Many people use the term "affordable housing" without knowing what it really means. This article explains that there's a big difference between housing that people can afford and the technical types of affordable housing used in policy and development. The Los Angeles Housing Production Institute created a helpful chart showing four main types of affordable housing.
First is Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) - older housing that costs less without government help. Second is Privately Financed Affordable Housing - built by developers without government money. Third is Inclusionary Housing - where cities require new developments to include some affordable units.
Fourth is Government-Subsidized Housing - funded with public money and programs like LIHTC (Low-Income Housing Tax Credits). The article says housing professionals often talk past each other because they don't specify which type they mean. Understanding these differences helps people work better together on housing solutions.
The Change Lab encourages people to use this information in their own presentations and community work to make housing conversations clearer and more effective for everyone involved.