Affordable Housing is Possible, if we Stop Ignoring the Obvious

USA Today, March 23, 2026-Sam Raus
American cities are short on housing yet full of unused space. Since COVID-19-era shutdowns, large chunks of commercial real estate – particularly in urban epicenters where people once commuted to work – have sat vacant for more than half a decade.

Prior to the pandemic, office vacancies hit a record low of 11.4% in 2019. In America’s top metropolitan areas, the vacancy rate reached a historic high of 20.1% in 2024. It slightly improved in 2025, but remained at 18.4% by the year’s end.

With nearly a quarter of the workforce going remote, and no amount of return-to-office mandates likely to change this trend, it’s time for cities to repurpose these empty buildings to meet the demands of the moment.

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