5 US cities prime for office-to-residential conversions

The Urban Institute analysis highlights San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Denver as potential beneficiaries of converting underused office buildings into housing. The study recommends promoting adaptive reuse through flexible land use, revised building codes, simplified permitting, and tax incentives. Office-to-residential conversions have quadrupled since 2021, led by Washington, D.C., New York City, and Dallas, despite challenges. The study uses metrics like office and housing vacancy rates, and rent trends.