Design Related Articles  

A ROAD DOESN’T RUN THROUGH IT
To add basements to the townhouses and condominiums being planned for Olmsted Green, builders would have to remove tons of perfectly good dirt that, left undisturbed, will help preserve natural drainage at this wild, even overgrown site where three Boston neighborhoods meet. But the developers -- the non profit Lena Park Community Development Corp. and the real estate firm New Boston Fund -- are striving to minimize the environmental effects that come from plunking down more than 500 housing units on 42 acres of fields, woods, and wetlands on the grounds of the old Boston State Hospital. Boston Globe, July 16

HOUSING THAT MEANS FREEDOM
Housing That Means Freedom: ...mixed-income townhouse and apartment developments...have replaced those 16-story monuments to drugs, despair and degradation that were the landmarks of Chicago's public housing for 50 years.- Washington Post ArchNewsNow August 8

IS INFILL DEVELOPMENT JUST VERTICAL SPRAWL?
Opponents of high density development argue that urban infill causes just as many problems as traditional sprawl. Aug 08 2006 -- The New York Times Planetizen August 10

IOWA REACHES GOAL OF CREATING HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
During her Summit on Housing for People with Disabilities, Iowa Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson announced that the state has achieved its goal of developing or preserving 1,000 housing units for people with disabilities, according to a news release from the Iowa Democratic Party. The goal was set in February 2003, when Pederson and Gov. Tom Vilsack directed state agencies to tackle barriers to community living for people with disabilities. Working with state, local, and federal organizations, the Iowa Finance Authority has helped reach the goal in three years instead of four, in part through several authority initiatives. KnowledgePlex August 11

'BACKYARD' RENTAL UNITS APPROVED FOR SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD
The Seattle City Council approved "backyard" rental units on single-family properties in southeast Seattle while increasing the penalties for building such structures without a permit, reported the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Under the new rules, homeowners with lots of 4,000 square feet or greater can erect one detached unit of up to 800 square feet. Some community members opposed the allowances, saying detached rentals would crowd and disturb neighborhoods. KnowledgePlex August 17

THE REAL COST OF LARGE LOT LIVING
What happens when the high cost of housing prices teachers and police officers out of the communities where they work? Aug 23 2006 -- The Columbus Dispatch Planetizen August 24

SOCIAL HOUSING SCHEME SEES THE LIGHT OF GOOD DESIGN
Modern design has been used to great effect to create a nurturing atmosphere and happy tenants in a scheme of social housing in Donabate, north Dublin...shows how modern design doesn't have to be alienating... -- Gerry Cahill; Gary Loughlin- Irish Times ArchNewsNow August 24 Inclusionary Zoning Related Articles  

SUPERVISORS APPROVE RULES TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors tentatively approved new rules requiring housing developers to sell or rent more units at below-market rates, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. Under the current system, 12 percent of the units in projects with 10 or more units must be affordable. Developers can elect to build a number of off-site affordable units. If developers choose that option, the required percentage of units increases to 17 percent. Under the proposed changes, which require a final vote, 15 percent of units in all projects of five or more units must be affordable. The number of off-site units must equal 20 percent of the units in the market-rate developments and must be built within a mile of them. In lieu of building the units themselves, developers could pay the city a fee that would be distributed to nonprofit affordable housing developers. KnowledgePlex August 3

ZONING CODE AIDS MORE FAMILIES
Tampa, Fla., amended zoning rules that offer density bonuses to developers who build affordable housing and parks and offer other public benefits, reported the Tampa Tribune. Under the old zoning code, developers could seek permission to build at greater-than-normal housing densities by producing some units affordable to people making up to 80 percent of the area median income. The new rules require homes to be affordable to families making up to 120 percent of the median income and remain affordable for at least 30 years. KnowledgePlex August 3

INCLUSIONARY ZONING REPORT: DEBATE: WHO IS THE PROGRAM FOR
In Denver, a real estate agent is urging the city to take a closer look at the failure of its inclusionary housing ordinance that is meant to serve families, reported The Denver Post. Under the law, 10 percent of the units in for-sale developments with 30 or more units must be set aside as affordable housing. An annual report on the law shows that single residents own 62 percent of the 737 units built under the ordinance. Only about one-fourth of the units are owned by people with children. According to a city housing official, the program doesn't target families, who form a minority of the city's residents, but rather workers who might otherwise rent or live in different towns.   KnowledgePlex August 3

CITY, BUILDERS SETTLE ORDINANCE FIGHT; FEES AT ISSUE
A settlement between builders and the San Diego City Council over the city's affordable housing ordinance leaves the law in place by giving developers a sought-after break in housing fees levied under the measure, reported articles in The San Diego Union-Tribune. The 2003 law requires developers to set aside some of the units in their projects for low- to moderate-income households or pay a fee. The city incorrectly applied the ordinance by applying the fees later -- when building permits were pulled -- instead of when project applications were certified as complete, the Building Industry Association of San Diego County has argued. KnowledgePlex August 3

INCLUSIONARY HOUSING DOESN'T WORK
An economist with the National Association of Home Builders argues that government mandated inclusionary housing has good goals but negative consequences. Aug 08 2006 -- Orlando Sentinel Planetizen August 10

