The Preservation Lab Releases New Resources to Support NOAH Preservation Strategies

Report by The Preservation Compact, Institute for Housing Studies
September 2021

Institute for Housing Studies   (Chicago)

The Preservation Lab is a joint collaborative between the Institute for Housing Studies (IHS) and The Preservation Compact. The Preservation Lab was formed to convene Chicago-area experts, leaders, and advocates to discuss and develop innovative strategies focused on preserving the city’s existing affordable housing supply.

Recently released Preservation Lab resources can equip practitioners and policymakers with the information and tools needed to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) across different Chicago communities. To view the Preservation Lab’s new NOAH Risk Analysis report, click here. To view a summary of preservation resources on the NOAH Clearinghouse, click here.

The Preservation Lab’s new report, NOAH Risk Analysis, documents:

  • Characteristics of the NOAH stock in Chicago and their importance to the city’s lower-and moderate-income residents
  • The dynamics and pressures that contribute to continued losses and turnover of the NOAH supply in different market types
  • Guiding principles for practitioners and policymakers to tailor preservation strategies to local conditions and different challenges facing NOAH buildings and owners

 

The Preservation Lab’s new NOAH Clearinghouse gathers preservation resources from across the country and categorizes which strategies work best in different market contexts. These resources include information on financing strategies for mission-oriented and for-profit entities, existing policies and programs for existing NOAH owners and tenants, and research and information that supports the case for NOAH preservation.

In the coming months, the Preservation Lab will develop webinars and blogs that dive deeper into how key strategies in the report have aided NOAH preservation work in a diverse set of neighborhoods experiencing different market conditions and affordability pressures. To stay updated on the Preservation Lab’s activities, sign up for the Preservation Compact's newsletter.

NOAH Risk Analysis: What, Where, Who, and When