Welcome to the October Newsletter of the Center for innovation
in Affordable Housing Design
Title Summary
Articles
Katriana related Articles
AFTER A DISASTER, HOUSES THAT FEEL MORE LIKE HOME:
REBUILDING AFTER KATRINA TO TAKE MONUMENTAL EFFORT
LESSONS FROM KATRINA MAY AID HOMELESS
SOME HURRICANE CHARLEY VICTIMS STILL IN SEMI-HOMELESS LIMBO
FOR EVACUEES, OBSTACLES ON THE PATH TO STABLE HOUSING
FEMA AMENDS GUIDELINES ON HOUSING SUBSIDIES
TRAILER TOWNS -- A HOUSING MISTAKE?
A NATIONAL STAGE FOR DUANY AND NEW URBANISM
BIG PLANS, GRAND DREAMS IN MISSISSIPPI
TRAILER TOWNS -- A HOUSING MISTAKE?
A NATIONAL STAGE FOR DUANY AND NEW URBANISM
BIG PLANS, GRAND DREAMS IN MISSISSIPPI
ARCHITECTURE COMMUNITY STRUGGLES TO FIND PLACE IN REBUILDING
Design Related Articles
MANUFACTURED HOMES FIND NICHE IN URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS
NEW CENTER COMBINES SOUP KITCHEN, LONG-TERM HOMELESS SERVICES
GETTING TO AND AROUND: DESIGNING DELIGHTFUL PATHS AND WALKWAYS
MIXED-INCOME DEVELOPMENTS RISING IN VIRGINIA
BUILDING HOMES WITHIN HOMES
ALASKAN VILLAGE BUILDS ECONOMY THROUGH HOMES
HOME-SHARING SERVICES OFFERS CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE
THE GRANNY FLAT GROWS UP
TOWN'S HOUSING GOALS FALTER
Density Related Articles
DENVER ZONING EASED FOR HOMELESS SHELTERS
CITY INCLUSIONARY ZONING LAW UPHELD
LANDOWNERS FILE SUIT AGAINST LOW-DENSITY DEVELOPMENT POLICIES
DON'T ASK POOR TO BEAR COST OF SMART GROWTH GOALS
THE EFFECT OF SPRAWL CONTROLS ON HOME PRICES, HOUSE SIZE
DEVELOPER LOOKS AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROBLEM
ST. LUCIE ADVANCES CONTROVERSIAL LAND PLAN
VANCOUVER: PLANNING TROUBLE IN PARADISE?
THREE BARRIERS TO DENSITY IN SAN MATEO COUNTY
Affordable Housing Finance and Other Articles
REDEFINING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
LOFT-STYLE REDEVELOPMENT DISPLACES HOMELESS POPULATION
U.N. DRAWS BEAD ON PROBLEM OF HOUSING IN N.Y
MARYLAND ENCOURAGES EMPLOYERS TO HELP WORKERS BUY HOMES
EMPLOYERS URGED TO JOIN HOUSING INITIATIVE
CITY PROGRAM ADDRESSES HOUSING INFLATION
PHILADELPHIA HOUSING RESTRUCTURING NEARS
AUTHORITY LEADER ACCOMPLISHES CHANGE IN HOUSING, VALUE, ATTITUDE
DEVELOPMENT TARGETS HOMEBUYERS LEAVING PUBLIC HOUSING
CITY GETS LEEWAY ON PUBLIC HOUSING
DENVER CITY COUNCIL'S HOMELESS PLAN REQUIRES PRIVATE BENEFACTORS
$3 MILION DONATED TO NEW SHELTER
ONE CITY'S APPROACH TO AFFORDABILITY
OFFICIALS STUDY INCLUSIONARY ZONING
CAN URBAN RENEWAL SUCCESS BE DUPLICATED?
