Untitled Document

Welcome to the February/March 2007 Newsletter from the
Center for Innovation in Affordable Housing Design This month’s newsletter includes links to a number of design related articles, articles about homelessness,housing for senior citizens and workforce housing as well as other issues related to affordable housing design. Be sure to look at the announcements, studies released, and upcoming events section of the newsletter
for information you may find useful.

Title Summary

ARTICLES
Design Related Articles

For Many, 'The End Of The American Dream'

Interest-only loans and ARMs once touted as a panacea have now become the vehicle for massive foreclosures as financially distressed owners can no longer afford their expensive homes. Jan 31 2007 -- Sacramento Bee Planetizen February 1

Award-Winning Affordable And Sustainable Housing
In New York City, the first juried design competition for affordable and sustainable has found its winner. Jan 29 2007 -- Architectural Record Planetizen February 1

In praise of the humble house

Building Greener And Cheaper Than Leed
While many argue over the costs and benefits of requiring LEED-certification, some affordable housing developers have shown that building green doesn't require following the program's recommendations. Feb 06 2007 -- CityLimits.org Planetizen February 8

Nonprofit Wins I. Don Terner Prize For Affordable Housing
A Portland, Ore., nonprofit won $50,000 for a supportive housing development serving formerly homeless people, reported multi-housingnews.com. Central City Concern was awarded the inaugural I. Donald Terner Prize from the Center for Community Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley. The award recognized CCC's 8NW8 building, a 180-unit complex in Portland's historic Pearl District that has housed almost 700 formerly homeless people since it opened in 2004. The facility was honored for its design, which conforms to the city's Affordable Housing Green Building Guidelines and "features an arterial road, which has helped to increase socioeconomic diversity in the downtown area," the article said. Other winning attributes include employment, substance abuse treatment, and other services for residents. There was also a unique mix of project and operational funding, including tax credits, Section 8 rent support, and other city, county, state, federal, and private sources. KnowledgePlex February 9

Habitat For Humanity Goes Multi-Family
The non-profit organization famous for building single family homes for low-income families is being to develop higher-density projects in high-cost urban areas. Feb 09 2007 -- The Gazette Planetizen February 12

Building hopes too high
"Estates: An Intimate History" by Lynsey Hanley...The real bogeyman ...architects, especially those in thrall to Le Corbusier, the evil genius of Modernism...hapless working-class families were 'thrust' up in the air by 'arrogant' architects and planners...myopic view of architecture...- Telegraph (UK) ArchNewsNow February 14

Affordable Green Modular Housing Activities in North Gulfport, Mississippi
The Gulf Coast's first environmentally-friendly house was unveiled in Gulfport, Mississippi, on January 27. The factory-built modular house is designed to be energy efficient, affordable, and built of non-toxic materials. During the unveiling, Wes Miller, Mississippi management consultant for NeighborWorks America., gave NGCLT $95,000 to support the organization’s energy-efficient housing development activities, including the acquisition of land, purchase of materials, equipment and supplies, and organizational planning. NeighborWorks News February 16

Emergency Shelter: Cardboard To The Rescue
Scattered in the quad of the Yale Divinity School...Global Village Shelter (GVS) is pretty basic, but at the same time pretty ingenious. By Michael J. Crosbie -- Daniel Ferrara/Mia Ferrara Pelosi/Ferrara Design- Hartford Courant (Connecticut) ArchNewsNow February 19

Working-Class Housing Complex Will Rise as Part of the Greenery
Hoping to inspire more imaginative design in working-class housing, the city will turn over a 60,000-square-foot lot in the South Bronx. -- Grimshaw; Dattner Architects- New York Times ArchNewsNow February 21

Seattle may get taller — at a cost
Developers should be able to build taller than current zoning allows if they pay for public amenities such as affordable housing...- Seattle Times ArchNewsNow February 28

Architect gives twist to affordable housing
Star designer makes his mark on the fringes of Cabrini-Green..."intended to be a stigma smasher"... By Blair Kamin -- Helmut Jahn- Chicago Tribune ArchNewsNow March 1

Seattle Considers Trading Height Limits For Affordable Housing
The city's planning commission wants to use "incentive zoning" to encourage the development of taller buildings and generate revenue for the city's affordable housing fund. Feb 28 2007 -- Seattle Times Planetizen March 1

It's lively, but is it livable?
The sleek new Helmut Jahn-designed apartments have energy-saving and other 'green' features. But will the building meet the needs of its residents? ...We'll know down the road whether Near North Apartments are simply a snappy shell or the real deal: humanistic modernism. By Blair Kamin- Chicago Tribune ArchNewsNow March 5

New Sro Building Gets Starchitect Treatment
Architect Helmut Jahn's design for a new single-room occupancy building on the edge of Chicago's former Cabrini Green project gets high marks, but some criticize the cost of using high-end architects for affordable housing. Mar 02 2007 -- Chicago Tribune Planetizen March 5

Abandoned Warehouse To Be Redeveloped for Mixed-Use
Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, architect of "striking, practical buildings from Beijing to Seattle," has designed a uniquely shaped mixed-use tower in Jersey City, N.J., reported the Newark Star-Ledger. Manhattan-based developers the Athena Group and BLDG Management Co. want to replace an empty tobacco warehouse with Koolhaas' 52-story "vertical city," the article said. The $400 million tower would feature three stacked buildings, with the middle section joining the other sections at a 90-degree angle. It would include apartments, live-work condominiums for artists, a hotel, retail shops, a gallery, and parking. About 117 units, mostly on site, would be set aside for low- and moderate-income families, said a city official. The project would be the first large-scale residential commission for Koolhaas' firm, the Office of Metropolitan Architecture. The founder of the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy praised the project's design as "a bold statement" that would enhance the city. However, the group's current president said while the building is "interesting," it belongs elsewhere so that the tobacco warehouse can remain intact. KnowledgePlex March 9

Defying the Odds on a Project in Skid Row
Bold and communally minded, Michael Maltzan's housing projects in Los Angeles are a refreshing rarity in architecture...Rainbow Apartments and the New Carver Apartments...reassure you that a keen architectural intelligence and a social conscience are not necessarily at odds. By Nicolai Ouroussoff [images]- New York Times ArchNewsNow March 13

Supervisors Vote for Six-Month Limit on Demolishing Homes
San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted for what essentially constitutes a temporary moratorium on demolishing homes, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. Over the next six months, a property owner would have to obtain a special conditional use permit to demolish any residential structure. The bill's sponsor said her measure would help preserve affordable homes in a city where the majority of market-rate homes are too expensive for low- and moderate-income households. Opponents said the measure places an unfair burden on property owners and small builders who are already at a competitive disadvantage to bigger residential developers. According to both supporters and critics, the measure could be extended or made permanent within the next six months. KnowledgePlex March 16

Modular Method to Build Complex in New Orleans
A developer is using modular construction to create a new apartment complex in New Orleans, reported the Times-Picayune. The $4.7 million project will have 20 units for low-income seniors. The financing package includes Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the Louisiana Housing Finance Authority, HOME funds from the city, and bank financing. Neville Development LLC is building the complex, and Louisiana Freedmen Homes LLC -- a nonprofit comprising dozens of churches -- will own the property. According to the developer and a local home builders association official, the complex may be the first multifamily project in the city built with modular components. KnowledgePlex March 16

Housing Authority Given Go-ahead for Mini-marts
The Columbia, Mo., City Council enacted a zoning ordinance that may allow the Columbia Housing Authority to pursue job-training plans, reported the Columbia Daily Tribune. Under the ordinance, the city's Board of Adjustment may consider allowing businesses to locate inside districts zoned for medium-density, multiple-family housing. Some restrictions would apply, such as signs no larger than 4 square feet and limits on operating hours. The housing authority plans to open three minimarts on property that currently holds laundry facilities. The marts would offer job training to housing authority residents, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 16

Airport Redevelopment Features 2,200 Green Homes
The largest public-private venture in Austin, Texas, will bring about 2,200 homes, shops, and offices to an old airport site, reported the Austin American-Statesman. The city is working with master developer Catellus Development Corp. on the mixed-use project, which is expected to house as many as 10,000 people, create thousands of jobs, and add $1 billion to the city's tax base. Six companies have been selected to build the project's first phase, 340 homes that will meet the three-star rating in the city's five-star Green Building Program. The homes will be constructed in three types: yard homes, row houses, and garden court homes on smaller lots that will be set in groups around common green space. More than a fifth of the homes will be set aside for households making up to 80 percent of the area median income. The affordable homes will be integrated throughout the neighborhood and cost $120,000 to $160,000. KnowledgePlex March 16

Critics See Signs of Segregation In a Proposed West Side Tower
A plan to provide separate entrances for the residents of a proposed mixed-income development on New York City's Upper West Side has spurred mixed reaction, reported The New York Sun. Richman Housing Resources wants to purchase the air rights and build 50 studio apartments for low-income seniors and 27 market-rate condominiums above a historic church. The design proposes three different entrances: one for the renters, a second for the condominium occupants, and a third for church-goers. Only the condominium residents would have access to the planned gym, playroom, and media center. The developer is seeking Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to help finance the rental units. Some people criticize the separate entrances, saying they would perpetuate economic segregation. But supporters say the development would bring badly needed low-income senior housing to the area while enabling the church to undergo renovations. KnowledgePlex March 22

