Public Developers: Reclaiming Housing as a Public Good

As housing pressures grow, many communities are constrained by their limited tools: zoning changes, tax credits, and incentives for private developers. However, emerging public developer models offer a more direct, scalable way to deliver housing aligned with public goals.

This presentation introduces the public developer model, drawing from the work of real-world examples like Montgomery County, Maryland's Housing Opportunities Commission, which developed The Laureate - an award-winning, mixed-income project delivered without Low-Income Housing Tax Credits or traditional private financing.

Learn how public developers use land, bonds, and long-term ownership to stabilize housing costs, build wealth, and create durable affordability. Presenters demystify how these models are structured, how they secure capital, and how planners can create enabling conditions and forge partnerships with local public housing authorities.
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