From the 1940’s to the 1990’s, working class wages remained consistent with costs of living for the most part. That coupled with the introduction of the 30-year amortizing loan made owning a home a reality for most middle-income earners. Then the early 2000’s saw a growing disproportion between wages earned and costs of living, making it increasingly difficult for middle income earners to own a home, and the concept of Workforce Housing emerged. Though it has evolved a lot over the last ten years, today it is generally regarded as preserving existing multi-family structures and making rents reasonably priced for households that earn a living wage but still struggle to afford market housing.

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In recent years, a notable advancement in Workforce Housing has been the goal not just to provide comfortable, attractive homes but to strengthen the social impact.  Through local community outreach, programs are developed to link residents with services like health care screenings and after school activities, educational programs on topics from legal advice to finance management, and other amenities aimed at improving resident retention and building thriving communities.