Rehabbed High-Rise Will House Homeless in Dayton
Part of a Dayton, Ohio, Metropolitan Housing Authority complex once slated for demolition will be transformed into permanent supportive housing for homeless single adults, reported the Dayton Daily News. The authority's board approved a $1.78 million plan to renovate the complex and allot 50 of the facility's 102 units to formerly homeless people. The building is already home to 50 public housing tenants, who will remain in the complex. The authority will continue to manage the building and supportive services will be available to all tenants. The city and Montgomery County commissioners must also vote on the agreement, which calls for $925,000 in county funds and $460,000 in city funds. The Homeless Solutions Policy Board is working to implement other aspects of the local 10-year plan to end homelessness, the article said. The plan aims to develop at least 1,800 new low-income housing units and at least 750 supportive housing units. KnowledgePlex March 29
Homelessness Related Articles

Citizen Survey Puts Homelessness on Top of Denver’s Problem List for 1st Time
In Denver's annual resident survey, homelessness "ranked as the city's top woe" last year for the first time since the surveys began in 2002, reported The Denver Post. In former surveys, traffic congestion ranked as the city's biggest problem. In the 2006 poll, traffic was a "major problem" for 46 percent of residents while homelessness topped the list by 55 percent of the respondents. Mayor John Hickenlooper said he viewed the results as an encouraging sign that the city has effectively heightened awareness of homelessness. A year ago, the mayor launched Denver's Road Home as part of a 10-year plan to end homelessness. According to annual counts of homeless people in the city, the population has decreased moderately, to 9,091 last winter. The citizen survey also found continued concern about the affordability of quality housing, with 72 percent rating it as fair or poor, down from 75 percent in 2005, the article said. KnowledgePlex February 2

City Unveils New Effort to Fix Homeless Problem

Meanwhile, the St. Petersburg City Council has approved $150,000 for Mayor Rick Baker's newly announced plan to address the city's growing homeless problem, reported the St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune. At a recent press conference, Baker outlined his strategy for engaging government, business, and faith communities in tackling homelessness. The $150,000 transitional assistance will help tent city residents find immediate 90-day housing. Under the plan, the city would also hold a summit on homelessness and a social services fair where homeless people could obtain medical examinations, job leads, and other help. Members of the Pinellas Homeless Leadership Network endorsed the plan, saying they would incorporate it into the county's existing 10-year plan to end homelessness, reported the Times. However, residents and merchants in the vicinity of two other homeless encampments are asking the city to address their concerns as well, reported the Tribune. KnowledgePlex February 9

Permanent Shelter Component to Emergency Shelter Effort Sought
n addition to the immediate housing component of Baker's plan, a more permanent shelter is also being sought. The president of St. Petersburg College and the chief executive of Progress Energy Florida will lead a team searching the county for a site for the facility, which could have as many as 200 beds. A former Boeing CEO who resides in the city has pledged up to $500,000 in matching funds for the new shelter, which officials hope to open by next winter. KnowledgePlex February 9

Many Gay Youth Are Homeless
According to a Times column, while "arrests of drug dealers who preyed on people fighting to go straight" are welcome, "it's crystal clear that police can't make a lasting difference if they're in this all alone." Tackling the region-wide homeless problem requires more county mental health outreach workers, more mental health services, proven drug and alcohol rehab programs, and city/county coordination, the article said. Last spring, the county committed to a $100 million plan that would create five regional homeless service centers. Since 2005, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has pledged an additional $100 million for supportive housing. According to the article, none of the projects has been built. The mayor's adviser on homelessness said that getting units through the pipeline takes about three years. KnowledgePlex February 9

Rousting of Skid Row Homeless Puts Strain on Surrounding Areas

A police crackdown credited with reducing crime and homelessness on Los Angeles' skid row is reportedly burdening homeless service providers elsewhere, reported the Los Angeles Times. Last fall, the Los Angeles Police Department assigned 50 additional officers to target crime on skid row. Last month, the LAPD counted 875 people living on skid row streets, a 35 percent decrease from a year earlier, when 1,345 street dwellers were counted. The new count represents an even bigger drop from mid-September, when 1,876 homeless people were counted. According to LAPD officials, crime has also fallen by 11 percent. However, shelters to the south and west of skid row are reporting significant increases in homeless clients, with Hollywood providers and activists reporting particular strain, the article said. KnowledgePlex February 9

Paltry Progress on Aiding Homeless
More than 50 academics have partnered with homeless advocates to release their own plan to combat homelessness in Los Angeles city and county, reported The Daily News of Los Angeles. The Inter-University Consortium Against Homelessness includes professors and scholars from the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles. The plan calls for providing homeless people with affordable housing and services as well as helping them obtain federal Social Security and veterans' disability benefits or find jobs. Other recommendations include ensuring that public assistance covers the cost of lodging and preventing smaller cities in the region from sending their homeless residents to skid row. According to a USC professor who helped found the consortium, Los Angeles County jurisdictions, combined, spend about $600 million annually on homelessness, compared with $1.7 billion spent each year by New York City, which has a much smaller homeless population.   KnowledgePlex February 9

Tent Slashing Gives City A Black Eye
The public image of St. Petersburg, Fla., has suffered over recent actions involving homeless encampments, according to the Tampa Tribune. Weeks ago, homeless people and advocates erected a tent city near downtown. During a subsequent raid, police slashed tents that were considered a fire and safety hazard. KnowledgePlex February 9

Reading, Writing, and a Roof Overhead
An anonymous $10,000 donation provided seed funding for what appears to be the first school district-funded housing complex for homeless youth in the country, reported the Christian Science Monitor. The Maplewood Richmond Heights district near St. Louis acquired a home with enough space to house four homeless high school boys. A local clergyman worked with the school district's superintendent to assure zoning officials and neighbors that students residing at the facility wouldn't have criminal records. Volunteers have also helped the effort. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, nearly half of all homeless students are unable to attend school for the full year. Young men who drop out of school are much more likely to end up in prison, said the superintendent. The school board expects to spend about $34,000 annually on mortgage, insurance, and utility payments for the home, which is known as Joe's Place. The expenditure seems reasonable, considering it costs at least as much to keep someone in prison for a year, which is where homeless young men are likely to end up if they drop out of school, the superintendent said. Planetizen February 16

California May Outlaw Dumping of Discharged Patients
A California state senator representing Los Angeles is sponsoring a bill that would make it illegal to dump hospital patients on the streets, reported the Los Angeles Times. As they work to clean up skid row, Los Angeles officials have sought to halt the practice of releasing recently discharged hospital patients or prison inmates onto the streets. While 55 cases of alleged dumping on skid row are under investigation, authorities have difficulty building cases, in part because no state law explicitly prohibits the practice. Under the proposed legislation, health care facilities responsible for transporting patients anywhere other than their residences without their consent could face fines of up to $10,000. Health care workers who violate the law could face up to two years imprisonment and/or fines of up to $1,000. According to the Hospital Assn. of Southern California, criminalizing hospitals that are already providing uncompensated care to indigent patients would be unproductive. The bill's sponsor said it seeks to stop hospitals from adding to the homelessness problem by neglecting discharge planning responsibilities. KnowledgePlex March 1

New Centers to Offer Homeless a Hand Up
A church in Pinellas County, Fla., is providing 5 acres for a planned homeless drop-in center and a community health care facility, reported the St. Petersburg Times. St. Timothy's Lutheran Church will pay for the day center, which is expected to include showers, laundry equipment, lockers, a free telephone, and mailboxes. A $1.7 million federal appropriation is funding the Community Health Center, which will serve anyone in need of affordable health care. The branch of Community Health Centers of Pinellas will focus on preventive and holistic medicine, said the clinic system's CEO. Locating the two new facilities near a police station and low-cost apartment building will provide the homeless community with centralized relief and transitional opportunities, said a church official. KnowledgePlex March 1

Olympia's Tent City Looks to Portland Dignity Village as Model
A recently established tent city in Olympia, Wash., is reportedly inspired by Portland, Ore.'s "Dignity Village" homeless encampment, reported The Olympian. On Feb. 1, the Olympia-based Poor Peoples Union formed a tent city on a municipal lot to protest a new ban on sitting or lying on parts of city sidewalks. After police broke up the camp, the tents moved to a site owned by the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, which has given "Camp Quixote" three months before it must move. Dignity Village, which dates back to 2000, also began as a makeshift gathering of tents, the article said. A series of police evictions and tent city moves ensued, attracting media attention and, eventually, political support. In 2004, Portland city commissioners legitimized the site by making it an official campground. Dignity Village, which will soon sign a 10-year lease, is the only government-approved tent city on city land in the country, said Michael Stoops, acting director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. The self-contained camp now consists mostly of structures rather than tents, pays for power and sanitation, and relies on donations of funds and lumber, the article said. A local Olympia advocate envisions a similar permanence for Camp Quixote. City officials oppose the idea, saying resources would be better spent on transitional and permanent housing. Stoops said he supports tent cities but that some leaders within the National Coalition for the Homeless do not. KnowledgePlex March 9

Plan To Move St. Pete Tent City Approved
The St. Petersburg, Fla., City Council approved plans to allow a temporary tent city on the same site where an encampment was dismantled by the city in January, reported the Tampa Tribune. After the encampment was dismantled, homeless people pitched tents on another site, eliciting complaints from nearby residents and business owners. A community summit on homelessness recommended moving the tents back to their original spot on four acres owned by St. Vincent de Paul Society. Under the plan, the city will lease the site, holding the temporary use permit and waiving, for 90 days, a ban on living in tents. By giving the city more control over the camp, this arrangement will address many of the concerns that arose when the tent city first appeared, sources said. Although the camp will have 24-hour security, sanitary facilities, and stricter rules, some critics are concerned about liability issues, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 9

