Financing Cost-Rental Housing: A Low-Cost-of-Capital Approach to Supporting Below-Market Rents

Date & Time

Oct 16, 2026 12:15 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Description

The cost of capital is a key driver of housing prices and rents. Chris Herbert will discuss a new paper proposing a federal program that would provide below-market-rate debt to public, private, and non-profit developers who agree to limit rents and prices to levels that cover the actual costs of projects. This "cost-rent" model, common in Europe and previously used in the US, comes with important trade-offs, but its appeal lies in being simple, scalable, and effective at supporting affordability over time.

Learn more: https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AbV-pLvMTFyIndMqIlALMQ?utm_source=JCHS+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=32e4566841-cost_rental_housing_2026&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b95497d1bd-126611524#/registration