CITY APPROVES TOWN HOMES FOR HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES
HOUSING PROGRAM PAYING DIVIDENDS FOR SANTA FE SCHOOLS
APARTMENT OWNERS SAY CITY WANTS THEM GONE
AGENCIES OFFERED LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
FOR 50 FAMILIES, HOME IS WHERE THE LUCKY LOTTERY DWELLS
BUSINESSMAN LEADS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION EFFORT
NEW FUND SUPPORTS HOUSING ON NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS
NEW SCHOOL IN NORTH PORTLAND GETS GREEN LIGHT
PUBLIC HELP SOUGHT FOR HIGH-END PROJECTS
CROWDED OUT BY LUXURY LOFTS, POOR SEEK RELIEF
FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF THE POOR: ARCHITECT JOHAN SILAS
FORECASTERS SEE LOOMING HOUSING CRUNCH FOR CHICAGO
FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN PLANNING TO LEAVE CITY
HEADING OFF A HOUSING CRISIS
RULES FOCUS ON OWNERS OF MOBILE HOME PARKS
PLANNING TIGHTENS PROPOSED RULES FOR BUILDING NEAR DOWNTOWN
SCHOOL-HOUSE PROJECT COMES TO FRUITION
HOW LUXURY REAL ESTATE BENEFITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING
NEW HOUSING IN SAN FRANCISCO IN CONFLICT WITH SUSTAINABILITY
LA MAYOR TO SEEK $1 BILLION HOUSING BOND
Announcements
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS WITH 25 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AWARDS
DATAPLACE™ NOW PROVIDES ANNUAL HOUSING PRODUCTION DATA
AARP FOUNDATION OFFERS GRANTS FOR HURRICANE RELIEF
APPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY DIVERSITY GRANTS DUE OCT. 31
10 AGENCIES WIN NCSHA AWARDS
THE MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION
Studies Released
STUDY FINDS GROWTH CONTROLS DON'T LEAD TO HIGHER HOME PRICES
Events
NEIGHBORWORKS TRAINING INSTITUTE, DECEMBER 5-9, SAN FRANCISCO
THE NEW RURAL AMERICA : PARTNERS AND PROGRESS.
ASSET MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, DEC. 1-3
ARTICLES
Katrina Related Articles
AFTER A DISASTER, HOUSES THAT FEEL MORE LIKE HOME:
The HELP house and Global Village Shelter are the latest in a distinguished line of ideas from designers. By Linda Hales -- Carib Daniel Martin; Dan Ferrara; Nader Khalili; Shigeru Ban - Washington Post
ArchNewsNow October 4
REBUILDING AFTER KATRINA TO TAKE MONUMENTAL EFFORT
Builders in Louisiana , Mississippi , and Alabama who are gearing up for "the biggest home-rebuilding effort in recent U.S history" face many challenges, reported USA TODAY . First is the size of the task. Hurricane Katrina destroyed or damaged 850,791 housing units, equal to about 17 percent of annual home construction.
KnowledgePlex October 11
LESSONS FROM KATRINA MAY AID HOMELESS
According to leaders in the movement to end homelessness, lessons learned from aiding victims of Hurricane Katrina could be applied to reducing homelessness nationwide, reported the Deseret Morning News.
KnowledgePlex October 11
SOME HURRICANE CHARLEY VICTIMS STILL IN SEMI-HOMELESS LIMBO
In the aftermath of Hurricane Charley in 2004, Charlotte County, Fla., experienced an upsurge in the "invisible homeless" that has not abated and may be increasing, sources told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Hurricane Katrina evacuees will also likely join this subgroup of the homeless, they said.
KnowledgePlex October 11
FOR EVACUEES, OBSTACLES ON THE PATH TO STABLE HOUSING
Government officials are seeking to move the almost 600,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees living in hotels and motels nationwide to more stable housing, reported the Los Angeles Times.
KnowledgePlex October 18
FEMA AMENDS GUIDELINES ON HOUSING SUBSIDIES
Reversing an earlier policy, FEMA announced that displaced workers can move into government-provided trailers near their job sites without surrendering their families' rent subsidies, reported the Times-Picayune. In an effort to revive the south Louisiana economy, local businesses that need workers can apply for trailers from FEMA through the state Department of Economic Development.
