Ivory Innovations, an organization that “brings together stakeholders of public and private organizations to support solutions to the national housing affordability crisis,” inaugurated an Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability in 2018 to recognize the most innovative ideas to address the complex challenge of housing affordability. The Prize was designed to advance projects and reward innovators for their efforts to develop adoptable solutions to tackle housing affordability. Solutions are sought in three key award component areas: construction/design; finance; and regulatory reform. Nominations are now open for this year’s Ivory Prize; the details are outlined at the Ivory Innovations’ website: https://ivory-innovations.org
The first year of the Ivory Prize resulted in 126 nominations and applications, 10 finalists who were announced on February 7, and four Prize honorees were recognized at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on April 10. Watch a video about the 2019 Prize winners here.
The Ivory Prize process demonstrated that a great deal of innovation related to housing affordability is happening at the grassroots level around the country. By looking at all the participants in the Ivory Prize, including the honorees, it is possible not only to appreciate the many innovations underway around the county, but also to identify new directions for improving housing affordability. Ivory Innovations shares a paper outlining five directions that emerge from the innovators that applied for the 2019 Ivory Prize.
Applications and nominations for the 2020 Ivory Price can be made at: https://ivory-innovations.org