States and localities can undertake a broad range of policy and administrative initiatives to support workforce housing. This can take the form of regulatory or administrative changes such as higher densities and waivers of fees, or programs that provide grants or financing assistance.

The Robert C. Larson Award will recognize exemplary state and local efforts that provide ongoing and sustainable support for workforce housing. The awards program will also recognize new or emerging state and local programs and policies that have the potential to significantly expand workforce housing opportunities in the future.

Although each community must fashion its own workforce housing programs and policies to meet local needs and conditions, these programs can often serve as models for other communities facing housing affordability challenges. Applicants will be judged on a number of factors:

• Impact on the supply of workforce housing
• Comprehensiveness of the tools and programs employed by the state and/or locality
• Use of innovative strategies and tools by the state or locality
• Involvement of public/private partnerships
• Ability to leverage private and nonprofit funds
• Quality of the housing resulting from these efforts
• Extent to which the workforce is located near major centers of employment and/or transportation hubs.
• Extent to which the efforts of the jurisdiction are worthy of replication