CITY EASES SITE RULES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Milwaukee has lifted restrictions on the placement of group homes for disabled people as part of a settlement agreement with the homes' operators, reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A state law forbids community living facilities from locating within 2,500 feet of one another unless allowed by city government. Under the now-repealed Milwaukee ordinance, an operator seeking to open a group home within a lesser distance had to undergo the sometimes unsuccessful effort to obtain a special use permit from the city's Board of Zoning Appeals. To settle the civil rights lawsuit brought against the city, Milwaukee will now allow group homes for up to eight people in single-family residential zones and homes for up to 16 people in multifamily residential zones. KnowledgePlex August 11

JUDGE SAYS GROUP HOME GOES IN
Citing a lack of evidence that the residents would endanger the community, a U.S. District judge ordered Heidelberg Township, Pa., officials to allow a group home for eight adults with mental illness, reported The Evening Sun. The York-Adams Mental Health-Mental Retardation agency hired Community Services Group to provide a home for eight former patients of a now-closed state hospital. The agency sought use and occupancy permits to move the patients into an existing home. In its lawsuit, the agency said the township should be forced to approve permits because the group home meets the definition of "family," which qualifies it for occupying the agriculturally zoned area. Although "none of the patients have been judged criminally insane," the lack of further information about them has unsettled township residents, who blocked efforts to settle the case out of court, the article said. Township officials, who have until Sept. 29 to contest the preliminary ruling, said they haven't decided what they will do. KnowledgePlex August 11

COURT RULES ZONING LAW DOESN'T APPLY TO RENTALS
According to the 4th District Court of Appeals, a Wisconsin state law prohibiting cities from imposing rent controls preempts the rental provisions of Madison's inclusionary zoning law, reported The Capital Times. KnowledgePlex August 17

NEW AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS PASS MUSTER WITH COUNCIL
South Kingstown has become the first Rhode Island town to enact inclusionary zoning as part of the new affordable housing plans registered with the state, a state official told The Providence Journal. Under state law, by 2025, 10 percent of each town's housing stock must be affordable. Currently, 5.2 percent of South Kingstown's housing stock is affordable. The Town Council recently approved a new requirement that 20 percent of the units in all new major residential developments must be affordable for people with low or moderate incomes for at least 99 years. To offset the costs of constructing the affordable units, developers can obtain density bonuses. KnowledgePlex August 24

MAYOR BLOOMBERG LAUDS FIRST QUEENS INCLUSIONARY REZONING
New York City council members approved the first-ever inclusionary zoning plan for a Queens neighborhood, according to The New York Sun and a press release from Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Under the program, residential developers who set aside 20 percent of the units in their projects for permanent affordable housing can build 33 percent more housing than otherwise allowed. The program, which applies to the Woodside neighborhood along Queens Boulevard, focuses on creating affordable homes for the middle class, said the council member who designed the plan. Though the new rules won't singlehandedly solve the city's housing crisis, they could generate hundreds of affordable units while spurring construction in an underdeveloped area, he said. KnowledgePlex August 24 Homelessness Related Articles

SAN FRANCISCO SEES HOMELESS POPULATION AGING
A 14-year study by University of California researchers found that chronically homeless people in San Francisco are, on average, older and in poorer health than they were years ago, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. According to the researchers, the median age of the homeless today is estimated at 50, up from 46 in 2003 -- the last of the four periods studied -- and 37 during 1990-1994, the first period studied. The study also found higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and emphysema in 2003 than at the start of the 1990s. KnowledgePlex August 11

CHICAGO HOMELESS TRAVELING MANY MILES TO NEW HOMES
"Faced with an acute shortage of affordable housing in Chicago, local homeless shelters are increasingly sending families ... to out-of-town and even out-of-state public housing agencies," according to a column in the Chicago Sun-Times. More than 16 percent of shelter residents surveyed informally by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless said they had been encouraged to seek public housing outside the city, the article said. Since the beginning of the year, Inner Voice, one of Chicago's largest homeless services providers, has helped more than 30 families move to Danville, Ill. KnowledgePlex August 11

HOMELESS VETERANS TO GET HOUSING AND ASSISTANCE
Illinois officials hope a pilot program offering permanent supportive housing to homeless, disabled veterans will "serve as a national model" to finance such housing, according to a press release from Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich. The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs will use more than $1.5 million in state and federal grants to expand a veterans' home in Manteno to provide housing with semi-private bathrooms, on-site medical assistance, and access to other supportive services to 15 veterans. KnowledgePlex August 17

LEGAL ASSISTANCE HELPS HOMELESS AVOID JAIL
A Pinellas County, Fla., initiative is helping homeless people, including those with mental illness, work through legal problems, reported the St. Petersburg Times. The Homeless Outreach Program of the Public Defender's Office seeks to prevent the homeless from being imprisoned for petty violations because they can't understand how to handle the charges or pay the fines. KnowledgePlex August 17

