WHAT IS A HOUSING TRUST FUND?
Put simply, a Housing Trust Fund (HTF) is a fund owned by a public agency at the city, county, state, or even national level, that collects funds to put towards housing. The Housing Trust Fund is generally supported by the public sector (local and/or state governments) to fill gaps in the housing supply provided by the market. These funds are sourced from a city, county, or state’s general budget, through government bonds, or through a dedicated revenue stream. They are also supported by philanthropy and the private sector. Some ways these funds may be used to make housing affordable are:
• Build new housing to increase the supply of available units
• Rehabilitate or preserve affordable housing
• Acquire housing with expiring subsidies to keep existing units at their current affordable rental rates