Scaling Community-Driven Housing: The Aspen Model for Sustainable, Affordable Neighborhoods

Affordable housing solutions often fail to integrate long-term sustainability and community ownership, leaving residents vulnerable to displacement and rising costs. Aspen is pioneering a new approach—one that blends affordability, sustainability, and community-driven development to create lasting impact, especially for the Missing Middle and moderate-income BIPOC households who face systemic barriers to homeownership.

This session will explore Aspen’s innovative model, which leverages social financing, cooperative ownership, and sustainable building practices to create pocket neighborhoods that remain affordable in perpetuity. Through case studies and interactive discussions, we will examine how place-based housing initiatives can be institutionalized, scaled, and integrated into broader economic and policy frameworks while prioritizing inclusivity and reconciliation.