KnowledgePlex October 18
TRAILER TOWNS -- A HOUSING MISTAKE?
As shelters close, trailer towns open for storm evacuees. FEMA opens the first of many such villages for those displaced by Katrina.
Oct 18 2005 -- Christian Science Monitor
Planetizen October 20
A NATIONAL STAGE FOR DUANY AND NEW URBANISM
An editorial weighs in on the impact New Urbanism pioneer Andres Duany will have in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, and his dubious legacy in West Palm Beach. Oct 19 2005 -- Palm Beach Post
Planetizen October 20
BIG PLANS, GRAND DREAMS IN MISSISSIPPI
The plans for rebuilding the Mississippi coastline that a team of sleep-deprived architects unveiled last week stand out as singularly impressive...They empowered people here with alternatives to placeless suburban sprawl...This may come as a shock to modernists, but traditionalism can be progressive. By Blair Kamin -- Duany; Polyzoides; Congress for the New Urbanism- Chicago Tribune
ArchNewsNow October 24
TRAILER TOWNS -- A HOUSING MISTAKE?
As shelters close, trailer towns open for storm evacuees. FEMA opens the first of many such villages for those displaced by Katrina.
Oct 18 2005 -- Christian Science Monitor
Planetizen October 20
A NATIONAL STAGE FOR DUANY AND NEW URBANISM
An editorial weighs in on the impact New Urbanism pioneer Andres Duany will have in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, and his dubious legacy in West Palm Beach. Oct 19 2005 -- Palm Beach Post
Planetizen October 20
BIG PLANS, GRAND DREAMS IN MISSISSIPPI
The plans for rebuilding the Mississippi coastline that a team of sleep-deprived architects unveiled last week stand out as singularly impressive...They empowered people here with alternatives to placeless suburban sprawl...This may come as a shock to modernists, but traditionalism can be progressive. By Blair Kamin -- Duany; Polyzoides; Congress for the New Urbanism- Chicago Tribune
ArchNewsNow October 24
ARCHITECTURE COMMUNITY STRUGGLES TO FIND ITS PLACE IN REBUILDING EFFORT
From monetary donations to offers of services, the architecture community is reaching out to help victims of Katrina and Rita – in spite of some obstacles. Oct 27 2005 -- Architectural Record
Planetizen October 31
Design Related Articles
MANUFACTURED HOMES FIND NICHE IN URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS
Bay Area housing developers are increasingly turning to manufactured homes as a way to offer affordable dwellings on inner-city lots, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. KnowledgePlex October 5
NEW CENTER COMBINES SOUP KITCHEN, LONG-TERM HOMELESS SERVICES
Maryland 's governor and Baltimore 's current and former mayors joined other dignitaries at the ground-breaking ceremony for "a first-of-its-kind" homeless services center, reported The Baltimore Sun.
KnowledgePlex October 5
GETTING TO AND AROUND: DESIGNING DELIGHTFUL PATHS AND WALKWAYS Paths matter, and we often forget just how much we can accomplish with a great path. Not only does a path show us where to go, it can also affect the speed and rhythm of our walk, direct our view and tell us how to behave. Designing a great path not only requires design decisions about which places it connects and the route it takes, it also requires considerations of things such as materials, edges and width.
Enterprise Network News October
MIXED-INCOME DEVELOPMENTS RISING IN VIRGINIA
Officials in Norfolk, Va., hope that the ambitious makeover of two former public housing projects will serve as a model for the Hampton Roads region, reported The Virginian-Pilot.KnowledgePlex October 11
BUILDING HOMES WITHIN HOMES
Thanks to a coalition of local governments in East King County, Wash., homeowners are increasingly adding stand-alone apartments to their property, reported The Seattle Times.KnowledgePlex October 11
ALASKAN VILLAGE BUILDS ECONOMY THROUGH HOMES
Southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, tribal officials with the Athabascan village of Tanacross are building 20 new energy-efficient homes, reported the Alaska Journal of Commerce.KnowledgePlex October 11
HOME-SHARING SERVICES OFFERS CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE
A city-funded home-sharing program operating in the Baltimore area since 1988 has made about 1,000 matches, reported The Daily Record. Under the program, renters are paired with homeowners after both parties complete extensive questionnaires covering everything from personal habits to criminal records. The St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center launched the program to increase affordable housing opportunities and provide elderly homeowners with financial or emotional support.
