Housing costs have risen faster than incomes. The need for affordable rental housing has well outpaced the number of available units as well as funding allocations at the federal level. Local regulation and land use policies that increase the cost of subsidized, mixed–income housing construction and preservation have contributed to the affordability problem. To meet the affordable housing needs in U.S. communities, innovation, creativity, and “out of the box” thinking may be required, particularly as it relates to reducing the rapidly increasing costs of development. Another consideration is pursuing mixed–income development, as it is more financially sustainable than low–income housing.