PROGRAM DISPENSES MORE THAN HEALTH CARE
Since 2005, the University of California, Davis, Medical Center and partner agencies have been providing non-emergency medical care, housing, and other aid to frequent users of emergency medical services, reported the Sacramento Bee. Care Connection seeks to reduce emergency room overcrowding by diverting patients with less serious needs to other, less expensive resources. Care Connection's director studied 1,300 patients who routinely visited UC Davis Medical Center's emergency room over the course of a year. According to the survey, most were patients with chronic illness, while others were homeless or had mental illness or substance abuse problems. KnowledgePlex August 17

ONCE-HOMELESS WOMEN SHARE HOW THEY GOT BACK ON TRACK
Academics at Wayne State University in Detroit created a traveling exhibit and companion Web site to educate people about the issues facing homeless women, reported the Detroit Free Press. The project features formerly homeless African-American women sharing their stories, poems, songs, and photographs. KnowledgePlex August 17

FIRST TEXT NOVELLA TO RAISE AWARENESS OF TEEN HOMELESSNESS
Starting Aug. 14, Virgin Mobile USA cell phone subscribers can sign up to receive "a made-for-mobile-phones" short story, according to a press release from Virgin Mobile and YouthNoise. "Ghost Town" will be told via two text messages a day for five weeks. Featuring a 17-year-old boy, the novella aims to raise awareness about the plight of homeless teens among Virgin Mobile's young users, the release said. KnowledgePlex August 17

LEGISLATION TO HELP THE HOMELESS ADVANCES
Legislation to reduce the concentration of chronically homeless people in California's skid rows passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is headed for a full assembly vote within two weeks, reported the Los Angeles Times. One bill would create a $150,000 pilot program in Los Angeles County Superior Court to provide supervised probation and treatment for nonviolent offenders with mental health or substance abuse problems. Another measure would add a year onto the sentences of anyone convicted of selling drugs within 1,000 feet of homeless shelters and drug treatment programs. KnowledgePlex August 24

CITY TO TRY TO BANISH HOMELESS CAMPSITES
The Tacoma, Wash., City Council is expected to approve a pilot plan to eliminate homeless encampments and move up to 250 residents into apartments, reported The News Tribune. Under the plan, police officers and representatives from three nonprofit agencies would visit camps and ask residents to move into permanent supportive housing, transitional emergency housing, "or simply move along," the article said. Those who accept a spot in an apartment accompanied by counseling services won't be required to stop abusing substances as a condition of tenancy. However, they will be encouraged to undergo treatment. This "Housing First" approach will be combined with a zero-tolerance policy on homeless camping, said a city official. KnowledgePlex August 24 Funding, Legislation and other Issues Related to Affordable Housing

BATTLE OVER GENTRIFICATION RAGES IN LOS ANGELES
A recent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times outlines the issues around "gentrification" using the city's recent wave of downtown redevelopment as a case study. Jul 31 2006 -- Los Angeles Times Planetizen August 3

CALTHORPE LEADS NEW ORLEANS REGIONAL PLANNING EFFORT
A team of planners led by Peter Calthorpe hold their first workshops to develop a new regional planning effort in Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Jul 31 2006 -- The Advocate Planetizen August 3

BAY AREA RESIDENTS WILL VOTE ON URBAN GROWTH BOUNDRY
After years of debate by local officials, Contra Costa County will be asked to approve an urban limit line intended to preserve farmland and open space. Jul 31 2006 -- Contra Costa Times Planetizen August 3

DEVELOPERS RESPONDING TO HIGH DEMAND FOR RENTALS
With the condo craze mostly played out, developers in New Jersey are starting to build new for-rent apartments to meet the increasing market demand. Jul 31 2006 -- The New York Times Planetizen August 3

AUSTIN, TEXAS FORMING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE
With its economy humming and housing prices rising, the city of Austin has joined other U.S. cities in looking for affordable housing solutions. Jul 31 2006 -- Austin American-Statesman Planetizen August 3

OHIO COURT: LAND SEIZURES CAN'T BE JUST FOR ECONOMIC GAIN
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that cities cannot seize private property simply by declaring it "deteriorating" or solely for economic development, reported The Columbus Dispatch. The city of Norwood abused its condemnation authority by declaring a neighborhood blighted in order to vacate properties in the path of a proposed mixed-use complex, the court unanimously judged. KnowledgePlex August 3

LOS ANGELES COUNCIL PLACES $1 BILLION HOUSING BOND ON BALLOT
The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to submit a $1 billion affordable housing bond measure to a public vote, reported the Los Angeles Times. The Nov. 7 ballot measure will ask residents to approve a 20-year property tax hike expected to average $14.66 for every $100,000 of assessed value, annually. If approved, the measure would provide $750 million for affordable rental construction and an additional $250 million for loans for first-time home buyers. Beneficiaries would be mostly families that make less than the area median income of $69,300. KnowledgePlex August 3

EMPLOYED APPLICANTS TO GET BREAK FROM OMAHA HOUSING AUTHORITY
The Omaha, Neb., Housing Authority will soon begin to move workers more rapidly through public housing waiting lists, reported the Omaha World-Herald. Under a new policy set to take effect in August, families with at least one adult member who has worked at least 20 hours a week for six consecutive months will receive the new "upwardly mobile preference," the article said. Preferential treatment will also be given to public housing applicants who are participating in accredited educational or job training programs. KnowledgePlex August 3

