MYTH: Affordable housing looks "cheap and undesirable."

FACT: All new developments in Folsom undergo comprehensive design review, ensuring that all new buildings in Folsom match and uphold the city's character. While 77% of Folsom's housing units are detached single-family homes, there are many existing apartment complexes that contain affordable housing, already blending in with their surroundings. 

MYTH: Residents of affordable housing won't "fit in" with our community.

FACT: Those who need affordable housing already live in our community. According to a 2022 Urban Land Institute Advisory Services Panel report, many young residents of Folsom expressed that they have "no expectation of being able to live in the city when they begin to create new households" due to the lack of affordability. To be able to continue living in this community, the future of Folsom's young residents depends on ensuring the availability of affordable housing options.

MYTH: Affordable housing means more traffic congestion.

FACT: By creating higher density, transit-oriented housing through affordable housing, residents of Folsom will travel by car less. Much of Folsom's traffic is due to 83% of Folsom's employees commuting into the city on a daily basis. This means that out of Folsom's 40,705-person workforce, 33,785 workers come from outside of Folsom. 

MYTH: Affordable housing overburdens our public infrastructure, including schools.

FACT: Due to affordable housing complexes being higher density, these developments will need less infrastructure than single-family home developments. Additionally, multifamily housing units tend to have fewer children than single-family homes, placing less of a strain on schools in the area. 

MYTH: More affordable housing means more crime.

FACT: Little evidence suggests that more affordable housing leads to more crime in low-poverty communities. According to a UCI study, there is no link between affordable housing and an increase in crime rates.