Healthy housing markets are playing an increasingly important role in supporting the growth of advanced manufacturing, according to Randy Wolken, President & CEO of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York. In a recent statement, Wolken discussed how communities that plan for both industrial expansion and housing can achieve significant economic and social benefits.
He noted that across the United States, the supply of homes has not kept up with demand. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates there is a national shortage of more than 4.7 million homes, which has led to higher prices and reduced workforce mobility. Their 2025 housing initiative highlights that increasing the supply of homes is now seen as an issue impacting economic competitiveness rather than only a social concern. Brookings researchers have found that at least one-fifth of middle-class households in major metropolitan areas cannot afford to live where they work, even when accounting for local price differences. Additionally, new analysis from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies indicates that 65% of working-age renters struggle to cover basic needs after paying rent.
“These burdens typically land directly on the workers that advanced manufacturers need—technicians, engineers, operators, and support staff,” said Wolken.
For regions looking to attract advanced manufacturing employers, Wolken emphasized that housing must be treated as part of their workforce strategy. He cited findings from the National League of Cities stating cities should treat housing as a core workforce issue. Without enough affordable homes near jobs, it becomes more difficult for workers to accept positions and for businesses to expand.
Recent research has also shown how limited supplies of affordable housing can restrict economic growth by making it harder for workers to move where jobs are available. Studies such as those published in Housing Policy Debate and by Brookings’ Hamilton Project show a direct connection between insufficient homebuilding in high-productivity regions and decreased national output and innovation.
Wolken pointed out local examples such as Micron’s planned semiconductor megafabs in Central Upstate New York. These facilities are expected to generate over 50,000 jobs—including about 9,000 direct positions—in coming decades. “That kind of growth will require new housing options for technicians, engineers, support staff, and their families across a range of incomes and life stages—from apartments for younger workers, to homes for growing families, and downsizing options for older residents,” he said.
Other regions experiencing similar dynamics include places like Reno, Nevada where industrial growth is fueling demand not just for manufacturing space but also for additional community amenities including new housing options.
Organizations like the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) have outlined strategies communities can use—such as land banks or creative financing—to increase affordable workforce housing stock. Developers are focusing on so-called “workforce housing” targeted at middle-income earners who may not qualify for traditional subsidies but still struggle with high rents.
“Innovation is also reshaping how housing itself is built,” said Wolken. Factory-built homes are helping address both employment needs in manufacturing sectors and providing efficient solutions to regional shortages in available homes.
Overall evidence suggests that coordinated planning between industry growth strategies and diverse housing policies leads to stronger economies: “New manufacturing facilities bring jobs and tax revenue,” Wolken stated. “Thoughtful housing policies allowing more diverse housing types… create places where workers want to live and stay.”
He concluded: “In other words, housing isn’t simply a backdrop for economic growth; it’s a central part of the growth strategy itself.”
