Housing Strategy & Downtown Program Design
We've partnered with the City of La Porte to find solutions to longstanding housing challenges.
Health Foundation of La Porte / City of La Porte
Housing Needs Assessments, Housing Strategies & Implementation
La Porte, IN
La Porte, a city of 30,000 in Northwest Indiana, lacks recent housing development despite pent-up demand. Most existing units are older and face quality and safety challenges, with households across income and age groups navigating a difficult local housing market. Engaged by the Health Foundation of La Porte and City of La Porte, we assessed housing needs and developed strategies to spur production and rehabilitation. Our study informed a charrette process that identified a vision for future housing development around La Porte's downtown. Ultimately, we were re-engaged to design a suite of programs to implement strategies in and around the downtown area.
Housing Strategy
Identified unmet housing needs for renters and owners across income levels
Conducted focus groups and interviews with developers, real estate professionals, employers, social service providers, faith community members, young professionals, and seniors
Assessed housing stock in a downtown priority investment area and identified patterns associated with building quality challenges
Established housing production targets for affordable, market-rate, and senior-friendly units
Developed strategies and implementation actions to increase construction labor supply, jumpstart residential development, and support rehabilitation efforts
Drafted a marketing brochure for prospective real estate developers
Downtown Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative
Conducted quantitative research to articulate housing needs and parcel-level analysis of building quality in collaboration with City staff
Conducted key information interviews with community stakeholders
Developed financial models to determine typical funding gaps for various types of housing rehabilitation and development
Researched best practices from comparable grant and loan programs and interviewed program administrators
Designed five housing programs outlining funding amounts, applicant eligibility, eligible costs and affordability considerations
Results
Program recommendations for the Downtown Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative were presented to project stakeholders in April 2026. The City has since received a pre-commitment letter for State funding and is working with philanthropic partners — the Health Foundation of La Porte, Unity Foundation, and Urban Enterprise Association — to advance creation of the programs.
