U.S. Cities Ramp Up Building-to-Housing Conversions

Cities across the U.S. are increasingly converting underused or historic buildings into affordable and workforce housing, often with a focus on supporting vulnerable populations. In Detroit, the century-old St. Matthews Parish was transformed into 46 affordable apartments, including 25 units for formerly homeless individuals, through a $40 million public-private partnership. Stratford, Connecticut is converting a vacant medical office into deed-restricted workforce housing under new zoning rules, prioritizing local employees. Salem, Oregon developers plan a 194-unit apartment complex with below-market rents, leveraging tax exemptions to enhance affordability. Brooklyn’s historic Clermont Armory is being converted from rentals to condos, maintaining the adaptive reuse trend for historic buildings. Philadelphia continues to see office buildings repurposed as apartments, reflecting a nationwide shift toward residential redevelopment of underutilized properties.