KnowledgePlex October 18
THE GRANNY FLAT GROWS UP
A Santa Cruz program promotes garage conversions as an alternative to sprawl...encouraging infill by offering blueprints for seven prototype accessory dwelling units (ADU). By Martin C. Pedersen -- SixEight Design; CCS Architecture; Peterson Architects; David Baker and Partners; Boone/Low Architects and Planners; Mark Primack Architect; Eve Reynolds Architect [images, link]- Metropolis Magazine
ArchNewsNow October 24
TOWN'S HOUSING GOALS FALTER
Chapel Hill, N.C.'s policy of allowing construction of small homes to satisfy affordable housing requirements is failing, Mayor Kevin Foy told The News & Observer.KnowledgePlex October 26
Density Related Articles
DENVER ZONING EASED FOR HOMELESS SHELTERS
Paving the way for the new homeless plan, the Denver City Council changed zoning rules to permit new permanent shelters throughout the city and temporary shelters in churches and schools, reported The Denver Post. Under the most controversial amendment, emergency situations such as extremely cold weather or acts of violence against homeless people could trigger a suspension of zoning rules and allow shelters to be set up in nonprofit- or government-owned facilities for up to 120 days.
KnowledgePlex October 5
CITY INCLUSIONARY ZONING LAW UPHELD
A Dane County, Wis., judge has ruled that Madison's inclusionary zoning law is legal, reported The Capital Times. The law requires that at least 15 percent of the units in new rental developments of at least 10 units be set aside for low-income families, the article said.
KnowledgePlex October 11
LANDOWNERS FILE SUIT AGAINST LOW-DENSITY DEVELOPMENT POLICIES
Landowners in Summit County, Utah, have filed a federal racketeering lawsuit against the county, reported The Salt Lake Tribune. The plaintiffs allege that county officials extract parks, trails, and other "unreasonable amenities" from property owners as a condition of granting development rights.
KnowledgePlex October 11
DON'T ASK POOR TO BEAR COST OF SMART GROWTH GOALS
The U.S. settlement system has created a powerful link between access and opportunity: research demonstrates that commuting by car significantly increases the employment and earnings of working families. The suburbanization of employment, the presence of Oct 12 2005 -- The Washington Monthly
Planetizen October 13
THE EFFECT OF SPRAWL CONTROLS ON HOME PRICES, HOUSE SIZE
A graduate student and a professor of public policy and administration examine the relationship of concentrating population in the urban center and home prices. Oct 14 2005 -- Sacramento Business Journal
Planetizen October 17
DEVELOPER LOOKS AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROBLEM
Home prices have escalated primarily because limits on residential growth have curtailed the amount of zoned, developable land in the area, said Dragas, CEO of The Dragas Companies, a condominium developer. To win rezonings, developers often must include enhancements such as brick facades and ornate landscape buffers that can add $20,000 to $40,000 to the price of a condominium, she said. In addition, neighborhood groups tend to support only new homes that will sell for at least as much as nearby properties.KnowledgePlex October 26
ST. LUCIE ADVANCES CONTROVERSIAL LAND PLAN
A "controversial" plan allowing developers to exceed density limits has been approved by St. Lucie County, Fla., commissioners and is on its way to a state review panel, reported the Palm Beach Post. Under the plan, development rights could be transferred from one tract to another to increase allowable densities. "Developers could gain extra units in the clustered development by doing things for the public benefit such as preserving environmental land, providing employment, or building affordable housing," the article said.
KnowledgePlex October 26
VANCOUVER: PLANNING TROUBLE IN PARADISE?
