| In the past quarter century, policy-makers have increasingly tapped nonprofit developers for affordable housing production. Nonprofits are expected to balance missing for-profits in high-risk, distressed neighborhoods. And community-based nonprofit developers (CBDOs), in particular, are credited with additional strengths through their direct connection to host communities. Knowledge about the validity of these assumptions is limited. Therefore, this dissertation investigates the markets served and production of "goods" by subsidized for-profit and nonprofit developers.; Employing a mixed-method approach, I investigate subsidized housing provision under New York City's Ten Year Plan (TYP) from 1987 to 2000, focusing on rental housing production through rehabilitation of city-owned properties. Quantitative analyses explore sector neighborhood locations. Multivariate analysis examines whether neighborhood distress differentially impacts the likelihood of nonprofit production. These findings offer some support for the presumed nonprofit proclivity for needy neighborhoods; however, fail to demonstrate stark sector differences. For-profit developers were also active in troubled neighborhoods. Finally, siting processes are found heavily shaped by public management and developers' organizational capacity, in addition to developer ownership status.; I qualitatively consider the distinctiveness of CBDO construction management through an exploratory interview study of TYP development in the Bronx's Community District 5, and some surrounding neighborhoods. Executives from participating nonprofit and for-profit firms, as well as public managers and community representatives, are interviewed to explore the nature of community orientation in subsidized housing development. CBDO leaders consistently emphasize community-orientation in project design development and resource assembly (albeit, less uniformly). Tentative comparisons across developers suggest further exploration, particularly the impact of public management and organizational capacity on sector differences.; Together, these investigations offer some support for targeted nonprofit subsidies, particularly in severely distressed neighborhoods and where community-engagement is a policy priority. However, this study also suggests public management may minimize sectors' distinguishing features. And the competitiveness and overall capacity of the local housing development industry may influence the balance of sectors needed to meet housing needs. Therefore, today's affordable housing strategies require a broad public management and market perspective. |
