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Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

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Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

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Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

Get Involved

Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

Overview Join Us Renew Your Membership Donate Partner With Us Job Opportunities
Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Overview Who We Are How We Work Partner Collaborations Our Supporters Our Team Job Opportunities Contact Us
Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

Overview News & Stories Events & Opportunities Subscribe
Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

Get Involved

Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

Overview Join Us Renew Your Membership Donate Partner With Us Job Opportunities
Housing Header

Virtually all U.S. cities and towns today are experiencing housing challenges, whether related to limited housing availability, limited housing affordability, or both. The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, also known as Freddie Mac, estimates that the U.S. currently has a shortage of 3.8 million housing units. Nearly half of Americans say the availability of affordable housing is a major problem in their local community, according to Pew.

Housing Report

Main Street America’s own survey research has demonstrated that Main Street communities are not immune to these challenges. In a Spring 2022 survey, about seven in eight Main Street leaders (87 percent) indicated that housing is a concern in their downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Three in four Main Street leaders indicated that there wasn’t enough housing in their districts, even as our more recent survey conducted in October and November 2022—linked to the Small Deal Initiative — indicated that 95 percent of Main Street leaders have vacant buildings in their districts and 93 percent have vacant upper floors.

In recognition of these housing challenges, MSA launched the “At Home on Main Street” (AHOMS) project in 2022, with the generous support of the 1772 Foundation. Thus far, this work has produced a report containing a thorough analysis of housing data from the U.S. Census Bureau, insights on housing challenges in the Main Street network from housing-related surveys, and a virtual convening on pressing challenges and potential solutions with Main Street leaders and affiliates.

Today, we are proud to share the next major release associated with this effort, A Housing Guidebook for Local Leaders. The Guidebook, intended for an audience of beginners who have limited experience in the topics of housing and housing development, is a practical and easily digestible report that incorporates the stories and expertise of Main Street Coordinators, local directors, and partners who have experience with housing.

In the report, you will find practical “how-tos” about identifying housing opportunities, keeping an inventory of buildings and vacant spaces, making sense of housing finance, and understanding the common code and regulatory challenges encountered with housing development and vacant space activation, among other topics.

DOWNLOAD PDF

In crafting the report, we engaged a group of expert advisors, including: 

  • Joi Austin, Senior Field Officer, Economic Vitality, Main Street America (Quincy, IL)
  • Sherry Early, Executive Director, Incremental Development Alliance (Fort Wayne, IN)
  • Bethany Rogers, Ph.D., Director of Strategic Projects, Main Street America, and former Executive Director, NewTown Loans (Macon, GA)
  • Darin Rutledge, Executive Director, Discover Klamath Visitor and Convention Bureau, and former Executive Director, Klamath Falls Downtown Association (Klamath Falls, OR)
  • Casey Woods, Executive Director, Emporia Main Street (Emporia, KS)
Map

If you are interested in learning more and plan to attend the Main Street Now Conference in Boston later this month, we strongly recommend attending “Whatever You Are Doing on Housing, Double It,” a session led by Michael Wagler, State Coordinator at Main Street Iowa, and Bethany Rogers, Director of Strategic Projects at Main Street America. That session will take place in Grand Ballroom F, from 3:45 – 5:00pm, on Monday, March 27th.

Other topical conference sessions include:

The Main Street America research team plans to continue producing tools and resources related to housing development. We hope to conduct webinars with Main Street leaders and housing developers featured in the Guidebook. In the coming months, we also will publish a community audit tool where Main Street leaders can answer questions about the housing circumstances in their districts and subsequently learn about relevant case studies and resources for responding to their local housing challenges. And later this year, we will release a housing inventory tool that you can use to tabulate, organize, and update information about both built and vacant spaces in your community. We are incredibly fortunate and grateful for the continued support of the 1772 Foundation as we continue this work.

We hope you enjoy and find value in the new Housing Guidebook. If you have questions or comments about this work, please let us know either by posting them to The Point or by emailing msaresearch@savingplaces.org