Is Vancouver's housing bubble and density destroying what made the city so livable? Oct 24 2005 -- The Seattle Times
Planetizen October 27
THREE BARRIERS TO DENSITY IN SAN MATEO COUNTY
The associate director of a non-profit asserts that no-growth policies help increase housing costs. Oct 28 2005 -- San Mateo County Times, CA
Planetizen October 31
Affordable Housing Finance and Other Articles
REDEFINING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Policy makers look for creative ways to retain middle class workers and families in areas afflicted by housing price surges. Sep 29 2005 -- New York Times
LOFT-STYLE REDEVELOPMENT DISPLACES HOMELESS POPULATION
National Public Radio discusses how Los Angeles redevelopment strategies, while benefiting young professionals, are pushing out the area's transient population. Sep 30 2005 -- National Public Radio
Planetizen October 3
U.N. DRAWS BEAD ON PROBLEM OF HOUSING IN N.Y
U.N. Habitat teamed up with Habitat for Humanity-NYC, Earth Institute at Columbia University , and the Rockefeller Foundation to promote housing solutions from " New York to New Orleans to New Delhi ."- New York Sun
ArchNewsNow October 4
MARYLAND ENCOURAGES EMPLOYERS TO HELP WORKERS BUY HOMES
In Maryland , a new state initiative encourages employers to provide their workers with down payment and closing cost assistance, reported The Baltimore Sun.
KnowledgePlex October 5
EMPLOYERS URGED TO JOIN HOUSING INITIATIVE
Thanks to a partnership between the California Association of Realtors® and Fannie Mae, companies in the state can get help developing employer-assisted housing programs, reported The Daily News of Los Angeles.
KnowledgePlex October 5
CITY PROGRAM ADDRESSES HOUSING INFLATION
Visalia, Calif., redesigned its First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program to better respond to rising home prices and ensure a pool of funds to aid future participants, reported the Fresno Bee.
KnowledgePlex October 5
PHILADELPHIA HOUSING RESTRUCTURING NEARS
A plan to restructure Philadelphia 's three housing agencies to speed the disposition of tax-delinquent vacant lots and city-owned properties has been drafted and will be sent to the mayor for approval, the city's secretary of housing and neighborhood preservation told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
KnowledgePlex October 5
AUTHORITY LEADER ACCOMPLISHES CHANGE IN HOUSING, VALUE, ATTITUDE
Since he became the Philadelphia Housing Authority's executive director in 1998, Carl R. Greene has changed perceptions of affordable housing and expectations of the agency's performance, reported Units.
KnowledgePlex October 5
DEVELOPMENT TARGETS HOMEBUYERS LEAVING PUBLIC HOUSING
The Erie, Pa., Housing Authority is building six condominiums in a blighted neighborhood targeted for revitalization, reported the Erie Times-News. The project fills a unique niche by targeting first-time home buyers leaving public housing, said the authority's executive director.
KnowledgePlex October 5
CITY GETS LEEWAY ON PUBLIC HOUSING
In Baltimore, the housing authority's recent entry into the federal Moving to Work pilot program is bringing important changes, reported The Baltimore Sun. The program could allow the city to retain $48 million in unused Section 8 voucher funds it would otherwise have had to repay to HUD, the article said.
KnowledgePlex October 5
DENVER CITY COUNCIL'S HOMELESS PLAN REQUIRES PRIVATE BENEFACTORS
Denver's newly adopted plan to end homelessness "will require an unprecedentedlevel of support from all parts of the community," reported the Rocky Mountain News. Under the plan, the city will create 3,000 housing units, expand mental health and substance abuse treatment for chronically homeless people, and conduct extensive monitoring of those living on the streets.
KnowledgePlex October 5
$3 MILION DONATED TO NEW SHELTER
HomeAid, a nonprofit affiliate of the Home Builders Association of Northern California, pledged $3 million in labor and materials to a new 25,000-square-foot transitional housing shelter in Gilroy , Calif. , reported The Dispatch.
