Affordability series
This series is a walkthrough of the Housing Affordability Framework — a structured approach to understanding and reducing housing costs in our communities. We begin with the conceptual foundation session then work through the framework layer by layer.
Interactive companion: The Affordability Framework Explorer lets you interact with the data behind each session — browse cost elements, model scenarios across 9 dimensions, explore policy levers, and see how risk affects delivered cost.
Framework
The Housing Affordability Framework organizes cost analysis into three interrelated tables:
- 1: Cost Elements (CE) — Top-level categories across Build (B01–B13), Finance (F00–F04), and Operations (O01–O05), covering every dollar spent to deliver and occupy a housing unit
- 2: Cost Reduction Opportunities (CRO) — 22 areas where costs could be reduced, with rough savings estimates
- 3: Barriers & Levers — 71 specific barriers to achieving savings, mapped to 20 policy levers and the authorities who can act
The framework also includes a 9-dimensional cost calculator (cost model, occupancy, lifestyle, 4 utility rates, finance terms, and risk) and 4 risk presets (R1–R4) that model how schedule uncertainty, capital risk, scope uncertainty, and market absorption affect delivered cost.
This modeling is also part of the NOCO Foundation's Regional Housing Initiative Housing Cost Model work.
Sessions
- A1: Overview: Cost Elements, Opportunities & Barriers
- A2: Land, Zoning & Entitlement (DENSITY, DURATION, FIN_PREDICTABILITY)
- A3: Permits, Fees & Taps (PERMIT_FEES, UTILITY_FEES, DESIGN_PREDICTABILITY)
- A4: Infrastructure, Utilities & Site Development (STANDARDS, LANDSCAPE, INFRA_BURDEN, SHARED_INFRA)
- A5: House Size, Program & Design (SIZE, SIMPLIFY, STANDARDIZE)
- A6: Materials & Labor (METHODS, STANDARDIZE)
- A7: Alternative Building Systems (METHODS, DESIGN_PREDICTABILITY)
- A8: Energy Codes, Performance & Affordability (EFFICIENCY, DURABILITY)
- A9: Financing, Risk & Insurance (UNDERWRITE, INSURANCE_CREDITS, MITIGATION, GREEN_MORTGAGE + Risk R1–R4)
- A10: Regulatory & Process Reform (DESIGN_PREDICTABILITY, FIN_PREDICTABILITY, PREAPPROVAL, PERMIT_FEES, DURATION)
- A11: Synthesis & Playbook (all CROs ranked + 20 policy levers)