OFFICIALS SEEK SECURITY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING
In Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia, public housing authorities are stepping up public safety efforts, sometimes in partnership with local law enforcement, reported the Chattanooga Times and Free Press. According to officials, smaller, more rural public housing authorities in the region are consistently applying the federal "one strike" policy, which allows authorities to evict public housing tenants found with drugs. Some authorities are also maintaining no-trespassing lists to keep convicted felons off public housing properties. KnowledgePlex August 3

HOUSING AUTHORITY'S READING OF SERVICE REQUIREMENT CRITICIZED
As the nation's first housing authority to start evicting tenants for noncompliance with federal community service requirements, Denver is facing criticism for what some are calling its liberal interpretation of the law, reported The Denver Post. The law, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development began enforcing in 2003, requires some residents to perform eight hours of community service or self-sufficiency activity each month. KnowledgePlex August 3

CONCENTRATED POVERTY IN NEW ORLEANS AND OTHER AMERICAN CITIES:
The challenges...are complicated by the sluggish nature of the rebuilding effort... America knows how to promote housing choice and build mixed-income communities that work economically and socially. The only question is whether we have the political will... By Bruce Katz [from The Chronicle of Higher Education]- Brookings Institute ArchNewsNow August 8

PLANNING GROUPS SAY REGION MUST RETHINK POLICIES ON LAND USE:
The New York region, faced with some of the highest housing costs in the country, needs to radically rethink its approach to land use, transportation and school finance. -- Citizens Housing and Planning Council; Regional Plan Association- New York Times ArchNewsNow August 8

MAYOR OF BIG APPLE ANNOUNCES $130 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the final approval for a $130 million fund that is expected to create 4,300 affordable housing units over the next three years, reported multi-housingnews.com. The New York City Housing Trust Fund will be financed by revenues of the Battery Park City Authority and managed by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. The fund will subsidize the development of approximately 2,000 apartments for families making less than 30 percent of the area median income for a family of four, provide assistance for acquiring affordable properties that need repairs, and create a "land banking" mechanism to secure and prepare sites for later development as affordable homes. KnowledgePlex August 11

HOUSE FHA BILL WOULD HELP LOW-BUDGET HOME BUYERS
A bill to revamp the Federal Housing Administration passed the U.S. House and awaits Senate action, according to a column in The Baltimore Sun. The legislation would allow the FHA to offer its first-ever zero-down-payment loans, significantly increase permissible mortgage amounts in high-cost markets, and offer low interest rates and consumer protections that are often unavailable in the subprime mortgage market. Since the mid-1990s, subprime lenders have lured away "many of the FHA's best customers," in part due to limits on the FHA, the article said. KnowledgePlex August 11

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS URGE HUD NOT TO RAISE FHA FEES
In a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson, 120 members of Congress criticized plans to raise fees on various FHA affordable multifamily housing and health care mortgage loan programs by 71 percent, according to a press release from the ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee. The letter asked HUD to withdraw the proposal, saying the "unjustified" increases would "do serious harm to these vital programs." According to the release, the National Association of Home Builders and the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging were among the signatories to a March letter urging the chairman of the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Committee to oppose the fee hike plan. KnowledgePlex August 11

CHA FAVORS SAFE HOMES FOR RESIDENTS
The CHA had sound reasons for issuing new prohibitions on the use of federal housing vouchers in some areas, the authority's CEO wrote in response to a Sun-Times column. Under the new rules, the authority will not approve vouchers for people "living in homes surrounded by open drug dealing, abandoned buildings, and vacant lots," said the response. Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown had suggested that the policy limited the ability of residents to choose where they live. CHA has that right under its obligations to safeguard taxpayer dollars and provide high-quality public housing, the authority's CEO said. KnowledgePlex August 11

HOUSING OFFICIAL RECEIVES AWARD
At the summit, Pederson also gave awards to individuals and organizations for helping to enhance access to housing for people with disabilities, according to the release and an article in the Telegraph Herald. The Dubuque Housing and Community Development Department was recognized for two projects. In partnership with the University of Iowa Disability Law Center and developer Gronen Properties, the agency rehabilitated a large warehouse into apartments incorporating elements of Universal Home Design, a set of building principles that go beyond federal accessibility requirements. The agency is also working with a nonprofit to convert a building into apartments for low-income females with mobility impairments. KnowledgePlex August 11

SEIZED NEW ORLEANS HOUSES MAY ALLEVIATE SHORTAGE
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin announced the 22 winning bidders of a competition to rehabilitate about 2,000 blighted homes seized by the city because taxes weren't paid, reported the Times-Picayune. The winners include 11 nonprofits, nine private developers, and two partnerships, most of which were awarded between 50 and 100 properties. The largest award went to New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, which is slated to receive 250 properties. Many of the proposals call for razing the existing structures and using tax credits and other state and federal development incentives to rebuild. KnowledgePlex August 11

