Revitalizing Downtowns: Converting Offices to Housing.

Cities across the US are turning to office-to-housing conversions as a way to revitalize struggling downtown areas emptied by the pandemic. The push is marked by an emphasis on affordability, with cities offering tax breaks to incentivize developers to include affordable below-market apartments. However, housing advocates worry that the affordable housing requirements could get watered down, and even advocates of the conversion model say giving tax breaks to wealthy developers isn’t the best tool to achieve the goal.