Despite market challenges, housing professionals still expect access to affordable housing to grow in the coming year, according to a recent survey by TD Bank.
Respondents cited high construction costs (55%) and price increases from tariffs (39%) as the biggest barriers to affordable housing development. As a result, only 29% of housing professionals plan to expand housing developments next year.
Still, more than half (52%) said they were confident that access to affordable housing would expand in 2026, and nearly two-thirds (62%) expected development to rise. The strongest demand was projected in multifamily housing (64%), housing for seniors/elderly populations (58%) and workforce housing for essential and middle-income workers (50%).
Respondents also said financial institutions can provide the most support for affordable housing by offering dedicated affordable housing lending programs or teams (27%), flexible lending terms (26%), and bridge financing or gap funding solutions (25%).