HOSPITAL WORKERS TO GET HELP BUYING HOMES
To address a "workforce-retention problem" that's particularly acute for nurses, St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, N.M., and partners are launching a mortgage assistance program for hospital employees, reported The Santa Fe New Mexican. Workers who have been employed by the hospital for at least six months and have never owned a home in Santa Fe County may qualify for the Employee Housing Program. Under the program, the hospital's foundation will offer 25 full-time employees a second mortgage covering up to 15 percent of the purchase price of a new home costing no more than $280,000. KnowledgePlex August 11

UNIVERSITIES CONSIDER FACULTY HOUSING
University officials in South Florida's pricey real estate markets are exploring ways to help their professors and staff obtain housing, reported the Palm Beach Post.  An employee earning the average South Florida faculty salary of $62,582 would qualify for a mortgage of below $190,000, far less than the median home price of $300,000 to $400,000, the article said. Doubling and tripling insurance rates in some areas place homes even further out of reach, the article said. Although the private Palm Beach Atlantic University offers down-payment assistance loans, public institutions are restricted in their use of taxpayer dollars. This fall, State University Chancellor Mark Rosenberg is planning to issue a report on potential strategies for state universities. KnowledgePlex August 11

NEW JERSEY'S 100,000 UNIT HOUSING PLAN
To combat housing prices that are increasingly out of reach for low- and middle-income buyers, the state has announced plans to develop 100,000 units of affordable housing over 10 years. Aug 10 2006 -- The New York Times Planetizen August 14

FEMA AWARDS HOUSING CONTRACTS FOR KATRINA WORK
Based on quality of plans and competitiveness of bidding, billions of dollars in housing contracts were awarded to six companies, some with immediate political ties to the current administration. Aug 11 2006 -- Yahoo! News Planetizen August 14

BATTLE OVER HOUSING IN NEW YORK'S WEALTHIEST ZIP CODE
Largely low-rise and industrial, Manhattan's once gritty but now chic TriBeCa neighborhood is facing pressure from developers who are hoping to profit from its desirability by building new high-rise apartments. Aug 14 2006 -- New York Sun Planetizen August 17

REPORT: NEW JERSEY SHOULD ADD 100,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS
As part of a broad strategy to create 100,000 affordable housing units over the next decade, New Jersey's cities and suburbs should redevelop distressed downtown housing close to jobs and transportation, a new report recommends. According to The Record, the report, from the state Department of Community Affairs, aims to provide the first-ever snapshot of various state housing programs as part of an effort to craft a comprehensive state housing policy, said Community Affairs Commissioner Susan Bass Levin. KnowledgePlex August 17

EMINENT DOMAIN TURNED ON ITS EAR IN BREWERYTOWN
The developer of an upscale residential community in North Philadelphia unsuccessfully sought condemnation of a community center whose owner refuses to sell, reported the Philadelphia Inquirer. John Westrum's $200 million Brewerytown project will include more than 100 luxury condominiums in an urban renewal area targeted for revitalization under Mayor John Street's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative. As "the first large-scale private development in the city under NTI," the development has been credited with generating private investment in a neighborhood where one in every three households lives below the poverty line. KnowledgePlex August 17

CITY MUST SETTLE EMINENT DOMAIN ISSUE TO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
San Pablo, Calif., has pursued eminent domain acquisitions of two mobile homes parks as part of a plan to build a new community of manufactured homes, reported the Contra Costa Times. The city's redevelopment agency plans to develop 200 units of market-rate manufactured homes on an 18-acre site that includes the parks as well as a parking lot and Salvation Army store. KnowledgePlex August 17

COMPANY PITCHES CITY LIVING TO EMPLOYEES
A telecommunications company cited as one of the nation's 500 fastest-growing technology companies has joined Rochester, N.Y.'s employer-assisted housing program, reported The Post-Standard. Under the program, PAETEC Communications employees receiving $3,000 in home-buyer assistance from the company will get matching grants from the city to purchase homes in designated southwest Rochester communities. KnowledgePlex August 17

HOUSING AID BEING USED AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL
Local employers in and around Miami-Dade and Broward counties in Florida are increasingly viewing home-buyer assistance as a tool for recruiting mid-level workers, reported The Miami Herald. A housing crunch that once predominantly affected lower-income workers is now affecting civil and environmental engineers, said an engineering company owner who also serves on the Broward Workforce Development Board. As he lobbies the federal government to allow housing assistance as a tax-deductible business expense, some of his peers are trying other approaches. Employers such as Bank of America, the Discovery Channel, and the city of Miami are partnering with a builder of workforce housing to give their employees priority access to the builder's condominium developments. KnowledgePlex August 17

ASSISTANCE GIVES BRIGHTER FUTURES TO CITY'S POOREST KIDS
The second phase of San Francisco's attack on homelessness is targeting families, whose "needs are great" but less visible, a city official told the San Francisco Chronicle. Under the first phase of its strategy to address homelessness, the city created hundreds of housing units, with a focus on serving adults. This year, the city has allocated $1.5 million to fund child care, hoping to serve 164 children of homeless households. Homeless children may have experienced domestic violence, substance abuse, and other "challenges" that can cause developmental delays among children, the article said. KnowledgePlex August 17

