Workforce Housing as a Population Health Strategy: Leveraging the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
Keywords:
affordable housing, population health, Health Workforce, community development, Economic Development, lihtc, Public PolicyAbstract
Workforce housing, often described as the “missing middle,” addresses the needs of individuals who earn too much to qualify for traditional low-income housing but cannot afford market-rate rents. Targeting households between 50–120% of the area median income, workforce housing is critical for stabilizing essential workforces, including healthcare providers, educators, and first responders, and plays a key role in population health outcomes. Federal programs like the Low- Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) have evolved to support the creation of workforce housing alongside deeply affordable units, fostering economically diverse and socially integrated communities. Emerging policy proposals, including a Workforce Housing Tax Credit, aim to expand this impact, ensuring that local workforces have access to stable housing. Case studies, such as Bucks County, Pennsylvania, demonstrate the challenges middle-income workers face and highlight the role of innovative developments like Meadowbrook in linking housing affordability to workforce stability and community health.
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