KnowledgePlex October 5
ONE CITY'S APPROACH TO AFFORDABILITY
Sarasota County, Fla.'s new land trust is modeled after the Burlington, Vt., Community Land Trust, reported the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Burlington's trust acquires land on which affordable homes are built or renovated. It then sells the homes to income-qualified buyers, reducing the price by retaining ownership of the land
KnowledgePlex October 11
OFFICIALS STUDY INCLUSIONARY ZONING
Public officials in the South Hampton Roads region of Virginia may craft a local version of Montgomery County, Md.'s "model" inclusionary zoning law, reported The Virginian-Pilot. Under the county's Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit program, developers must build homes in a mix of price ranges but may receive an allowance to increase a development's density by as much as 22 percent.
KnowledgePlex October 11
CAN URBAN RENEWAL SUCCESS BE DUPLICATED?
As Tampa, Fla., embarkson the redevelopment of a troubled public housing complex, it could heed lessons learned in Charlotte, N.C., reported the St. Petersburg Times. Like Tampa's Central Park Village project, Charlotte's First Ward Place was a new mixed-income community sponsored by the local housing authority, city, county, and private builders partnering with Bank of America's Community Development Corp.
KnowledgePlex October 11
CITY APPROVES TOWN HOMES FOR HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES
The National City, Calif., City Council approved a local medical center's plan to build 96 town homes for its workers, reported The San Diego Union-Tribune.
KnowledgePlex October 11
HOUSING PROGRAM PAYING DIVIDENDS FOR SANTA FE SCHOOLS
In Santa Fe, N.M., a program launched more than two years ago to help reduce the high turnover rate among public school employees has helped 44 of them buy homes, reported The Santa Fe New Mexican. Teacherwise is a joint initiative of the school district and Homewise, a local nonprofit.
KnowledgePlex October 11
APARTMENT OWNERS SAY CITY WANTS THEM GONE
Fort Worth, Texas, is being sued for allegedly using "extraordinary aggressive" tactics to foster the closure and eventual razing of three apartment complexes, reported the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
KnowledgePlex October 11
AGENCIES OFFERED LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
In Venice, Fla., a deal with Habitat for Humanity and the YMCA will create new affordable housing and a fitness center next to retail establishments, reported the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.KnowledgePlex October 18
FOR 50 FAMILIES, HOME IS WHERE THE LUCKY LOTTERY DWELLS
The city of Boston and Harvard University are two of several partners that helped to bring the first affordable family housing complex to the city's Allston neighborhood in 15 years, reported The Boston Globe.
KnowledgePlex October 18
BUSINESSMAN LEADS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION EFFORT
A Carpentersville, Ill., businessman's efforts to buy and rehabilitate homes in the town's Morningside neighborhood is spawning a broader effort to revitalize the community, reported the Chicago Daily Herald. Tom Roeser, president of Otto Engineering, has spent $500,000 to buy six homes and plans to invest $20,000 apiece in renovations. Already, he has rented two of the homes to company workers at below-market rates.KnowledgePlex October 18
NEW FUND SUPPORTS HOUSING ON NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS
A new $50 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit fund seeks to increase the supply of affordable rental homes on Native American reservations, reported multi-housingnews.com.
KnowledgePlex October 18
NEW SCHOOL IN NORTH PORTLAND GETS GREEN LIGHT
The Housing Authority of Portland, Ore., plans to build the city's first new school in years as part of a development project in North Portland, reported The Oregonian. The new 550-student school would replace an existing school slated for demolition.KnowledgePlex October 18
PUBLIC HELP SOUGHT FOR HIGH-END PROJECTS
St. Paul, Minn., officials are discussing how to handle requests for public financing of several proposed high-end housing projects in the city, reported the Pioneer Press. Under current policy, developers seeking public money should include at least some affordable housing units in their projects. The city's planning director has asked the City Council whether public financing should be considered for projects that have no affordable set-asides but would help attract other developments.
KnowledgePlex October 18
CROWDED OUT BY LUXURY LOFTS, POOR SEEK RELIEF
Los Angeles officials are taking steps to preserve a source of homes for the very poor amid gentrification downtown, reported the Los Angeles Times. Developers are gobbling up low-cost residential hotels in the historic neighborhoods around skid row, turning them into expensive loft apartments and condominiums, the article said.
