The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has described the housing market as in “crisis,” citing “a decade of underbuilding following the Great Recession and surging demand from millennials entering prime home-buying years.” This, in turn, has driven health systems to play a more direct role in supplying housing options for their employees.

This includes Oak Bluffs, Mass.-based Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, part of Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham, which is building housing for employees to help retain staff and support essential services.

Atlanta-based Emory University shared plans July 7 to renovate two buildings to house staff at Emory Healthcare, its clinical arm.

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health shared plans in January to develop 140 workforce housing units for healthcare professionals, first responders and other critical service industry workers on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

In Connecticut, officials in Waterbury are planning apartment housing for hospital workers at the property of a former school.