Across the country, states are looking for ways to not only improve the development of affordable housing, but ways to do it faster and more efficiently.
Some states, like Michigan, officials have chosen to join with federal agencies to streamline application and funding processes.
Other states, however, have moved in the opposite direction, shifting oversight from federal or state to city and county.
New York is one such state.
Last summer, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo implemented a new initiative designed to improve the state's redevelopment efforts.
He created ten Regional Councils charged with the task of organizing plans for the creation and improvement of everything from infrastructure to affordable housing.
Called Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC), they are comprised of "local experts and stakeholders from business, academia, local government, and non-governmental organizations.
" Their purpose is to provide what Governor Cuomo considers a much-needed regional perspective on how best to improve the state's housing and economic picture.
Because New York state is so diverse, plans and systems that work well in one area won't have the same affect in another.
Consequently, Governor Cuomo believes Regional Councils are the best way to ensure that development needs of all types are being adequately address in each part of the state.
In addition, Governor Cuomo allocated $1 billion to fund the plans created by each REDC.
A detailed breakdown was released late last year.
A total of $785 million was allocated to the ten new Regional Councils, with the Central New York Council receiving the largest award of $103.
7 million.
The Western, North and Long Island Councils each received over $100 million as well.
In addition to receiving a large award, the Western Regional Council was named "Best Plan Awardee" for its comprehensive and innovative approach for economic growth in several industry sectors including health and life sciences and higher education.
Of the $1 billion that was set aside for the regional councils, over $150 million was designated specifically for affordable housing projects.
In conjunction with the formation of regional councils, Governor Cuomo also charged his administration with creating a Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) that allows developers and others to submit just one funding application that is disseminated to all regional councils.
Simplifying the application process achieves two very important goals: first, developers will be more likely to explore opportunities in New York state if they know the application process has been made easier and, second, all REDCs will have access to all applications, including those submitted for other parts of the state.
The ability to view a wide variety of development solutions has the potential to spur not only competition, but the creation of innovative solutions.
For example, the Western Regional Council may review an application that's submitted for the Central Council, and find within that application potential solutions it would have otherwise not considered.
Additional rounds of funding are planned for later this year, and state leaders have already said they are pleased with some of the solutions they see coming out of the REDCs.