KnowledgePlex October 18
FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF THE POOR: ARCHITECT JOHAN SILAS
conferred the Habitat Scroll of Honor 2005 by United Nations Habitat...for his activities in providing the poor with decent housing...only two other architects in Indonesia who could be compared...Romo YB Mangunwijaya and Hasan Poerbo.- The Jakarta PostArchNewsNow October 24
FORECASTERS SEE LOOMING HOUSING CRUNCH FOR CHICAGO
Chicago-area public and corporate leaders are urging the region to head off an impending housing crisis by encouraging the production of higher-density homes, noted an editorial in the Chicago Sun-Times.
KnowledgePlex October 26
FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN PLANNING TO LEAVE CITY
A new report by San Francisco State University's Public Research Institute confirms the long-held belief that the city is having a hard time attracting and keeping young families, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. The report, which was issued by the mayor's office, included a survey of 738 San Francisco parents. Nearly half the families with preschool children said they expected to leave the city within three years. They cited the lack of affordable homes, public safety concerns, and public school performance as their main reasons.
KnowledgePlex October 26
HEADING OFF A HOUSING CRISIS
Misconceptions about affordable housing have led to a dire shortage of homes and apartments affordable to low-wage earners in the Hampton Roads, Va., region, according to The Virginian-Pilot's editorial page.
KnowledgePlex October 26
RULES FOCUS ON OWNERS OF MOBILE HOME PARKS
The Wilsonville, Ore., City Council approved a "first-of-its-kind" ordinance imposing new requirements on mobile home park owners who close their parks, reported The Oregonian. Under the ordinance, owners must obtain a permit before closing, find their tenants comparable housing and pay their moving costs, and buy any homes that cannot be moved.
KnowledgePlex October 26
PLANNING TIGHTENS PROPOSED RULES FOR BUILDING NEAR DOWNTOWN
In Durham, N.C., officials have proposed a ban on construction of three- and four-unit homes in many neighborhoods near downtown, reported The Herald-Sun. A city/county planning panel backed the "unified development ordinance," which is set for an approval vote in December. The ordinance would expand the number of zoning districts in which multiplexes are prohibited. In effect, it would allow the homes only on land zoned for multifamily development. However, developers are much more likely to use such land for apartments, not multiplexes, said a planning official. According to supporters of the ordinance, multi-unit homes, which are typically occupied by renters, contribute to neighborhood blight and should be curbed in favor of homeownership units. Affordable housing advocates are likely to protest the ordinance, officials said. KnowledgePlex October 26
SCHOOL-HOUSE PROJECT COMES TO FRUITION
A nonprofit has built the first complex in California to combine affordable homes with a charter elementary school, reported The Daily News of Los AngelesKnowledgePlex October 26
HOW LUXURY REAL ESTATE BENEFITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The impact of market-driven inclusionary zoning programs is expected to increase. Oct 26 2005 -- New York Times
Planetizen October 27
NEW HOUSING IN SAN FRANCISCO IN CONFLICT WITH SUSTAINABILITY
As San Francisco's Mission Bay and other eastern areas sees a burst of new housing and other development, housing activists see massive displacement, especially of African-American residents and businesses. Oct 28 2005 -- The San Francisco Bay GuardianPlanetizen October 31
LA MAYOR TO SEEK $1 BILLION HOUSING BOND
Los Angeles' new mayor plans to propose an 'unprecedented investment in housing' for consideration by voters. The measure would likely give planners more more power to increase density in the city. Oct 29 2005 -- Los Angeles Times
Planetizen October 31
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS WITH 25 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AWARDS
As part of its 25th anniversary celebration, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) honored 25 community leaders during a reception and gala dinner attended by 800 people at the Ronald Reagan Center in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 28.The Mike Sviridoff Leadership Awards, named after LISC's first president, paid tribute to the determination and creativity of men and women who played vital roles in revitalizing their neighborhoods. LISC celebrated $6 billion investment in 300 urban and rural communities nationwide to build more than 160,000 affordable homes and 25 million square feet of retail, community, and educational space - totaling nearly $14 billion in development.LISC eNewsletter Octover 17
DATAPLACE™ NOW PROVIDES ANNUAL HOUSING PRODUCTION DATA
DataPlace by KnowledgePlex® recently added annual housing production data from the Census Bureau's Building Permits and Manufactured Homes surveys. The building permit data provide counts of new, privately owned housing units authorized by permit. Data are available going back to 1999 or earlier for permit-issuing places, counties, and larger geographic areas. In addition, the data are broken down to show units authorized in both single-family and multifamily structures. DataPlace's second housing production data set contains state- and national-level information on new manufactured homes placed for residential use. The data are available from 1980 through 2004 and show placements of both single- and double-wide manufactured homes. For more information on these new resources and all of DataPlace's data content, visit the site's
KnowledgePlex October 18
AARP FOUNDATION OFFERS GRANTS FOR HURRICANE RELIEF
The AARP Foundation will make grants of up to $100,000 to nonprofit and governmental organizations assisting older victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes with health, long-term care, housing, employment, transportation, legal, or other services.
