There are obvious economies of scale in the stewardship of inclusionary housing units. It is far more cost effective on a per unit basis to manage a large portfolio of units. Providing adequate oversight to a small portfolio can be challenging.

In some places, existing multi-jurisdiction entities have been charged with additional responsibility for stewardship of inclusionary units, while other communities with relatively smaller programs have chosen to band together to build shared stewardship capacity.

King County, Washington

In Washington state, 15 cities in eastern King County joined together with the county government to form A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) in order to administer a regional housing trust fund, which has funded over 2,000 affordable housing units. As participating jurisdictions began creating inclusionary housing programs, ARCH naturally took on long-term stewardship of these units.

Advantages

  • Shared Staffing takes advantage of potential economies of scale
  • Specialist organization can focus exclusively on homeownership programs
  • Centralized interest list allows potential buyers to apply once and learn about opportunities throughout the local housing market

Disadvantages

  • Different jurisdictions may have different needs
  • Managing multiple programs with different rules can be challenging
  • Relies primarily on ongoing appropriations (fee for service) from each jurisdiction for sustainability
  • Cost sharing must be renegotiated regularly