More Homeless Families in New York City
Citing an increase in homeless families, a New York City advocacy group is calling for a "midpoint correction" in Mayor Michael Bloomberg's five-year plan to reduce homelessness by two-thirds, reported Newsday. The plan, launched in August 2004, has several goals, including reducing the number of homeless families in shelters from 8,850 to 7,400 by now, reported Associated Press. According to a study by the Coalition for the Homeless, New York City shelters housed nearly 9,300 families at the end of February. A growing population, tight housing market, and widening gap between rent increases and wage growth are among the factors behind the rise in family homelessness, advocates say. KnowledgePlex March 16

Group Says NYC Plan for Homeless Faltering
The coalition wants revisions to a 2-year-old city program offering gradually decreasing rent subsidies instead of federal housing vouchers to former homeless shelter residents on welfare. Tenants shouldn't have to remain on welfare to access subsidies, and subsidies shouldn't be decreased, they say. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeless Services criticized the coalition for using the study to generate publicity. The department is expanding prevention efforts and planning changes to the rental assistance program, she said. The study also found that the number of homeless individuals fell from 8,176 in 2005 to 7,661 in 2006, reported Newsday. KnowledgePlex March 16

St. Petersburg Rules Ban Tent Cities
The St. Petersburg, Fla., City Council passed a set of ordinances that prohibit homeless people from erecting impromptu camps along city sidewalks, reported the St. Petersburg Times. The measures authorize arrests of people found sleeping on sidewalks next to residential property or in public rights-of-way when shelter space is available. The ordinances are a response to the tent cities that have arisen in parts of the city since December, the article said. (Week In Review has covered St. Petersburg's ongoing attempts to address tent cities, most recently in the March 7 issue, which discussed a new city-regulated tent city.) Civil rights groups and the Pinellas-Pasco public defenders office oppose the ordinances, saying they may violate the Constitution by criminalizing homelessness. Under the new laws, arrests for sleeping in public rights-of-way are a last resort, allowed only when shelter space is not available within 3 miles of city limits, city officials say. KnowledgePlex March 22

New Complex for Homeless Opens in Salt Lake City
A just-opened supportive housing complex for chronically homeless people in Salt Lake City is "the first of its kind in Utah," reported the Deseret Morning News. The multimillion-dollar project was spearheaded by the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City. The 100-unit facility aligns with the "Housing First" approach that has worked elsewhere in the country, the article said. Residents of two of the four floors will face no restrictions on use of alcohol, while all residents will have access to optional on-site case management. The complex is part of the state's 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 29

Springfield Program to Help Homeless Advances
Under the Springfield, Mass., "Housing First" effort, the city and its housing authority are working on opening about 140 apartments to chronically homeless people, reported the Springfield Republican. The Springfield Housing Authority is seeking landlords to provide up to 100 subsidized apartments and the city is using federal HOME funds to provide another 42 subsidized units to homeless people. Twenty-two of the HOME-funded units are set aside for clients of the Mental Health Association, with the other 20 units reserved for people living in single-room occupancy units at a shelter. Another shelter has been ordered to shut down in conjunction with the Housing First initiative. Some homeless advocates who back the supportive housing program say the city still needs shelters. KnowledgePlex March 29

Density Bonus and Inclusionary Zoning Related Articles

MORE THAN JUST INCLUSIONARY ZONING needed
Participating on Oakland's Inclusionary Housing Blue Ribbon Commission, a home builder points to the futility of inclusionary zoning and lists effective alternatives that should be included in a comprehensive approach to building affordable housing. Feb 20 2007 -- Oakland Tribune Planetizen February 22

Are Tax Breaks for Condo Owners Fair to Others?
The Washington Legislature is considering a bill that would restrict property tax abatements offered by cities, reported The News Tribune. Under a decade-old state law, multifamily housing developers working in city-designated zones receive substantial reductions in property taxes for 10 years. The cost savings are passed on to condominium owners and, theoretically, to apartment residents in the form of lower rents. While some cities require affordable housing elements or place other restrictions on the recipients of the abatements, Tacoma sets no such requirements. Some have questioned the fairness of providing tax savings to owners of expensive condos and withholding tax revenues from school districts and other non-voting entities on the boundaries of the abatement districts. The proposed bill would require that some of the units in projects receiving abatements be affordable, the article said. KnowledgePlex February 22

Controversial Affordable Housing Plan is Approved
In its quest to meet state-mandated affordable housing goals, Narragansett, R.I., is backing the "unmerger of substandard lots," reported The Providence Journal. While the town is also pursuing density bonuses and other affordable housing strategies, a project piloting the lot division concept is generating significant opposition, the article said. The Narragansett Housing Authority plans to unmerge three substandard lots, one of which currently holds a single-family home. The home would remain, but another single-family home and a two-family house would be built on the other two lots. Both units in the duplex would be government-subsidized condominiums for buyers making up to 80 percent of the area median income. The project would create four residential units occupying 22,582 square feet in an area where zoning requires lots of 10,000 square feet. Opponents say the project could set a dangerous precedent. But town planners and the developer say that the unmerged lots would be of similar size to other lots in the area and would provide needed affordable housing. Although the Planning Board approved the project, a lawyer representing a neighboring couple who oppose the project said they may appeal the decision. KnowledgePlex March 16

San Diego Council Postpones Vote on Density Bonus Ordinance
The San Diego City Council is considering offering density bonuses and other incentives to developers to build affordable homes, reported The San Diego Union-Tribune. Under the proposed ordinance, projects that set aside some units for low- and moderate-income households could include more units than normally allowed by city zoning laws. "Depending on how much low-cost housing they provide, they would be entitled to additional incentives, such as waivers from some parking and height standards," the article said. The council postponed a scheduled vote on the ordinance to clarify some issues. Some community activists and a councilwoman are concerned that the ordinance could leave the community without a chance to review projects seeking density bonuses and allow incentives that would erode environmental and other land-use protections in city neighborhoods. A staffer to Mayor Jerry Sanders defended the proposed ordinance, saying it offers "the easiest" way to promote affordable housing, which is "extraordinarily difficult to create." The density bonus measure will come before the council for a possible vote at the end of March, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 16

Florida City Backs Density Allowance in Return for Affordable Housing
In April, Boynton Beach, Fla., city commissioners are expected to vote on an ordinance that would allow multifamily developers who include affordable units to build at higher densities, reported the Palm Beach Post. Under a proposal backed by the Planning and Development Board and the Community Redevelopment Agency, residential developers seeking higher densities would have to reserve 10 to 20 percent of their units as workforce housing. Such units would serve households making between 80 and 120 percent of the county median income. One-quarter of the affordable workforce units must be set aside for low-income households making less than 80 percent of the area median income. Liens and deed restrictions would keep the units affordable for 30 years. In some cases, developers could donate land instead of building affordable homes, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 16

Richmond Plan Opens New Opportunities
The Richmond, Va., City Council has begun crafting a strategy to encourage developers to build more affordable housing, according to a column by two city councilors in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Under the plan, developers can build more units in their projects if some of the additional units are affordable. Builders obtaining density bonuses could opt out of providing the units by paying a fee equivalent to the total cost of the land involved plus the cost of constructing the additional units, the article said. Other incentives offered to affordable residential developers would include expedited permitting and reduced permitting fees. The ordinance makes Richmond "the first locality in Central Virginia, and one of a very few statewide, to take up the problem of housing in the city for the people who make our city work," the article said. "The plan is not a panacea," but rather one of many strategies for encouraging workforce housing, the article said. Other efforts include investing in infrastructure to support riverfront projects, encouraging residential development in all areas of the city, and likely future ordinances, such as refining the Housing Trust Fund administration, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 16

Austin Looks At Housing Trade-offs
A task force appointed by Austin, Texas, city officials recommends providing density bonuses, faster permitting, and other incentives to residential developers who include more affordable units in their projects, reported the Austin American-Statesman. Under state law, Texas cities cannot require builders to include affordable homes. Under the task force's proposal, downtown rental projects could exceed allowable densities if 10 percent of the additional square footage is set aside for homes affordable to people making less than 80 percent of the city median family income. Affordable units in downtown for-sale projects would have to be reserved for households making less than 120 percent of the median family income. Some group members also suggest rezoning industrial and commercial sites for housing. The City Council will vote on the proposals in the next few months, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 22

City Says Affordable Housing Plan Will 'Pay Off'; Time Needed For More Building
Officials and some developers in Santa Fe, N.M., disagree over whether the city's affordable housing ordinance will eventually produce the desired results, reported the Albuquerque Journal. The August 2005 law increased the affordable housing set-aside required in new subdivisions from 11 to 16 percent of units to 30 percent. Although 266 affordable homes were sold in 2006, they were in projects proposed before the law was passed, the article said. But eight projects under way since the law's enactment "are still coming to market," said the city's affordable housing director. A year and a half is a reasonable length of time for securing approvals, breaking ground, and completing the homes, she said. Though it will take time to produce homes, the ordinance has been beneficial, a nonprofit housing leader agreed. But another nonprofit housing official said the law could be aggravating sprawl and raising housing prices overall. Developers who are forced to subsidize housing are selling market-rate homes at higher prices and venturing out to the city's south side, where there is sufficient open land to build projects large enough to generate economies of scale, he said. KnowledgePlex March 22

Meeting The Affordable Housing Challenge

Inclusionary zoning and community land trusts are two innovative methods that government and non-profits are starting to use to create affordable housing, though these, like past efforts, have their shortcomings. Mar 27 2007 -- Seattle Times Planetizen March 29

Articles about Workforce Housing, Housing and Schools

Developer Gets Money for Worker Housing
Eleven Florida housing projects were awarded a total of $50 million under the state's new Community Workforce Housing Innovation Pilot Program, reported the Palm Beach Post. Last year, the state legislature approved funding for the program, which seeks to provide homes for workers making 130 percent of the average wage, an income class ineligible for existing state and federal housing programs. A joint application between Martin County and the developer of a planned 2,250-home community in Indiantown won $5 million for a 50-unit workforce housing project, the article said. KnowledgePlex February 2