NeighborWorks Alert October
APPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY DIVERSITY GRANTS DUE OCT. 31
The Association for the Study and Development of Community is announcing a small grants and capacity building program, funded by the C.S Mott Foundation, to help understand and promote the value of diversity in neighborhoods or other communities. Grants of up to $20,000 are available to community and neighborhood groups, nonprofit organizations, local governments, and local foundations.
KnowledgePlex October 26
10 AGENCIES WIN NCSHA AWARDS
The National Council of State Housing Agencies presented awards to 10 agencies during its recent annual conference in Boston. Awards were made in the categories of homeownership, rental housing, special housing needs, management innovation, and communications. Some agencies won in multiple categories. For example, the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation won four awards for its lead reduction programs, homeownership partnerships, operations management, and "Housing Works" promotional materials. MassHousing, Massachusetts' housing finance agency, won four awards for its development fund for rental housing, innovative reinsurance program, employee performance management system, and demonstration disposition newsletter.KnowledgePlex October 26
THE MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION
FOR RECOVERY, REBUILDING, AND RENEWAL Oct 25, 2005 -- Jennifer Evans-Cowley, Ph.D., AICP
Planetizen October 27
STUDIES RELEASED
STUDY FINDS GROWTH CONTROLS DON'T LEAD TO HIGHER HOME PRICES
Researchers from Sacramento State University have found that policies designed to control sprawl don't drive up housing prices, rebutting a common argument against smart growth efforts, according to a press release from the university. The researchers analyzed 2000 Census data from 452 urbanized areas across the country. If the population in an area's central locations increases by 10 percent -- thus reducing sprawl -- the median home price falls by 2.7 percent, the study said.
KnowledgePlex October 18
EVENTS
NEIGHBORWORKS TRAINING INSTITUTE, DECEMBER 5-9, SAN FRANCISCO
Widely recognized as the premier source for community development training, the NeighborWorks Training Institute offers a comprehensive range of courses and an unequaled opportunity to learn from experts and peers. Save $50 when you register for the training institute in San Francisco by the early-bird registration deadline, October 24. After October 24, regular registration fees apply. This institute features 24 new courses, including two focused on rural development and four "green" courses promoting environmentally-friendly and healthier communities.
NeighborWorks Alert October
THE NEW RURAL AMERICA : PARTNERS AND PROGRESS.
This symposium will explore cutting-edge development work happening in rural communities across the United States . Check out symposium details.
NeighborWorks Alert October
ASSET MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, DEC. 1-3
The Consortium for Housing and Asset Management will host its Sixth Annual Asset Management Professionals' Conference Dec. 1-3 in San Francisco . Cosponsored by LISC, The Enterprise Foundation, and NeighborWorks® America , the CHAM conference brings industry experts and practitioners together to share best practices and discuss emerging issues. Conference sessions will cover such topics as meeting mixed-use and commercial challenges, measuring results from residential services, risk management planning, and real estate evaluation and tax appeals.
KnowledgePlex October 26
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