SCHOOL BOARD GETS AFFORDABLE HOUSING UPDATE
To help retain teachers, the Monroe County, Fla., School District is creating the first of what it hopes will be several affordable housing projects throughout the county, according to The Reporter and The Miami Herald. In June, the district lost nearly a fifth of its teaching workforce, 117 of 628 teachers, said the superintendent. In addition to increasing teacher salaries by 5.5 percent, the school board has engaged a developer to install 30-46 modular homes on a site near an elementary school in Key West. KnowledgePlex August 24

KATRINA; AFFLUENT RAPIDLY REBUILD, LOWER NINTH STAGNATES
As home restorations proceed in New Orleans' wealthier neighborhoods, little recovery is under way in the poor Lower Ninth Ward, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. A year after Hurricane Katrina flooded 80 percent of the city, fewer than 200 of the ward's former 6,000 families have returned. Although "returning is crucial to reconstruction," most of the neighborhood's evacuees lack the means to come back, residents and experts say. Due to the slow launch of federal and state assistance programs, residents rebuilding elsewhere are using insurance money, a resource unavailable to poorer households without flood coverage, the article said. KnowledgePlex August 24

HOUSTON GRUMBLES AS EVACUEES STAY PUT
In the crowded Houston neighborhoods accommodating most of the city's estimated 150,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees, "the famous Texas hospitality is wearing thin," reported the Los Angeles Times. According to police statistics, Katrina evacuees have been involved in one of every five homicides in the city. Concern that crime rates will rise further when federal housing aid ends is eroding compassion among some business leaders in the southwest neighborhoods. More than 30,000 evacuee families in the city are living in government-subsidized housing. KnowledgePlex August 24

THE PERFECT $100,000 HOUSE: A TRIP ACROSS AMERICAN AND BACK
In her new book, Karrie Jacobs seeks out one aspect of the American Dream — a well-designed and affordable home: Recently I spoke to Jacobs...about the book, prefab housing, and lessons learned on the road. "The Perfect $100,000 House: A Trip Across America and Back in Pursuit of a Place to Call Home" By Martin C. Pedersen- Metropolis Magazine ArchNewsNow August 25

OOPS: IMPOSTOR SCAMS LOUISIANA OFFICIALS
A man who pulled a hoax on Louisiana officials and 1,000 contractors by presenting himself as a federal housing official said Monday he intended to focus attention on a lack of affordable housing. "We basically go around impersonating bad institutes or institutes doing very bad things," said the man, who identified himself as Andy Bichlbaum, a 42-year-old former college teacher of video and media arts who lives in New York and Paris . "That would be HUD. At this moment, they're doing some really bad things." CNN, Bkstn Newsletter August 28

AMERICA'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS
A recent article in the Washington Post calls for drastic action from local communities and politicians in Washington to address the growing lack of affordable housing. Aug 28 2006 -- Washington Post Planetizen August 31 ANNOUNCEMENTS

APPLICATIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRIZE DUE SEPT. 18
The University of California at Berkeley is seeking applications for its newly inaugurated I. Donald Terner Prize for Innovation and Leadership in Affordable Housing. The program will award one $25,000 prize biennially to the affordable housing project and leadership team that best exemplify the spirit of Don Terner's work, commitment to affordable housing, and practice principles. In addition, five finalist teams will receive leadership stipends of $5,000. Applications will be judged on the following criteria: design and construction quality, number of affordable housing units produced, income levels and social needs served by the project, positive impacts on residents and the community, and innovation. Applications are due Sept. 18. KnowledgePlex August 3 STUDIES and RESOURCES RELEASED  

STUDY LINKS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO REDUCTIONS IN EMERGENCY CARE
According to an article in the July 2006 issue of Psychiatric Services, supportive housing increases residential stability and decreases the use of acute health care services among single-adult supportive housing residents. The article highlights findings of a study of 236 single adults who entered two supportive housing projects in San Francisco. Sample members were tracked two years before and two years after placement in supportive housing. Eighty percent of the sample had a dual psychiatric and substance use disorder. Of the 236 residents, 81 percent remained in supportive housing for at least one year. Housing placement reduced the proportion of residents who visited the emergency department from 53 to 37 percent, reduced the average number of visits from 1.94 to .86, and produced a 56 percent decrease in the total number of emergency department visits. KnowledgePlex August 11

EPA CASE STUDIES HIGHLIGHT SMART GROWTH PRINCIPLES
Smart Growth Illustrated, a new resource from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, features photographs and case studies illustrating the 10 smart growth principles as they have been used in 20 communities nationwide. Although every example incorporates several smart growth principles, each was chosen to focus on one specific principle. The case studies range from the Eighth and Pearl development in Boulder, Colo., which exemplifies a successful mix of land uses on small parcels, to Oakland, Calif.'s Hismen Hin-Nu Terrace, a 1.5 acre, mixed-use development highlighting a range of housing opportunities and choices. KnowledgePlex August 11  