Colo. Group Finds Open Door for Workforce Housing Effort
The Urban Land Institute's newly established Workforce Housing Partnership has selected Colorado for one of its pilot initiatives, reported The Denver Post. ULI Colorado has formed a housing committee charged with working with five communities in metro Denver, said the council's executive director. One in nine low-income households in Denver spends more than half of its income on housing, reports Enterprise. ULI's Workforce Housing Partnership recently got a big boost from a $5 million grant to create the ULI Center for Workforce Housing in Washington, D.C. The donation came from Trammell Crow Residential's chief executive, Ron Terwilliger. According to Terwilliger, the center hopes to work with ULI district councils, states, and regions to create housing for teachers, police officers, and other service workers who cannot afford housing near their workplaces.    KnowledgePlex February 2

Collaboration Between Low- and Middle-Income People Key to Housing
Low- and middle-income Americans can be brought together over the "shared anxiety" stemming from the rising costs of health care, housing, and other essentials, according to an opinion article in Sojourners. The article, which introduced a series on various policy ideas, said that the working poor and the middle class are at risk of losing their assets through troubling home lending practices. Three decades ago, households that found themselves downsized or outsourced typically lost about 25 percent of their income, according to the author of The Great Risk Shift. Similar circumstances today typically produce a 40 percent drop in income, he found. Advocates for the poor and the middle class should "build a broad coalition around a shared agenda," the article said. The agenda should be grounded in "a strong call for fairness and based on the principle of just reward for hard work," the article said. KnowledgePlex February 2

Affordable Housing is Vital for Working People and Healthy Communities

Fair Housing A Good Approach for Integrating U.S. Schools
According to a guest columnist in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, voluntary school desegregation programs in Seattle and Louisville are likely to be struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Reinvigorating efforts to ensure fair housing could be "the next best option for those committed to an open, integrated society," wrote Gregory D. Squires, chairman of the Department of Sociology at George Washington University. An amicus brief filed in the two cases before the high court said that research confirms the link between racial integration in schools and academic achievement. But housing discrimination, exclusionary zoning laws that limit apartment construction in the suburbs, and other factors perpetuate segregated housing patterns, another amicus brief said. According to the columnist, steps to integrate the nation's housing market could include increasing the federal budget for fair housing enforcement, including local nonprofit and state enforcement groups; expanding mortgage programs that reward homeowners for making "pro-integration" moves; and enacting more local laws requiring new developments to set aside units for low- and moderate-income families.    KnowledgePlex February 2

Uli To Tackle Workforce Housing Crisis
The Washington-based institute has established a new research center to focus on the problem of affordable housing in an effort to prevent further urban sprawl. Feb 02 2007 -- Sun Herald Planetizen February 5

Skeptic Points to Lack of Data on Housing/Jobs Imbalance
Surprisingly, there is little hard evidence that affordable housing produces social benefits, according to an opinion article in the Marin Independent Journal. Supporters of affordable housing say it enables firefighters, teachers, and other low- and moderate-income workers to live in the cities and towns in which they work. Relatedly, a diminished quality of life is fostered by longer commutes and more traffic congestion when workers must live far from their homes. But, according to the article, there are no statistics that show where people who occupy government-mandated affordable housing work. "No one has gathered the data," nor have entities tracked whether low- and moderate-income people are still living in the affordable apartments that have been built. Data could support affordable housing advocacy efforts or reshape strategy if the existing efforts were shown to be ineffective, the article said. Local governmental bodies need to call for a comprehensive study of affordable housing occupancy, the article said. Planetizen February 16

Affordable Housing Vs. Disneyland
The possibility of an affordable housing development being built near the gates of Disneyland sent the park's officials to a recent Anaheim City Council Meeting. A vote expected by many to pass resulted in a tie, and the housing project faded away. Feb 17 2007 -- Los Angeles Times Planetizen February 20

New Housing Prohibited In Crowded School Areas
In Harford County, Maryland, an ordinance has been approved that would strictly limit the development of new homes in areas with overcrowded schools. Feb 15 2007 -- Baltimore Sun Planetizen February 20

Can't Find Housing For Your Workers? Buy A Motel!
Motels fill a critical housing niche in Montana's booming mountain resort region known as "Big Sky" outside Yellowstone Park: they house area workers as well as guests. While the rooms are shared to reduce costs, dangerous commuting is eliminated. Feb 20 2007 -- The New York Times via International Herald Tribune Planetizen February 22

Lack of Affordable Housing, Long Commute Hurt Area Labor Market
A Connecticut state lawmaker has created a plan to help recent college graduates shoulder high housing prices, reported The Hour. Under the proposal, a graduate of any accredited community college, university, or graduate school in Connecticut could place up to $3,000 of state income-tax payments into a trust fund for up to 10 years. Funds could be withdrawn for a down payment on a home in the state. The lack of funds for a down payment is a bigger barrier to first-time homeownership than mortgage costs, said the plan's sponsor. The proposal is one of several initiatives under way to address the traffic congestion, high energy costs, and "dearth of young professionals" impeding business competitiveness, the article said. Other plans include increasing rail service and establishing a state Department of Energy to seek ways to conserve resources, the article said. KnowledgePlex February 22

Nonprofit Leader Responds to Skepticism Over Workforce Housing
A representative sample of the occupants of two Marin County, Calif., rental developments shows "that the majority of workplace housing is, indeed, occupied by Marin workers," according to an opinion article in the Marin Independent Journal. In her article, Mary Murtagh, CEO of nonprofit housing organization EAH, said she was responding to concerns expressed by IJ columnist Dick Spotswood. According to Spotswood, neither Marin County nor the Association of Bay Area Governments collects data on who occupies workforce housing, raising the question of whether Marin workers are living in the county's workforce housing. (Editor's note: Spotswood's column was featured in the Feb. 14 issue of Week In Review.) EAH, which has more than 5,200 affordable housing units with about 15,000 residents, does collect data on its units, Murtagh wrote. For example, a development in San Rafael has 162 residents, 83 percent of whom work in Marin, with 30 percent working in the medical profession. Slightly more than half of the tenants of an EAH community in Larkspur work for Marin-based companies, while just under half are retired or disabled, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 1

Workforce Housing Clears Final Hurdle in Wyoming Senate
The Wyoming Senate passed a bill offering low-cost loans to communities for infrastructure needed for new housing development, reported the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. The measure originally appropriated $30 million for the loan program, but the amount was cut to $1 million by the state House. Supporters say the bill will help create homes affordable to the workforce by eliminating a cost generally borne by developers, and will make communities more business-friendly. But a state senator said the measure would benefit only the initial buyers of the homes, which would likely become unaffordable once they're resold. There are tools to retain the affordability of homes that are developed under the program, said another state senator. KnowledgePlex March 9

Downtown Seeking Families; Experts Say Kids Key to Urban Vitality
While Denver's downtown residential market is booming, a shortage of families may impede further growth, experts told The Denver Post. The downtown core has 9,000 residents but only 325 families, the article said. A more diversified housing base would better weather market downturns, said an economic strategist. In Denver and other parts of the country, a shortage of nearby schools is a barrier to luring families to live downtown, said Nicolas Retsinas, director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. To attract more families, Denver's downtown would need a school, larger yet affordable units, parks, and other amenities, sources said. To enhance housing affordability, Denver passed an inclusionary ordinance requiring residential developers to set aside 10 percent of their projects with 30 or more units for families earning less than 80 percent of the area median income, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 22

55 Homes for Teachers on Dare's Drawing Board
The Dare County, Va., Board of Education is working with a nonprofit housing developer to build homes for school staff, reported The Virginian-Pilot. Under the plan, the Outer Banks Community Development Corp. would build 55 town homes on 9 ? acres owned by the school system in Kill Devil Hills. The homes would cost $120,000 to $225,000. By holding a "soft second mortgage" on the properties, the CDC can keep the home costs low, said the group's program director. Under the proposal, the CDC would have right of first refusal when homes are sold, ensuring continued affordability, the article said. Some of the homes would be leased to renters rather than sold. School principals and teachers will be briefed on the plan, and the school board will decide whether to move forward with the project, said a board member. In 2005, 20 teachers left Dare County schools due to living costs or other housing problems, said a member of the county Board of Education. KnowledgePlex March 22
Articles about Legislation and other Affordable Housing Issues

New Jersey Affordable Housing Plan Denied
An affordable housing plan for New Jersey has been thrown out by an appeals court, arguing that the plan was based on flawed data and did not accurately predict the demand for housing. The plan has been called discriminatory by housing advocates. Jan 29 2007 -- The Philadelphia Inquirer Planetizen February 1

North Jersey may have to Allow more Affordable Units
n New Jersey, an appeals court struck down the "growth-share" formula governing local compliance with the state's affordable housing requirements, reported The Record. In December 2004, the state Council on Affordable Housing adopted a new formula requiring towns to create one affordable housing unit for every eight newly constructed market-rate units, the article said. current formula was designed without reviewing state planning data or ensuring that sufficient land is available to support the new units. KnowledgePlex February 2

Connecticut Legislators Look to Revise Law on Affordable Housing
Connecticut lawmakers are proposing ways to increase municipal compliance with the state's affordable housing law, reported The Stamford Advocate. Under the 1990 law, 10 percent of a municipality's housing stock must be affordable, which is defined as serving households earning up to 80 percent of the state median income. "Municipalities that do not meet the 10 percent requirement are open to lawsuits from developers whose applications for high-density housing that include affordable units are rejected," the article said. As of 2005, 31 of 169 municipalities had met the requirement, according to state figures. About 30 affordable housing bills are circulating in the Connecticut General Assembly. Some measures would repeal the statute, which has generated costly legal battles over unwanted projects, sponsors say. Other measures suggest redefining what constitutes affordable housing or tailoring the percentage required for each town. Flexibility and incentives for towns and employers would enhance compliance, the bills' sponsors say. KnowledgePlex February 2

