The Ballmer Group is committing hundreds of millions of dollars to fund 10,000 new affordable rental homes in Washington state, a dramatic investment focused on keeping families out of homelessness.

The money, announced Thursday, will cover up to $150,000 in forgivable loans per unit, which could result in as much as $1.5 billion.

Could a partnership between a school district and developer to build housing for homeless families be a model for removing one of the biggest barriers those students face?

Modeled on similar efforts in Europe, social housing is publicly owned rental housing with the goal of integrating renters across the economic spectrum and shifting more housing away from private-market ownership. Unlike some other forms of affordable housing, social housing does not rely on federal tax credits and remains affordable in perpetuity.

Matt Bedsole is not a normal investor. He is the CEO of Invest Chattanooga, a fund set up by the city of 200,000 to invest in local apartment projects. Unlike private equity firms — the main backers of new construction — he judges deals not solely on their financial return but also on how much housing they can deliver the city.

After a split discussion, the City of Leavenworth has decided to table a conceptual idea to transform the Leavenworth Golf Course property into a multi-use space with affordable housing units.

The concept, titled “A BIG Idea,” was submitted in response to the Housing Advisory Committee’s (HAC) request for affordable housing ideas.

The Chelan City Council unanimously adopted three measures updating the city’s affordable housing code, aligning local rules with changes in Washington law and allowing more flexibility in how housing funds can be used.

City Finance Director Heidi Evans described the changes as largely administrative. But taken together, they remove limits that had made Chelan’s rules more restrictive than state guidelines.