BOOK PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING LAW
The American Bar Association's Section of State and Local Government Law and the Forum on Affordable Housing & Community Development Law have published a guide to the most important areas of law applicable to affordable housing development. "The Legal Guide to Affordable Housing Development" also provides a comprehensive overview of affordable housing laws. Part I covers the regulatory framework of developing affordable housing, examining planning, zoning, and building code issues. Part II addresses affordable housing finance, including regulation of finance sources, local government powers, and mixed-finance housing development. Part II surveys critical legal obligations that affect existing affordable housing, such as subsidized housing preservation issues and federal relocation and replacement law. The appendix offers a list of Web sites, reference citations, and evaluations of affordable housing strategies. KnowledgePlex August 11

LAND USE REGULATIONS IN 50 LARGEST U.S. METRO AREAS
Local land use regulations help define the character of cities, towns, counties, and entire regions, directly affecting the composition of inhabitants by facilitating or inhibiting rental properties and low-income residents. This comprehensive survey Aug 11 2006 -- The Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program Planetizen August 14

SPECIAL EDITION OF THE KATRINA INDEX:
A One-Year Review of Key Indicators of Recovery in Post-Storm New Orleans- Brookings Institution ArchNewsNow August 15

EMINENT DOMAIN GUIDANCE FROM HUD
A new notice in the Federal Register (71 FR 40634) provides advice regarding the use of FY06 HUD funds for projects that rely on eminent domain. Of primary interest to housing advocates is the advice that low and moderate income housing development will generally not be considered "economic development." Therefore, HUD's programs could be used to support projects in which the sole use of eminent domain is to acquire land exclusively for the development of housing for low and moderate income people. LISC eNewsletter August 16

STUDY TOUTS HOUSING CRISIS SOLUTIONS
A recently released report urging a regional approach to address New York's affordable housing shortage could influence policy, reported Newsday. The report, by the Citizens Housing and Planning Council and the Regional Plan Association, says smaller cities must be encouraged to build mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods around transit hubs. The region contains about 300 potential transit villages. Using mass transit to provide people with access to jobs in the suburbs and to reverse commutes will benefit the regional economy, the authors say. KnowledgePlex August 17

REPORT LOOKS AT LIHTC PRODUCTION OF FAMILY HOUSING
A new report commissioned by the Poverty & Race Research Action Council and the National Fair Housing Alliance examines the extent to which the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program produces family housing in low-poverty and nonracially concentrated areas. According to the report, between 1995 and 2003, the LIHTC program placed in service almost 145,000 units with two or more bedrooms in census tracts with poverty rates less than 10 percent. Because this figure represents 22 percent of LIHTC units constructed in metropolitan areas during that time period, it demonstrates the program's "enormous potential to provide opportunities for low-income families to live in solid, middle-income neighborhoods," the report said. The report, prepared by Abt Associates Inc., includes rankings of all large metropolitan areas in the country to compare state achievements promoting family housing in low-poverty and racially integrated areas. KnowledgePlex August 17

NEW HOME DASHBOARD REPORTS
The new quarterly HOME Program "Dashboard" reports have been developed to provide elected officials and department and agency heads with a quick overview of their jurisdiction's performance in delivering affordable housing assistance with their HOME program funds. Using just a few key indicators in easy to understand graphic format, key leaders will be able to obtain information on cumulative HOME Program performance and on accomplishments for the most recent quarter. It is hoped that the Dashboard will help to focus attention on local affordable housing efforts and on improving HOME Program performance going forward. The initial Dashboard measures HOME Program progress as of June 30, 2006. HUD HOME mailing list August

PLANNING PRINCIPLES FOR THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS
ACORN has released the "Planning Principles for the City of New Orleans," a detailed set of recommendations for policymakers and planners on how to rebuild "a New Orleans with a place for everyone." The ACORN Planning Principles document is a result of an extensive, community-based research project conducted with the support of ACORN Housing, Cornell University, Pratt Institute, Louisiana State University, Columbia University and New Jersey Institute of Technology. ACORN Housing has recently been selected as one of the city's official district planners to assist residents with developing neighborhood plans. ACORN Housing will be working closely with ACORN member neighborhoods. ACORN News August 25

LOS ANGELES WRESTLES WITH ACCELERATING GENTRIFICATION
As Los Angeles' old neighborhoods are scrubbed clean and the city begins to embrace density, gentrification is threatening the way of life for residents in many communities. Aug 24 2006 -- LA Weekly Planetizen August 28

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: MANAGING THE MESSAGE
The right choice of words, stories and images can have a remarkable effect on how the public views affordable housing. Aug 25 2006 -- Shelterforce Magazine Planetizen August 28 EVENTS

HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY CONFERENCE, SEPT. 16-19
The National Council of State Housing Agencies will hold its 36th annual conference Sept. 16-19 in San Francisco. Chris Gardner, author of The Pursuit of Happyness, will delivery the opening plenary address. Gardner's autobiography, charting his progress from homeless single father to successful business owner, is the subject of an upcoming motion picture starring Will Smith. Other conference highlights include the annual trade show; an HFA Showcase exhibit featuring exemplary HFA programs, products, and services; and interactive discussion forums. Conference sessions will focus on communications, finance, homeownership, information technology, management innovation, rental housing, and special needs housing. Registrations received by Aug. 28 qualify for the early registration fee. KnowledgePlex August 11