State Grants Funds for Housing
A project to build 523 homes, a school, and commercial space in Walton County also secured a $5 million Community Workforce Housing Innovation Pilot Program grant, reported Northwest Daily News. Wolf Creek Village will be built on 400 acres donated by Regional Utilities, which will receive $3,200 from each lot sold. The utility will also provide water and sewer services at no up-front cost to homeowners. The county schools superintendent welcomed the state support for the project, saying the homes would help with teacher retention. Under state rules, at least half of the homes in the development must go to school district employees, emergency services workers, and other "essential county personnel," the article said. The builder is prohibited from earning greater than 14 percent profit on the total construction cost of about $21 million, the article said. Homeowners' sales profit will also be limited. KnowledgePlex February 2

Affordable Homes Don't Come Cheap
An affordable housing project under construction in Stanislaus County, Calif., is costing twice as much per unit to build as a nearby private apartment complex that was recently completed, reported The Modesto Bee. Government agencies expect to spend $7.1 million on a 20-unit apartment complex in Modesto, at a cost of $355,000 per unit. A privately built 40-unit Modesto complex that opened a year ago is on the market for $4.45 million, which works out to $111,250 per unit, the article said. Stanislaus County Housing Authority officials say regulations such as the federal Davis-Bacon Act increase costs for public projects. The act requires public construction projects to pay substantially higher labor rates, increasing construction costs by 40 to 45 percent, they say. KnowledgePlex February 2

Do Community Land Trusts Offer The Solution For Affordable Housing?
Community land trusts are becoming an increasingly popular way to create new housing that is permanently affordable, and interest in the innovative organizations continues to grow. Feb 05 2007 -- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Planetizen February 8

Oregon House Bill Seeks to Change Housing Authorities' Scope
Legislation allowing Oregon housing authorities to own and operate a wider variety of mixed-income housing developments has been introduced in the Oregon House, reported the Daily Journal of Commerce. The state's largest housing authority, serving Portland, supports the bill. Currently, the Housing Authority of Portland and other authorities may own only projects serving families earning up to 80 percent of median family income, the article said. Under the proposed changes, HAP could use revenues from higher-income units to subsidize the operation and upkeep of low-income units, said an authority official. Members of the House Workforce and Economic Development Committee have supported providing housing authorities with this additional flexibility, she said. Planetizen February 16

Habitat Affiliate Buys Old Trailer Parks
For the first time, a local Habitat for Humanity affiliate in the U.S. is redeveloping an old trailer park into affordable homes, reported the Richmond Times-Dispatch. In fall 2004, the Greater Charlottesville, Va., Habitat acquired the 2.2-acre site, which included three houses and a park with 17 trailers, for $1.2 million. Under the development plan, trailers will remain occupied and on site, shifting from pad to pad to accommodate the construction of 60 energy-efficient town houses and condominiums. Habitat expects to break ground on the project next year and fund the complex with public monies, donations, and revenues from selling some of the units at market rates. The group is also planning to buy another park with 361 trailers just south of the city and incorporate housing for park residents in the redevelopment. Habitat for Humanity International is "enthusiastically" following the model being set by Charlottesville, said an official with the organization. Planetizen February 16

Poll Fuels Worries of a Brain Drain
According to a new poll, the number of Massachusetts residents who rate housing costs as a significant concern increased from just under a half in 2005 to roughly two-thirds in 2006, reported The Boston Globe. The poll is the third annual such survey conducted by University of Massachusetts researchers and the Citizens' Housing and Planning Association. The poll found that "concern about housing in 2006 surpassed concern about public education and access to healthcare by nearly 15 percentage points," the article said. The percentage of survey respondents who said that high housing costs have led them or immediate family members to seriously consider moving out of state increased from 24 percent in 2005 to 36 percent in 2006, the article said. Planetizen February 16

Palm Beach County High on Wrong List of Housing
According to a new survey of 159 housing markets in the United States and five other countries, homes in Los Angeles are the least affordable in relation to local median income, reported the Palm Beach Post. The survey by Demographia looked at third-quarter 2006 housing prices and income in markets in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the U.S., and the United Kingdom. According to the survey, areas with at least a 5.1 to 1 ratio of home prices to median income are "severely unaffordable." Los Angeles has a ratio of more than 11 to 1; San Diego was second at more than 10 to 1, London was ninth at over 8 to 1; Miami/West Palm Beach was 14th at nearly 8 to 1; and Fort Wayne, Ind., was the most affordable at 2 to 1.   Planetizen February 16

Reporters Honored for Affordable Housing Coverage
A Sacramento Bee article on the flight of middle-income professionals from the Tahoe basin has won a national media award, reported the Bee. In the past three years, the number of year-round residents on the California side of Lake Tahoe declined at least 20 percent, according to the article by staff writer Jocelyn Wiener. Teachers, nurses, police officers, and other workers have left town, leaving a bisected population of affluent owners of second homes and low-wage workers who lack the means to leave The National Low Income Housing Coalition awarded the Bee a Cushing Niles Dolbeare Media Award in the category of single story in a daily newspaper with a circulation of 100,000 or more. For his "well-rounded story" on the lack of affordable housing, Greg Mellen of the Long Beach, Calif., Press-Telegram won in the category of single story in a daily newspaper with a circulation less than 100,000, according to an NLIHC press release. Winners in the article series categories include a Stockton, Calif., The Record reporter for his analysis of the downside of the housing boom and a reporter from The Miami Herald for her review of mismanagement at the Miami-Dade Housing Agency. Planetizen February 16

All Fall Down: Unbuilding Housing for the Poor of New Orleans
This is a fool’s game. Sadly, HUD’s plan manages to trivialize the past without engaging the painful realities that have shorn this city apart. By Nicolai Ouroussoff [images, slide show]- New York Times ArchNewsNow February 19

Atlanta To Demolish Nearly All Its Public Housing
As the city plans to demolish most of its public housing, the only publicly-subsidized units remaining will be offered to senior citizens. Displaced residents will be given counseling and vouchers enabling them to live anywhere in the country. Feb 15 2007 -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution Planetizen February 20

Denver Program Puts Housing First
A unique concept is under way to combat homelessness in Denver and has lowered costs for caring for homeless individuals by 73 percent. The collaborative helps chronically homeless individuals move from the streets immediately into permanent housing before the causes of their homelessness are addressed. Enterprise Network Newsletter February 2007

South Carolina Legislation Aims to Make Housing More Affordable
Legislation amending state law to allow local South Carolina jurisdictions to create housing trust funds has been filed in the state legislature, reported The State. Although the state has a housing trust fund collecting revenues from deed recording fees, increased local funding is important, said the president of the board of the Affordable Housing Coalition of South Carolina. With wage growth lagging housing cost increases, much of the workforce cannot afford housing, he said. If enacted, the measure would leave the designation of funding sources for the housing trusts up to local governments, he added. By drawing in federal and state matching dollars, local housing trust funds could support first-time home-buyer programs, rental assistance for low-wage workers, home repair assistance for seniors, and housing and shelters for people who are homeless and/or abused. KnowledgePlex February 22

More Mobile-Home Parks Selling to Builders
The rapid pace of mobile-home park closures throughout Washington has spurred political leaders to put forward measures to protect residents and preserve manufactured housing, reported The Seattle Times. In less than two decades, the state has lost 4,500 mobile-home lots due to park closures. Of the more than 1,450 remaining parks, 20 are scheduled to close in 2007. A state fund that helps displaced park residents pay relocation costs has spent all its money, leaving hundreds of mobile-home owners waiting for nearly $2 million in aid. Gov. Christine Gregoire has included $4 million for the relocation fund in her biennial budget. The state legislature is considering two manufactured housing bills, one of which would allow mobile-home parks to be built in rural areas, "where zoning rules keep developers at bay," the article said. The other measure would provide small tax breaks to owners who voluntarily sell parks to residents and enable public housing authorities to match outside offers to purchase parks. KnowledgePlex February 22

MacArthur Foundation to Invest in New Research on Impact of Housing
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation plans to invest $25 million in new research on the impact of housing on children, families, and communities, according to a press release from the foundation. The "deep, empirical evidence base" created by the initiative will support efforts toward more "far-reaching" housing policy reforms, said MacArthur president Jonathan Fanton. The foundation will establish an interdisciplinary research network encompassing housing, health, child development, education, and labor experts. MacArthur will also fund demonstration projects and evaluations testing the effects of different housing policies, cost-benefit studies examining such issues as household relocation to low-poverty communities, and analyses of factors that influence the supply and cost of affordable housing. KnowledgePlex February 22

Atlanta To Raze Most of its Public Housing Complexes
The Atlanta Housing Authority announced plans to spend about $15 million to demolish a dozen aging public housing complexes within the next several years, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Although the authority has tapped federal HOPE VI funds to revitalize or convert 11 public housing properties into mixed-income communities, about 5,000 families remain in substandard complexes that are too costly to maintain or renovate, agency officials say. The 10 multifamily and two senior residences to be razed cover 237 acres and include more than 3,000 units with 9,600 residents. Residents will receive relocation counseling and federal housing vouchers to live anywhere in the country. While one resident said she welcomed the chance to move using a voucher, resident leaders said authority officials should have shared their plans earlier. The plan hinges upon approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. KnowledgePlex February 22

