Partnering with Health Systems on Affordable Housing Investments
PAS Memo — March-April 2021
By Alyia Gaskins
This edition of PAS Memo is available free to all.
Affordable housing is critical to equitable development. Unfortunately, affordable housing is in short supply in many areas of the United States. In the wake of the 2020 economic downturn due to COVID-19, housing insecurity continues to grow, making innovative housing partnerships even more important.
Health institutions across the country are well aware of how the social determinants of health (community conditions such as the availability of jobs, affordable housing, and grocery stores) shape health disparities. Many have already begun to explore how they can advocate for, invest in, and provide services at affordable housing developments in their communities.
This PAS Memo draws from the experiences of six hospitals and health systems participating in Accelerating Investments for Healthy Communities (AIHC), a three-year initiative of the Center for Community Investment (CCI) at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, to explain why and how planners can partner with hospitals and health systems to create more equitable communities through affordable housing development.
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About the Author
Alyia Gaskins
Alyia Gaskins, MPH, is a senior program officer at the Melville Charitable Trust. Her prior positions include assistant director of networks and programs/health at the Center for Community Investment (CCI) at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and senior associate at the National League of Cities (NLC)’ Institute for Youth, Education, and Families. Alyia began her career as a Policy and Program Associate at D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of the Food Research and Action Center. She is a graduate of the Leadership Fairfax Class of 2014 and a 2015 Next City Vanguard. She is active in her community and serves on Alexandria Transportation Commission, the Board of Directors of Prevention Connections, the Mid-Atlantic Make-A-Wish Community Leadership Council, and the Good Shepherd Housing Community Leadership Council. Alyia has a B.A. in Medicine, Health and Society from Vanderbilt University, a Masters of Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from Georgetown University.