By now, we’ve named a truth many communities already feel: Housing doesn’t fail because of a lack of plans.It fails because good intentions aren’t translated into systems that produce results. The H.O.M.E. Method was designed to bridge that gap - moving communities from market potential  to market productivity . But a common question follows naturally: “What does this actually look like to start?” Not in theory. Not in a five-year plan. But in the first 90 days. Here’s what

Over the past year, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has been clear about what’s holding housing production back: restrictive local regulations, rising costs, labor shortages, limited buildable lots, and risk-averse lending environments. They’re right. But there’s a nuance that often gets lost in the national conversation - and it’s one we’ve only fully understood by working inside  real communities across Indiana and the Midwest. Policy change alone does not

After sharing my recent post on Internal Locus Communities , a thoughtful comment came back that’s worth addressing directly: “You say communities should use the H.O.M.E. Method — but what is it, and how does it actually work?” Fair question. The H.O.M.E. Method exists precisely because most housing plans fail not from lack of intent , but from lack of a system that turns insight into production. So let’s break it down - simply, clearly, and practically. Why the H.O.M.E. Meth

For years, communities have been taught to view housing as something that “happens to them.” Interest rates rise. Construction slows. Prices fluctuate. Developers pull back. Lenders get conservative. The dominant mindset has been: “We’ll build more housing when the market improves.” But 2026 will not reward passive observers. It will reward internal locus communities  - those that understand the most important housing lever isn’t the national forecast…it’s local action. And t

If you’ve followed my work for any length of time, you’ve heard me talk about the “ketchup vs. chili sauce” problem in American housing. It’s simple: Builders know how to make ketchup (single-family homes and large apartment buildings). But communities desperately need chili sauce (duplexes, triplexes, quads, ADUs, bungalow courts, stacked flats, cottage homes - the missing-middle). And in 2026, even with a calmer national market, we’re still not producing the housing types t

Even with the calmer national forecast for 2026 (see my last blog for more on this), many local leaders are already asking the same question: “If things are stabilizing, why aren’t builders leaning in?” It’s a fair question, especially when your employers are desperate for workers, your families are desperate for affordable homes, and your community has land ready to go. But here’s the truth: Builders still won’t build - not at the price points where the need is greatest - un

Zillow’s 2026 forecast is out, and the headline is simple: The national market is stabilizing, but local markets still won’t fix themselves. National home values are expected to rise only 1.2% , sales will tick up slightly, and rent growth will be mild. On paper, that sounds calm. But if you’re a community trying to produce homes for your workforce or compete for talent, the story underneath the forecast is something else en

By Heather Presley-Cowen The latest housing numbers are in, and national headlines are calling it a buyer’s market . On the surface, that sounds like great news. More inventory. Less bidding-war chaos. A little price flexibility. But community leaders who are serious about solving their local housing shortages need to know the truth beneath the headline: The market is softening… but affordability is not improving. Demand is there… but it’s locked behind financing barriers.

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