City Sues its Housing Authority Over Neglect
The City of Oakland, Calif., filed a lawsuit against the Oakland Housing Authority, alleging poor conditions at several of the agency's public housing complexes, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. The lawsuit asks the Alameda County Superior Court to order the agency to replace or bring up to code all of the 3,300 public housing units in the city and to provide better management and security at all the housing sites. City officials say families are living with mold, leaky roofs, and other "deplorable conditions" despite years of effort to get the authority to make repairs and eliminate tenants who are a threat to safety, the article said. Over the last decade, federal funding cuts have deprived the agency of $8.4 million in maintenance funding, said the authority's executive director. According to the city council president, the agency could be using its resources more efficiently. KnowledgePlex February 22

Historic Credits for Affordable Housing
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives is backing legislation to broaden a federal tax credit for historic preservation projects, reported the Plain Dealer. A bill sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Cleveland) would increase subsidies for affordable-housing developments by allowing preservation tax credits to be combined with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, the article said. The bill would also double the historic tax credit available to projects with renovation expenses of less than $2 million. The allowable credit would increase from 20 percent to 40 percent. According to Tubbs Jones, the expanded tax credit could support housing development in inner-ring suburbs. KnowledgePlex February 22

Rethinking Affordable Housing Strategies
At Housing Charlotte 2007, Bruce Katz discusses current housing challenges in Charlotte, principles of success, as well as where the city, and the nation, go from here.- Brookings Institution ArchNewsNow February 27

Suburbs Should Collaborate on Affordable Housing
They have not collaborated to reach the state's mandated goals, according to a University of Illinois at Chicago study...- Newswise ArchNewsNow February 27

Congress Can Protect 60,000 Section 8 Units with Simple Tax Change
An outmoded prohibition on the use of low income housing tax credits in properties with Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation ("Mod Rehab") contracts jeopardizes the preservation of nearly 60,000 affordable apartments that are home to very low income seniors and working families. Housing organizations seeking to preserve these apartments are being pressured to opt-out of the Mod Rehab contract in order to pursue tax credit equity that is badly needed to finance essential physical improvements. Without the deep subsidy provided by the project-based rental assistance contract, it becomes nearly impossible to ensure these apartments remain affordable to very low income families. National Housing Trust’s Preservation Newsletter

Rep Envisions New Use for Conveyance Tax
A Connecticut lawmaker is proposing to extend a short-term increase in the real estate conveyance tax and use the revenue to encourage affordable housing development, reported The Stamford Advocate. In 2003, the state temporarily increased the tax paid by the seller in a real estate transaction from 0.11 percent of 0.25 percent. The one-year increase, authorized to offset a drop in state aid, was extended twice but is set to expire in June. The representative backing the extension said the state should reauthorize the tax and allow revenues to continue flowing to municipalities meeting the state requirement that 10 percent of their housing stock be affordable. KnowledgePlex March 1

Proposal Would Fund Towns That Help Promote Affordable Homes
The Home Builders Association of Connecticut is backing state legislation that would reward municipalities for creating designated affordable housing zones, reported the Connecticut Post. Higher-density housing would be allowed in the zones. Builders benefiting from economies of scale could offer lower-cost housing, while the municipality would receive payments from the state for allowing the increased density, said an editorial on Connecticut Post Online. Further, the municipality would receive bonus payments when building permits are issued. The state would also create a fund to reimburse local jurisdictions that incur additional school costs as a result of the new homes. Massachusetts already administers a similar program, the editorial said. Builders reportedly favor the proposal because it could speed permitting, reported the Post. But one local official said the potential harm to qualify of life posed by high-density housing is a concern. KnowledgePlex March 1

BLM Sells 5 Acres to County for Affordable Housing Project
A senior apartment complex in Clark County, Nev., will be the first affordable housing project that is built on federal land transferred under the 1988 Southern Nevada Public Land Act, reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In accordance with the Act, the Bureau of Land Management sold the 5-acre parcel, appraised at $3 million, to the county for less than fair market value. The county transferred ownership to Nevada HAND, a nonprofit developer, which paid $198,000 for the parcel. The 103-unit complex serving low-income people who 55 and older should be completed in about a year, said the president of Nevada HAND. While the project will enable some seniors to leave crowded or substandard housing, it will meet only a portion of the community's need for affordable homes, he said. The BLM has set aside more than 1,300 acres in the Las Vegas Valley for affordable housing, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 1

Meeting about Housing Aims to Soothe Racial Tension in Norfolk
As part of efforts to improve race relations in Norfolk, Va., city officials convened neighborhood leaders to talk about code enforcement and affordable housing, reported the Virginian-Pilot. Last week, civic leaders from predominantly black and white wards met to talk about shared problems such as neighborhood blight and a lack of adequate low-cost homes. One of the councilmen who arranged the meeting said it is more productive to talk about the issues that tend to aggravate racial tension than to address race itself. Healing requires talking directly about race, said the co-founder of Norfolk United Facing Race, which wants to facilitate group dialogues about race. KnowledgePlex March 1

Town to Protect Mobile Home Communities From Developers
Davie, Fla., took an unusual step for a Florida jurisdiction and imposed a one-year moratorium on rezoning mobile home communities, reported the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Davie has 31 mobile home communities and 7,400 mobile homes. The town's 23,000 mobile home residents constitute a fourth of its population, the article said. According to the town's housing and community development director, the first-ever such moratorium for a South Florida government will give officials time to explore ways to address the issue of the displacement of mobile home park tenants. The Davie Town Council also created a task force of residents, renters, and park owners to recommend ways to address the town's affordable housing shortage. The median rent in Davie is $1,342, compared to $400 for the average rent for a lot in a mobile home park, said the housing and community development director. KnowledgePlex March 1

Is Affordable Housing Policy The Solution, Or The Problem?
More common sense is needed in creating and managing the litany of federal, state and local policies intended to create more affordable housing. Feb 27 2007 -- Florida Trend Planetizen March 1

The Invisible Problem Of Suburban Homelessness
This article from the Houston Press looks at the issue of homelessness in nearby suburban Fort Bend County, a problem many public officials deny. Feb 27 2007 -- Houston Press Planetizen March 1

Oregon House Takes Up Plight of Mobile-Home Park Residents
In response to recent manufactured home park closures, Oregon lawmakers have introduced several bills providing more protection to park residents, reported The Oregonian. One measure would require owners who close their parks to pay residents' relocation expenses or provide thousands of dollars to tenants who abandon their homes. Another proposal would offer housing loans to nonprofit cooperatives established to purchase parks. Yet another measure would give people of all income levels access to an existing $10,000 tax credit for displaced park residents, and extend beyond 2008 a tax break for owners who sell parks to residents. KnowledgePlex March 9

Washington Bills Protect Mobile Home Communities
The Washington legislature is also considering legislation protecting manufactured housing park residents, reported The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. One bill package would authorize the state's attorney general to pursue violations of an existing law governing manufactured housing communities. Another pair of measures would enable park owners to sell their communities to resident homeowners for fair market value and obtain an exemption from paying the state's portion of the real estate excise tax. Yet another proposal would allow Housing Trust Fund dollars and tax credit incentives to finance transactions preserving manufactured housing communities. KnowledgePlex March 9

State Bill Seeks More Help for Displaced Owners
Legislation requiring local governments to help residents displaced by manufactured home park closures has been introduced in the Florida House, according to a column in the St. Petersburg Times. Under current law, states pay manufactured home owners who must abandon their homes up to $2,750; the state also pays homeowners who relocate within 50 miles up to $6,000. The payments don't cover total costs, the article said. The new bill, similar to one proposed last year, sets out several mandatory actions for local governments. They include using all available funding to assist homeowners with relocation costs, rezoning parcels for new manufactured home communities, and providing tax breaks and other incentives for preserving properties as affordable manufactured home communities. KnowledgePlex March 9

Legislation Targets Loophole in California Law Controlling Rent at Mobile Home Parks
A California lawmaker is proposing to close a loophole in state law governing mobile home park rents, reported the Vallejo Times. Currently, if just one renter buys a space after a manufactured home park is subdivided into parcels for sale, every non-low-income tenant loses rent control protection. In some parts of Southern California, the loophole has led to lawsuits. The lawmaker's bill would permit cities to deny or set conditions for park conversions. The measure "gives control back to local municipalities," she said. Legislators will likely hold a hearing on the bill in early April, said a spokeswoman for the bill's sponsor. KnowledgePlex March 9

San Diego Neighborhood Wrestles With Student Housing
Entrepreneurial students-turned-developers are turning houses into dorms around San Diego State University to meet the growing demand for affordable housing, but neighbors want the city to crackdown on the practice. Mar 08 2007 -- San Diego Union-Tribune Planetizen March 12

Miami's Public Housing Debacle
With a federal takeover of the city's housing authority underway, the fallout from the investigation into the agency's misdealings is expected to call for dramatic changes in government policy towards low-income housing. Mar 10 2007 -- Christian Science Monitor Planetizen March 12

Portlanders Speak Out On Planning Vision
In Portland, Oregon, results of a survey about the mayor's long-term planning vision reveal that many in the city feel development is pricing out the poor, and that policies cater more to encouraging economic development than to resident's interests. Mar 12 2007 -- The Portland Tribune Planetizen March 15

Los Angeles Mayor Plans Housing Projects
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced plans to spend $137 million in existing city resources on affordable homes and to revive a housing bond proposal that failed last November, reported the Los Angeles Times. The money would help fund more than 20 projects with a total of 1,222 affordable units and 274 homeless housing units. According to the mayor, the funds come from the city's housing trust account, which received $100 million from various city agencies, reported the Daily News.

