Emily Felt, an fellow in the Emerging Leaders in Community and Economic Development program co-sponsored by NeighborWorks America and the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University has written an excellent report on infill affordable housing development. Infill housing development is the production of housing on land which is vacant, not used, or underused and is situated within a pre-existing community. Infill housing development is a popular option for affordable housing development for two reasons. First, it increases affordable housing stock and second, because it creates transit-oriented, scalable, and revitalized communities.

Infill housing development is one of the most popular means for CDCs to create affordable housing. The report provides an overview of terms, rationale and the economic drivers for infill development, and research from a survey which illuminates insights from community development practitioners about infill development.