Here Today, Here Tomorrow: CDC Acquisition of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing

Produced with the support of the Boston Foundation, this report explores how community organizations could work to acquire and protect naturally occurring affordable housing, also known as NOAH.

Generally defined, NOAH is “existing rental housing, in the unregulated private market, that currently offers some degree of affordability.” That makes it different from what is more commonly thought of as ‘affordable housing,” which typically includes some form of public subsidy and restrictions on rents and tenant income. Acquiring NOAH properties is an important strategy that prevents eviction and displacement for the residents. Community Development Corporation (CDCs) play an important, community-based role in many of these acquisitions.

With support from the Boston Foundation, Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC) launched an Acquisition Strategies Initiative (ASI). The collective knowledge of their member organizations and other community development practitioners is reflected in this new report, Here Today, Here Tomorrow: CDC Acquisition of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing.