National housing policy is the subject of ongoing debate, and this book brings together much of the current wisdom on the issues that lie at the center of the debate. This volume addresses a wide range of policy concerns, including: Who should receive limited federal housing resources? How and to what extent should we preserve the existing, private, subsidized, and public low income housing stock? What are the appropriate roles for the federal, state and local governments, the nonprofits and the private sector in delivering housing programs?

This comprehensive study of housing policy in the U.S. is the result of the MIT Housing Policy Project (1987-1989), which was directed by the editors. The Project assembled leading scholars and practitioners from across the country, representing a wide range of perspectives, to assess the key policy issues of housing availability, affordability, and quality.

As the national debate continues, Building Foundations offers clarification of a complex set of issues.