencing homelessness into safe, stable homes. NYC Health + Hospitals is particularly proud to use our land to create more housing for our patients and our community. River Commons will be one of our largest housing projects in years, with affordable and supportive housing as well as additional primary care space. We are deeply grateful to our partners in and out of government for making this shared purpose a reality.”
“Residents of the South Bronx have long faced high barriers to quality healthcare and affordable housing. River Commons is a remedy, and this first-of-its-kind development is a model for what's possible when we think boldly about the intersection of housing and health," said Dina Levy, Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation & Development. "For more than 300 families, this marks the beginning of a new life. Children who grow up here will be able to focus on their homework without worrying about whether the heat's going to come on, or whether their parents will be able to make rent. I want to thank H+H, our development partners, and the dedicated staff at HPD who have spent years bringing River Commons to life."
“Housing is the foundation for health, stability, and opportunity, and a critical part of building stronger, healthier communities,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “River Commons is a transformative investment in the South Bronx and a powerful example of the promise of the Jerome Avenue Neighborhood Plan, creating affordable housing, expanding access to healthcare, and ensuring that longtime residents can benefit from the growth and development taking place in our borough. Bringing together affordable and supportive housing, healthcare services, and community-based resources will help residents build brighter futures and strengthen the health and well-being of our communities. Thank you to NYC Health + Hospitals, Type A Projects, BronxWorks, L+M Development Partners, and all of our partners for helping create healthier, more equitable housing solutions where Bronx residents have the opportunity to thrive.”
“To improve the health of New Yorkers, NYC Health + Hospitals is always looking for innovative partnerships that can leverage City and private resources and creativity,” said Leora Jontef, Senior Assistant Vice President for Housing and Real Estate at NYC Health + Hospitals. “River Commons will do just that: it will transform a parking lot into over 300 new affordable and supportive homes while also expanding and improving spaces for care delivery for the larger community.”
“Gotham Health is proud to be part of this transformative project that will modernize Gotham Health, Morrisania and expand access to high-quality care for the Bronx,” said Michelle Lewis, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health. “It reflects our commitment to innovative solutions that bring healthcare, housing, and community resources together to address the factors impacting health beyond the exam room.”
Located on the campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania River Commons is financed in large part by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s New Construction Finance (NCF) Extremely Low and Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) program, which supports housing for New Yorkers with the greatest need.
River Commons will transform an underused parking lot into a vibrant 17-story mixed-use building with 328 affordable and supportive homes. Nearly 70%, or 229 homes, will be reserved for New Yorkers earning between 30% and 70% of the area median income (AMI). Another 98 apartments will provide permanent supportive housing for NYC Health + Hospitals homeless patients through the hospital’s Housing for Health initiative.
Apartments will range from studios to three-bedroom homes. Residents will have access to a fitness center, children’s playroom, community room, coworking space, a 15th-floor community terrace and around-the-clock security. BronxWorks will provide on-site social, wellness and employment services for residents.
The development will also include a new 43,000-square-foot state-of-the-art health care facility for NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania, expanding access to primary care and allowing the clinic to serve more patients. The project also includes a 15,000-square-foot parking garage.
Along River Avenue, River Commons will create 6,000 square feet of community space for African Communities Together and the BronxWorks Empowerment Center, to serve the greater Bronx community. The development will also include a 7,000-square-foot public green space designed in partnership with the community, featuring a landscaped plaza and a public art installation by multidisciplinary artist, designer and educator Fitgi Saint-Louis that reflects the neighborhood’s history, culture and future.
Type A Projects, a women-owned affordable housing developer, and BronxWorks, a leading community-based non-profit serving the Bronx for over 50 years, will be the long-term owners of the project. The development team comprises Type A Projects, BronxWorks and L+M Development Partners. Designed by Bernheimer Architecture, River Commons is set to open in 2029.
“River Commons goes beyond its core mission of providing high-quality affordable housing by also bridging access to world-class health care and neighborhood-based social services to create healthier, lasting communities that New Yorkers can afford,” said Annie Tirschwell, Principal of Type A Projects. “At the heart of River Commons lies a network of partnerships that makes the whole of this project far greater than the sum of its already powerful parts. We joined forces with BronxWorks to lead a mission-driven women-owned and nonprofit development team, championing a plan that will create 328 new affordable homes, high-impact community health and social services, green space and an activated streetscape. We’re grateful to this administration for their leadership and our financing partners for sharing in our vision for a development that will empower its residents to thrive year in and year out.”
“River Commons will deliver critical, high-quality affordable housing for Bronx families and individuals while offering BronxWorks wraparound services helping residents thrive,” said Eileen Torres, CEO of BronxWorks. “BronxWorks is proud of this transformative development, advancing long-term economic growth and social stability for current and future generations of the Bronx. We’re grateful to Type A and our partners for sharing this commitment to strengthening the Bronx through impactful, community-centered housing.”
“River Commons will deliver more than 320 new affordable homes while also expanding access to critical healthcare services in the Bronx,” said HDC President Eric Enderlin. “HDC is proud to finance projects like River Commons that represent how strong public private partnerships and effective interagency coordination can address the compounding healthcare and housing crises in New York City.”
“River Commons will be a major new hub for the South Bronx's diverse communities to live and thrive,” said Amaha Kassa, Executive Director of African Communities Together. “We are excited and proud that the Bronx's large and growing African immigrant communities are an integral part of it.”
Law Includes CLPHA Priorities for RAD and BABA; MTW Provisions Troubling
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the most significant housing legislation in more than 30 years and a bill CLPHA and industry partners worked on throughout its development, is now law. The legislation was enacted at midnight on Friday, July 11, after President Trump declined to sign the bill and the constitutionally prescribed 10-day period following the House’s transmittal of the bill to the White House expired. Under the Constitution, a bill presented to the President becomes law without his signature after 10 days (Sundays excepted) so long as Congress remains in session.
Thanks to sustained advocacy from CLPHA and industry partners, the final law preserves key wins for our members, including the critical RAD and BABA provisions that had been stripped from earlier versions of the bill. The law also takes meaningful steps to address the nation’s housing supply crisis. With enactment complete, attention now turns to implementation at HUD. CLPHA is prepared to shape forthcoming guidance, rulemakings, and implementation timelines, and will engage with the Department to ensure implementation reflects our members’ interests.
As CLPHA previously reported, Congress passed the legislation by a sweeping bipartisan vote of 85-5 in the Senate and 358-32 in the House. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act contains many of the provisions from the Senate’s ROAD to Housing Act and the House’s Housing for the 21st Century Act. The leadership of the House Financial Services and Senate Banking Committee, which included Representative Mike Flood (R-NE), Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott (R-SC) and Senate Banking Ranking Member, Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) negotiated the final bill on a bipartisan basis.
What This Means for CLPHA Members
The 21st Century Road to Housing Act delivers several of CLPHA’s 2026 Policy Priorities including modernizing the HOME Program, establishing an opt-out pilot program for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program to support up to five thousand additional households, and other provisions to leverage federal funding to incentivize communities to build additional housing, reduce regulatory barriers to construction (including for manufactured housing), and streamline requirements for community lenders.
However, CLPHA remains concerned about the MTW provisions in the bill, particularly the burdensome reporting requirements for all MTW public housing authorities, and a new “Economic and Pathways to Independence Cohort” that would limit certain key rent policy flexibilities and undermine agencies’ abilities to respond to local housing needs.