Housing Needs Assessment

CommunityScale’s Housing Needs Assessments provide a clear, data-driven picture of local housing demand. The Housing Forecast methodology is used to analyze demographic and employment trends, evaluate existing and planned housing supply, and identify misalignments between available units and resident needs. Cost burdens are measured by income level and household characteristics to highlight affordability gaps. The analysis includes a detailed inventory of the current housing stock by type, price, and bedroom count, along with recent market and development trends. The study concludes with a housing production target that aligns with projected growth and supports local affordability goals.

• Upper Arlington, OH Housing Data Analysis
• Apex, NC Housing Plan Update

Housing Suitability Analysis

CommunityScale’s Housing Suitability Analysis helps regions and municipalities identify areas most appropriate for different types of housing development based on a comprehensive set of spatial and socioeconomic criteria. A GIS-based model is used to score and map locations using factors such as access to transit, infrastructure capacity, proximity to jobs and services, affordability considerations, environmental constraints, land availability, and zoning. The analysis incorporates both technical indicators and stakeholder-defined priorities, allowing for nuanced local interpretation. Results are visualized through interactive maps and integrated into an online dashboard that supports exploration and data download. The findings highlight opportunity areas for affordable, workforce, senior, and mixed-use housing and are designed to inform policy decisions without prescribing outcomes. This approach provides a transparent and flexible framework for aligning land use, housing, and transportation strategies.

Housing Test Fit and Proforma

CommunityScale conducts integrated housing feasibility analyses to assess how market, demographic, and regulatory factors shape development potential. This work begins with a detailed evaluation of the existing housing stock and recent development patterns, supported by public data and private market sources such as Zillow and CoStar. Demographic and income trends are analyzed in relation to household projections to estimate future housing demand by affordability level. Representative housing types are profiled across a range of physical and economic attributes to reflect real-world conditions. Pro forma models are then used to test development feasibility under current market conditions, highlighting financing gaps and estimating the level of subsidy or incentive required for attainable housing production.

Housing Market Assessment

CommunityScale’s Housing Market Assessments deliver a comprehensive picture of local housing dynamics by combining data-driven analysis with stakeholder insights and policy review. These assessments integrate historical trends, demographic change, housing inventory characteristics, pipeline development activity, and real estate market indicators such as occupancy rates, rents, and sales prices with public and private data sources, including Census, HUD, BLS, Zillow, and CoStar, to identify emerging demand, gaps in the housing stock, and future development opportunities. Final deliverables include strategic documentation and interactive tools designed to inform decision-making, attract investment, and guide near-term implementation.

• MAPA (NE & IA) Market Value Analysis
• Downtown Syracuse, NY Housing Needs Assessment and Market Study

Economic Feasibility Assessment

CommunityScale’s Economic Feasibility Assessments provide municipalities with a clear understanding of how market conditions and regulatory requirements affect the financial viability of new housing development. These studies combine up-to-date demographic and housing market data, including rents, sales prices, interest rates, and construction costs, with detailed pro forma modeling to evaluate a range of development scenarios. Analyses account for factors such as land costs, project scale, affordability levels, and inclusionary housing requirements. A residual land value approach is used to identify feasibility thresholds and funding gaps across different housing types. Findings support evidence-based decisions about zoning, incentives, and regulatory changes. Results are delivered in a report with visualizations, policy recommendations, and technical documentation to support transparency and stakeholder engagement.