The Power of Innovation: Building a Better, More Equitable Housing System

The Wells Fargo Foundation collaborated with Enterprise Community Partners to launch the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge in 2019. The Breakthrough Challenge aims to address critical challenges in the housing sector by supporting the development of new, innovative and scalable approaches in the areas of housing construction, housing finance and resident services and support. The Breakthrough Challenge also seeks innovative solutions to breakdown systemic barriers to housing access and affordability.

Of the 900 organizations that submitted a proposal in the inaugural challenge, six were selected to receive a two-year grant of $2 million, plus technical assistance support. In addition, the selected innovation teams comprised a peer learning network with access to support from Enterprise and Wells Fargo, as well as opportunities to share their work across the affordable housing field.

Evaluated through a participatory approach, this report outlines the impact of each innovation as well as the Breakthrough Challenge’s broader potential impact on the housing sector. The evaluation found that the six innovations are pushing the sector to:

• Increase the supply of affordable housing
• Expand access to housing for people who are systemically marginalized
• Prioritize resident choice and empowerment in affordable housing
• Integrate supports that promote health, resilience and economic mobility

This document provides a summary of the findings discussed in the full evaluation report.