Oakland Mayor's Task Force on Housing Urges Reforms
A 50-person task force formed by Oakland, Calif., Mayor Ron Dellums is recommending that the city enact an inclusionary housing policy along with other reforms to boost affordable housing, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. Under the inclusionary policy, a to-be-determined percent of the units in developments with more than 10 units must be priced at rates considered affordable for low- and moderate-income buyers. If the mayor cannot win City Council support for such a policy, he should put the question before voters, the task force said. In its newly released report, the task force also calls for the city to restrict certain condo conversions, expand resources for affordable homes, develop a land-use policy encouraging industrial retention, and consider reusing industrial land for housing. KnowledgePlex March 16
Will Renting Become The New American Dream?

Subsidizing Upper Middle Class Housing
With median housing prices of more than $1 million, the city of Santa Barbara, California, is looking for ways to retain its diminishing middle-class. The plan is to subsidize middle-income housing for residents making up to $177,000. Mar 19 2007 -- The New York Times Planetizen March 22

Senator Backs Housing Program He Once Tried To Kill, HOPE VI
en. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) is co-sponsoring legislation to increase funding for the HOPE VI redevelopment program, which provides funds to replace distressed public housing complexes with new mixed-income communities, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported. The bill would authorize $600 million annually for five years for the program, which has seen its funding cut from $574 million in fiscal 2003 to $99 million in fiscal 2007. In 2003, when he was HUD secretary, Martinez said Congress should stop funding the program because it was backlogged and could be replaced with a better program. Under the current measure, HOPE VI would undergo significant changes to address problems Martinez cited in 2003, such as lengthy development delays, the article said. For example, the bill includes financing requirements aimed at ensuring more rapid movement from conception to reality. Some housing advocates who disagreed with Martinez's position in 2003 said they are pleased with his current stance, the article said. KnowledgePlex March 22

Novato Grapples With Affordable Housing Plans
Novato, Calif., officials are considering requiring developers to include affordable units in their projects or pay a fee, reported the Marin Independent Journal. The draft ordinance would give the City Council authority to set in-lieu fees and affordability levels on a project-by-project basis, Novato's community development director told a panel of city officials. Calling the ordinance "a good first step," several officials suggested additional ideas, such as requiring commercial developments to include on-site housing, and rezoning some parcels for higher-density development. Designating more sites for residential use is among the several strategies in the city's toolkit, city staff told the panel. KnowledgePlex March 22

Rouse-Linked Group Getting $5 Million Gift
The CEO of one of the nation's largest multifamily development companies gave $5 million to Enterprise Community Partners of Columbia, Md., reported The Baltimore Sun. A lack of financial incentives is one of the key barriers to affordable housing development, said J. Ronald Terwilliger of Atlanta-based Trammell Crow Residential, citing his desire to "make a difference." According to Enterprise executives, $2 million of Terwilliger's gift will be used to seed a $100 million Maryland Regional Workforce Housing Fund. Modeled after a California initiative, the fund will extend low-cost acquisition loans and other financing to residential and mixed-use projects that include affordable homes for middle-class families, they said. An additional $1 million of the gift will be used to start a $30 million land acquisition fund supporting affordable housing development in the At

Half Of All Americans Believe Current Housing Policies Misguided
A recent Zogby America poll shows that a large and increasing number of Americans view affordable housing as a major issue, and are looking to government to actively address the problem. Mar 23 2007 -- PR Newswire Planetizen March 26

Boise Confronts Affordable Housing Issue
At a recent ULI Conference, local and national experts discussed housing trends in fast-growing Boise Metro area, and urged developers to build more low-cost homes. Mar 22 2007 -- The (Boise) Idaho Statesman Planetizen March 26
< STUDIES AND RESOURCES RELEASED

California Jobs shift to follow Affordable Housing
According to a new report, workers who have left California's pricey coastal areas for more affordable homes inland are drawing jobs in their wake, reported The Modesto Bee. From 1990 to 2005, job growth in Inland regions such as the Northern San Joaquin Valley was nearly five times that of coastal counties, according to the California Budget Project report. In the Inland counties, jobs increased an average of 46 percent, compared to 9.6 percent job growth in coastal counties. Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties saw job growth rates of about 35 percent. The shift of jobs inland suggests that "a lot of businesses are following workers," said the organization's executive director. KnowledgePlex February 2

New Partnership Enhances Katrina Index
The Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program and the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center are collaborating on the Katrina Index to deliver a more tailored recovery assessment. The newly revised index now exclusively monitors progress in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding parishes, with data for Louisiana where possible. The index also features a streamlined set of indicators for tracking recovery. The indicators are organized by the key facets of recovery, such as housing, population, services and infrastructure, economy, and emergency response. This year, the partnership will seek to provide access to new, state and locally driven data sources, some of which will be mapped to visually demonstrate the extent to which different areas are responding to various recovery efforts. The index will also draw on more local insights about the rebuilding efforts. KnowledgePlex February 2

Report Identifies Synergies Between States, Cities
A new report prepared for the Fannie Mae Foundation identifies the principles and specific programs that states can adopt to help their cities -- and thereby themselves -- succeed. Researchers from the George Washington Institute of Public Policy at George Washington University and Cleveland State University's Office of Economic Development visited seven states to study policies that contribute to successful urban performance. The report recommends that a variety of strategies for states, including reviewing whether their policies adversely impact cities, effectively performing core functions such as higher education support, making it easy for cities to annex land, permitting local governments to impose more than one type of major local tax, and encouraging cities to consider housing as an integral part of development efforts. KnowledgePlex February 9

Paper Links Cities' Growth to Diversity, Education
A recent paper by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University draws policy implications from an analysis of population changes in 50 of the largest New England cities. The paper, produced for the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy's New England Smart Growth Leadership Forum, found that 22 of the 50 cities have experienced recent or sustained comebacks since 1980. "Growth in New England's cities has been increasingly dependent upon increasing shares of a diverse array of immigrants and minorities," the paper says. To grow, cities will increasingly need to attract a diverse array of new residents and create community, cultural, and educational institutions to support the new residents' needs. According to the paper, the link between educational attainment and gains in population and economic measures shows the need to train and support a highly educated local workforce. KnowledgePlex February 9

Study Cites Public Housing's Economic Impact;
A new study found that every dollar spent by the nation's public housing authorities on capital improvements, maintenance, and operations generates another dollar in indirect economic activity, according to a press release from the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. The study was supported by CLPHA and the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association and sponsored by the Housing Authority Insurance Group. Based upon a review of public housing costs and contributions in 10 cities, the study concludes that public housing authority spending of $8.1 billion generates $8.2 billion in indirect economic activity, annually. According to the report, public housing is a critical affordable housing resource, representing 1.2 million units that would cost $145 billion, excluding land, to replace. Workers in such industries as hospitality and food service make too little to afford market-rate housing costs, the study said. KnowledgePlex February 16

States Focus on Coordinating Housing, Economic Development
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices has released a report on achievements and lessons learned from its policy academy on housing and economic development. Through the academy, the NGA Center and the Fannie Mae Foundation partnered with other experts in housing and community development to provide intensive technical assistance to state teams from Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. The teams worked toward developing and implementing policies to better coordinate state housing and economic activities to create stronger communities. The report highlights some successes of the efforts, from simplifying housing funding applications in Iowa to comprehensive mapping of Pennsylvania investments to support housing and community development. KnowledgePlex February 16

Report Shows How Sustainable Rural Development Can Be Achieved
A new report recently released by NeighborWorks America provides action-steps to help nonprofit organizations deliver the types of services and programs that will sustain the nation’s rural communities. Based on a review of strategies reported by six members of the NeighborWorks Rural Initiative, the report makes clear that rural development success can be achieved in a number of ways. NeighborWorks News February 16

Report Shares Lessons From Community Safety Initiatives
In a new report, Local Initiatives Support Corp. highlights community safety partnerships in three cities as a jumping off point for examining the lessons learned from years of investing in community safety initiatives. The report examines how community developers have worked with residents and law enforcement in Minneapolis, Providence, R.I., and Seattle. According to the report, building trusting relationships among residents and police often starts with a focus on a single issue. With strong leadership and a determined staff, collaborations can move beyond a single project or two. Long-term safety efforts require that residents feel a sense of common ownership and control of what goes on in their neighborhoods. Setbacks are likely and need to be expected and planned for. KnowledgePlex February 22

New Resource: Key Congressional Staff Contacts for Affordable Housing
The National Housing Trust has created a guide to key staff of members of Congress who sit on committees and subcommittees charged with deciding issues critical to affordable housing. The new Congress presents an opportunity for affordable housing. However, a slim majority means that any action on affordable housing issues has the potential to be derailed. Cultivating relationships with key congressional staff- including those who may not already be familiar with affordable housing preservation- is essential if this Congress' potential is to be realized. National Housing Trust’s Preservation Newsletter

Report Identifies Measures of Community Vitality
A new report from the Urban Institute's Arts and Culture Indicators Project details various aspects of cultural vitality and how these connect to community well-being. The report recommends measures for quantifying cultural vitality and ranks the top 50 metropolitan areas on seven nationally available measures, such as the number of arts establishments and jobs for artists as a proportion of all employment. According to the report, Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle are among the cities that have begun to use a range of measures to describe arts and culture in their communities. KnowledgePlex March 1

Publication Addresses Supportive Housing for Homeless Veterans
A new report from a coalition of homeless advocates explores permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans. The report is an outgrowth of the Leadership Dialogue on Ending Homelessness Among Veterans, an October 2006 convening of government officials, nonprofit service providers, and policy advocates by the Corporation for Supportive Housing, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and Volunteers of America. According to the report, veterans compose nearly 200,000 of the 800,000 persons who are homeless on any given night in the U.S. The report outlines research on the positive effects of permanent supportive housing, explores the legislative landscape for such housing, and describes programs in such communities as Broward County, Fla., San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. KnowledgePlex March 1

