How Affordable Housing Can Exclude: The Political Economy of Subsidized Housing

Affordable housing is often studied as a single good: we measure its production and availability; evaluate policies to increase supply; or study the development process. But, there are many types of affordable housing. In this paper, we ask: How do the different types of affordable housing shape the politics of permitting new affordable housing, and what is the impact of these politics on home-seekers? Focusing on rental housing with subsidized rents, we find that affordable housing is a surprisingly heterogeneous good, which often comes with a number of exclusionary restrictions attached. Some cities and towns disproportionately permit units that are smaller, less financially accessible, and age restricted. Race may motivate at least some of these choices: subsidized housing units in whiter cities and towns are more likely to be age restricted.