More affordable housing will not force property taxes to go up.

For opponents, the term "affordable housing" evokes images of 40 story public housing projects located in struggling communities. That specter misunderstands what Fair Share is proposing and the history behind why certain areas are struggling. While Fair Share empowers towns to develop their own plans for incorporating affordability into their housing stock, the way that is happening around the nation is through mixed income housing with affordable components - much of which is mid-sized (40 units or less), "missing middle" (10-20 units) or even "gentle density" (under 10 units). It can be built as inclusionary developments (a portion affordable, a portion market rate) or it can be supported by government investment. The point is - the municipality gets to choose - and as a general matter, denser housing will result in an increase in state and local tax revenue to the tune of at least $9.6 billion.