STATE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES CONFERENCE, SEPT. 17-20
The Council of State Community Development Agencies will host its annual training conference Sept. 17-20 in San Antonio. The event, which is open to members and non-members, offers learning opportunities for agency directors and staff who administer CDBG, HOME, and homeless programs at the state level. The opening policy symposium will showcase three community development veterans who will describe how they have enhanced housing, economic development, and homeless services in their communities. Other conference sessions will cover such topics as federal legislative developments, removing barriers to affordable housing development, innovations in plans to end homelessness, and renewable energy. Registrations received by Aug. 25 qualify for a lower registration fee. KnowledgePlex August 11

FANNIE MAE FOUNDATION'S ANNUAL HOUSING CONFERENCE, SEPT. 20
The Fannie Mae Foundation will host its Annual Housing Conference Sept. 20 in Washington, D.C. The conference, "Doing Well by Doing Good: Expanding Housing Opportunities, Serving Very Low-Income Families," will explore the housing challenges confronting very low-income families and strategies to meet those challenges. Fully 64 percent of all households earning less than 50 percent of their area median income are cost-burdened, paying 30 percent or more of their incomes toward housing costs. According to the Foundation, market-based solutions such as filtering, foreclosure interventions, and nontraditional housing arrangements can be integrated with existing programs to expand the housing stock for very low-income households. KnowledgePlex August 11

URBAN FORUM 2006 NOVEMBER 8-10, 2006
At last, a community development conference where successful strategies aren't just shared, they're created. From issues of eminent domain to decoding the language of new market tax credits, resolving safety concerns to developing funding strategies, Urban Forum 2006 will address the pressing concerns facing the revitalization of urban neighborhood business districts today. Join us in Miami for three days of interactive learning with community and economic development practitioners, public administrators, academics, students, nonprofit and corporate philanthropic professionals. LISC eNessletter August 16

CAMPAIGN FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONFERENCE, SEPT. 27-28
The Campaign for Affordable Housing will host a conference on building public support for housing Sept. 27-28 in Houston. The conference will focus on ways to communicate the benefits of affordable homes to target audiences that include the media, elected officials, and the general public. Conference sessions will cover such topics as how to plan a public awareness program, stay on message during a crisis, gain support for regulatory changes, and use public opinion research. Houston Mayor Bill White and Harris County Commissioners Court Judge Robert Eckels will address the audience during the closing sessions. KnowledgePlex August 17

NATIONAL HOUSING CONFERENCE'S POLICY SUMMIT, OCT. 11-12
The National Housing Conference will hold its 75th Anniversary Policy Summit Oct. 11-12 in Chicago. Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and CEO of PolicyLink, will give the opening address. On Oct. 11, a morning panel of housing experts will explore trends in federal housing policy. Another panel will feature state and local housing leaders from New York City, Chicago, and California who will discuss how they have adapted to their increased responsibilities in housing and community development. That afternoon, panels will address the links between housing and health, education, and transportation. On Oct. 12, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's keynote address will be followed by a session featuring former HUD secretaries Jack Kemp and Henry Cisneros, Kent Colton, and Nicolas Retsinas. The four will discuss housing solutions outlined in their upcoming book on advancing housing policy at the state and local levels. KnowledgePlex August 17

NAHRO NATIONAL CONFERENCE, HOUSING SYMPOSIUM, OCT. 13-17
The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials will host its national conference and exhibition Oct. 15-17 in Atlanta. The conference will explore ways to keep neighborhoods and communities thriving amid changes in the housing and community development industries. Featured speakers will include former NBA star Walter Bond, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Elder Bernice King, daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Conference sessions will cover such topics as legal issues impacting housing authorities, exploring consortia or consolidation as an option for public housing authorities, effective financing tools, creating public housing agency affiliates, and housing choice voucher finance. Prior to the conference, from Oct. 13-14, NAHRO, the National Equity Fund, Local Initiatives Support Corp., and Fannie Mae will sponsor an Affordable Housing Symposium to focus on opportunities for housing authorities. Topics covered will include redeveloping public housing sites using tax credits or capital fund financing, constructing new rental housing, and rehabilitating rental housing with Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Register for the conference and/or symposium by Sept. 22 to avoid the on-site registration surcharge. KnowledgePlex August 24

APPLICATIONS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING AWARDS DUE OCT. 27
The National Association of Home Builders is seeking applications for the Innovation in Workforce Housing Awards program. The program recognizes outstanding examples of workforce housing communities that provide decent and affordable homes for nurses, police officers, schoolteachers, retail workers, and other workers near their places of employment. The program is open to builders, architects, designers, developers, and land planners nationwide. Eligible communities include those that completed, opened their first model, or filled their first unit between January 1, 2004, and October 27, 2006. Judging criteria include design and architecture, sales success, construction quality and cost efficiency, success in overcoming obstacles, and degree of cooperation among stakeholders. Applications are due Oct. 27. KnowledgePlex
August 24

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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 by a 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.