Home Repairs: An "All of the Above" Solution to the Affordable Housing Crisis

The affordable housing crisis is often framed as a simple supply-and-demand problem: not enough new homes are being built, driving prices up and options down. While increasing new construction is important, it’s only part of the solution. To truly tackle the crisis, we must think in terms of an "all of the above" strategy — one that includes new builds, policy reforms, financial assistance, and crucially, preserving the homes we already have. That’s where home repairs come in.

Across the country, millions of older homes are at risk of becoming uninhabitable duevto deferred maintenance. For many low-income homeowners — especially seniors and people with disabilities — the cost of major repairs like roof replacements, plumbing fixes, or accessibility modifications is simply out of reach. Without help, these families may face unsafe living conditions, code violations, or even displacement.

By investing in critical home repairs, we

can preserve existing affordable housing stock at a

fraction of the cost of building new units. A roof replacement or a new heating system can stabilize a home for decades, keeping a family safely housed without the need for new construction or relocation. Every home that is repaired is one fewer family pushed into an overwhelmed rental market or onto a growing waiting list for subsidized housing.

Home repairs also help preserve community stability. When homeowners are forced to abandon properties due to unsafe conditions, neighborhoods suffer. Vacant homes can quickly become hotspots for crime, reduce property values, and drain municipal resources. Repairing homes keeps families rooted in their communities, preserving the social fabric that makes neighborhoods strong and resilient.

Moreover, home repairs are a key part of promoting equity in housing. Historic patterns of discrimination have left many marginalized communities with older, lower-quality housing and fewer resources for upkeep. Providing repair assistance helps to close the gap, enabling families to build generational wealth through homeownership instead of losing it to unaffordable repairs or unsafe conditions.

Energy efficiency improvements — often included in critical repairs — can also make a huge difference. Older homes tend to be energy-inefficient, leading to high utility costs that strain household budgets. Simple upgrades like insulation, window replacements, and HVAC repairs can lower monthly expenses and reduce the environmental footprint of existing housing.

Ultimately, solving the affordable housing crisis requires us to recognize that no single solution is enough. New construction is vital but so is protecting and improving the homes we already have. Home repairs offer an immediate, cost-effective, and community-centered way to make housing safer, more stable, and more affordable for millions of Americans.

Organizations that provide no cost or low-cost home repairs are essential players in this "all of the above" strategy. By supporting these efforts — whether through volunteering, donations, or advocacy — we can help ensure that everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home, not someday, but today.