Homeless housing: Creative solutions
The study significantly enhances understanding of not only the size of the homeless population but their needs, said HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson. For example, the report says that at least a quarter of homeless people in the country are disabled. The report also shows that San Francisco is not alone in its efforts to shift resources from shelter services to more transitional and permanent supportive housing, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. The study found a 38 percent increase in the number of transitional housing beds nationwide over the last decade, compared with an 83 percent decrease in the number of emergency shelter beds over the same time period. The director of San Francisco's Department of Human Services said he hopes the national homeless count will help persuade the federal government to allocate more funding to cities to end homelessness. The survey data are likely to guide future funding decisions, said HUD Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi. KnowledgePlex March 9

Toolkit Offers Guide to Supportive Housing in Suburbs, Small Towns
The Corporation for Supportive Housing's Southern New England Program has published an online toolkit for creating supportive housing in suburban and small towns. The toolkit covers how to build community support, development timeline and tasks, involving the media, working with local government, dealing with discriminatory land use laws and other legal issues, project development, partnerships, finances, and site selection. The guide includes numerous documents that can be customized, such as a sample community agenda and a sample development budget. KnowledgePlex March 9

Brief Cites Overextension Among Lower-Income Homeowners
According to a new brief from the Urban Institute, more than a quarter of households in the lowest income quintile pay more than 40 percent of their income on home mortgage interest payments, suggesting that they may be overextending themselves financially to own a home. The brief is based on data from the Survey of Consumer Finances, a data series on household wealth compiled by the Federal Reserve. The brief also found that the percentage of homeowner households that are considered overextended drops as income increases. In contrast to the homeownership rates, the overextension rates do not differ much by race. The ownership rate is 73 percent for whites and 48 percent for nonwhites and Hispanics. KnowledgePlex March 16

Indianapolis Vacant Property Successes
Across the country, vacant and abandoned properties inflict a tremendous burden on communities by becoming safety hazards and furthering the advancement of neighborhood blight. These properties strain the resources of local municipalities, while reducing property tax revenues. Unfortunately, there is little impetus on the part of owners to improve properties, pay property taxes on a current basis or cure violations if local jurisdictions cannot foreclose or dispose of foreclosed properties in a reasonable period of time. To help other municipalities in the state to take advantage of the new statute, Indianapolis leaders worked with the National Vacant Properties Campaign to publish a "how-to" manual that explains how it works in practice. LISC eNewsletter March 19

Brief Examines State Housing Task Forces
A new brief by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices covers how governors in eight states have used housing task forces to address affordable housing challenges and opportunities. The states are Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin. According to the brief, task forces have been convened to achieve both broad and very specific goals. For example, an Illinois task force, launched in 2003, produced the first statewide comprehensive housing plan in the state's history. A Massachusetts task force, also created in 2003, analyzed the impacts of the state's Chapter 40B law, which seeks to ease the path for affordable housing development in communities. Many of the recommendations made by the task force were incorporated in a reform bill enacted in 2004. The success of any task force depends upon a clear mission, the brief says. KnowledgePlex March 22

Bibliography Lists Homeless Employment Services References
The Chronic Homelessness Employment Technical Assistance Center has published an annotated bibliography listing 131 journal articles and reports on employment services and homelessness. Most of the references are available on the Web, many for free. According to CHETA, the comprehensive list may help program planners identify researched practices that inform program design and help grant writers locate key research to substantiate funding for certain approaches or programs. KnowledgePlex March 29
EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL FOR ENTRIES: 2007 FREDERICK P. ROSE ARCHITECTURAL FELLOWSHIPS http://www.rosefellowship.org/join/opportunities/

Call for entries: 2007 Frederick P. Rose Architectural Fellowships
Work to increase the quality and quantity of affordable housing and improve the quality of life for residents in their communities; first deadline: April 1- Rose Fellowship ArchNewsNow February 28

NeighborWorks Training Institute in Phoenix -- May 7-11
Join us in Phoenix for an exceptional week of intensive community development coursework, best-practice sharing, and professional networking with peers from all segments of the field. Choose from more than 90 community development-related courses, including: The five-day Advanced Nonprofit Housing Management Specialist , Green courses sponsored by The Home Depot Foundation , The Native American Community Economic Development Training Program, launching a new set of planning and housing development courses full scholarships are available for these courses A symposium Taking Care of Business: Managing the Business Side of Homeownership Programs , Spanish-bilingual homeownership courses NeighborWorks News February 16

Financing Community Development -- March 29-30
The Community Affairs officers of the Federal Reserve System invite you to attend a conference presenting research on trends and innovations in products serving low- and moderate-income communities and people. This fifth biennial research conference brings together a diverse audience from academia, financial institutions, community organizations, foundations, and government to examine the issues and challenges facing successful community development. Conference convenes March 29-30 in Washington, DC. NeighborWorks News February 16

Investing in Urban Communities: Balancing Growth & Inclusion, April 11
ULI Green Development Conference, April 23-24
Attend Temple University’s Second Annual Social Entrepreneurship Conference around managing the tensions between capital investors and community stakeholders when assembling resources to make large impacts with in urban neighborhoods. Panelists include: Jeremy Nowak, The Reinvestment Fund, Omar Blaik, U3Ventures, John Westrum, Westrum Properties, Rose Gray, Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha, Inc. (APM) and Sharmain Matlock Turner, Greater Urban Affairs Coalition (GPUAC) Wednesday, April 11, 9:00-11:30 am, Student Activity Center Conference Center, Main Campus, More info: HYPERLINK "mailto:tl.hill@temple.edu" tl.hill@temple.edu Design Matters Digest March 2007

Nominations for ULI Nichols Prize Due May 1
The Urban Land Institute will host a conference on green development April 23-24 in Pittsburgh. The conference will explore the latest trends and topics in green and sustainable development, including designing whole systems to achieve sustainability and profitability; green residential development; financing green mixed-use projects; green retrofitting; lessons in green development from Europe and Asia; and land use, transportation, and energy. Registrations received by April 13 qualify for the early registration fee. KnowledgePlex March 9

Reclaiming Vacant Properties: September 24-25 Pittsburgh

Don't miss out on the first national conference devoted to the transformation of vacant properties into community assets. This two-day conference will bring together practitioners, policymakers, concerned citizens, financial institutions, and many others from throughout the country to share model practices and problem-solve --Â focusing on helping realize the potential of vacant properties as community assets, and highlighting strategies to ensure they benefit the residents, communities, and cities around them. Reclaiming Vacant Properties will provide tools to prevent, acquire, and reuse vacant properties in ways that rebuild neighborhoods, improve public safety and health, and spur economic growth. LISC eNewsletter March 16

MetLife Award Applications Due May 4
The MetLife Foundation and Enterprise are seeking applications for the 2007 MetLife Foundation Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing. The awards program recognizes community-based or regional nonprofits and Tribes or Tribally Designated Housing Entities. Awards are presented in two categories: Supportive Housing and Property and Asset Management. First-place winners receive a $35,000 grant, second-place winners receive $15,000, and third-place winners receive $10,000. Initial applications are due May 4, and those selected as semifinalists will be required to submit additional materials. KnowledgePlex March 22

Microenterprise Conference, May 15-18
The Association for Enterprise Opportunity will host its annual conference May 15-18 in Kansas City, Mo. Keynote speakers will include Robert L.E. Egger, founder and president of DC Central Kitchen Inc., and author of Begging for Change, The Dollars and Sense of Making Nonprofits Responsive, Efficient and Rewarding For All; Martha E. Newton, director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement; and Kimberly A. Reed, director of the Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. Workshops will cover the core areas of microenterprise development work, innovations in microenterprise development, leadership, and a range of other topics. During the conference, AEO will also bestow the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. KnowledgePlex March 22

April 13 Deadline for Innovations in Homeownership Contest
The NeighborWorks® Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling is seeking nonprofit applicants for the 2007 Innovations in Homeownership Contest, sponsored by the MetLife Foundation. Awards will be given in four categories of innovation: using technology to manage a homeownership program, increasing homeownership program capacity, promoting homeownership program services, and creating cost efficiency for the business services of a homeownership program. First-place winners will receive $2,000 and runners-up will receive $250. Applications are due April 13. Winners will be announced during a May 9 symposium on managing homeownership programs in Phoenix. KnowledgePlex March 29

NeighborWorks® Training Institute May 7-11; Homeownership Symposium May 9
NeighborWorks America will host a training institute for community development practitioners and resident leaders May 7-11 in Phoenix. Institute courses will address topics in affordable housing, asset management, construction and production management, and other subjects. On May 9, the NeighborWorks Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling will host a symposium on business practices for homeownership professionals. The symposium will cover such topics as adapting business models to changes in the industry, using new standards and new technology to improve your response to customers, and recommended national industry standards for homeownership education and counseling. The pre-event registration deadline is April 16; after that, registrations will be processed on-site. KnowledgePlex March 29

Call for entries: World Habitat Awards: June 1
Practical and innovative solutions to current housing needs and problems; deadline: June 1- Building and Social Housing Foundation ArchNewsNow March 30

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The Center for Innovation in Affordable Housing Design,
is a partnership between Penn Design at the University of Pennsylvania and the Peoples Emergency Center Community Development Corporation (PECCDC). The Center for Innovation in Affordable Housing is funded bya Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) futures grant from the Office of University Partnerships of
the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. You can find out more about the OUP here, and more about the current COPC grants here.