WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER OF THE CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DESIGN

This month there are several articles on design issues, homelessness, Katrina related issues, and manufactured housing in addition to many other issues that cover legislation, funding and other areas of affordable housing production.

Title Summary

Articles
Design and Related Articles

Really Good Fences Make Really Good Neighbors; the Difference is Design

Power of Design

Prescott's Urban Blue Print Under Fire From Lord Rogers:

Second Homes on Lots Get OK for a Trial Year

'Granny Units' OK Expected

Revolting High Rises

No Fault: Don't Blame Le Corbusier for the French Riots:

Green Amenities Catching On In New Housing Projects Across The US

Plan Would Legalize Garage Apartments in Southeast Seattle

Homelessness Related Articles

City Aims to Preserve SRO Hotel Amid Development Boom

Region Plans System To Track Homeless People

Mayor Vows to Shift Funds to Housing and Services for the Homeless

Innovative Emergency Shelter Built From Plastic Tubes, Debris

Rafi Elbaz Discusses His 'Homeless Shelter Kit'

Complex Offers a Fresh Start for City Clients

Copy Shop Provides Homeless People with Job Training, Employment

Funding Deal Clear Path for New Shelters

Design Approved for Warehouse-to-Shelter Conversion

Homeless Housing Gets City Approval

814 Homeless Given a Ticket to Families

Katrina Related Articles

Advocates Propose 'Usufruct' for Damaged New Orleans Homes

Rebuilding New Orleans: Twenty Big Ideas and a Postscript

Op-Ed: A Plan for Democratic and Equitable Planning in New Orleans - Planetizen

New Home Styles Planned for Poor, HUD Says

HUD to Award $5.6 Million to University-Led Recovery Efforts

Thousands of Evacuees Face Eviction

Government's Plan to House Evacuees Called Misguided

Protest: Ethnic Cleansing, GOP-Style:


Manufactured Housing Related Articles

Program Supports Tenants Affected by Mobile Home Park Closures

Manufactured Home Co-Ops Touted as National Model

Modular Residences Meeting Demands for Space, Design

Modular Building Helps Defray Rising Costs

Manufactured Homes Industry Set for Comeback

Mobile Homes Getting Bigger, Less Affordable

Modular Homes Are Easy as 1-2-3

Legislation, Funding and other Articles
Housing Bill Contains a Voter Registration Catch

County Pushes Affordability Incentives

Council Approves Affordable Homes Ordinance

Housing Prices Remain Steady Under Smart Growth Policies

Developer Turns to Ballot Box for Project

Hot Market Challenges Habitat for Humanity

Group-Home Ban Extended

Dreams Fading for School Integration

Former Mayor Says Kids' Success Linked to Neighborhood

Affordable Housing Experiment Looks Like a Success

How Gentrification Changed A D.C. Neighborhood - Part 1

Mayor Seeks Housing Law Changes

Downtown Project Called Model of Sustainability

Some Claim Baltimore's SCOPE Program Not Living Up to Promise

Northrop, Brookhaven National Laboratory to Offer Worker Housing Aid

New Affordability Guidelines Aim for Common Ground

Plans Underway for Senior Complex

Expectations Build With State's New Housing Law

Chicago Lags on Affordable Development

An Eminent Domain High Tide:

Program Gives Renters Shot at Owning a Home

New Complex Offers Housing for Mentally Ill

Workforce Housing Planned for Near South Side

Vacant Land Turns to Gold for Insiders

Cutbacks Leave City Property Untended

Mayor: Many Vacant Homes To Be Revamped for Low-Income Families

Seniors Feel Threatened in Homes Due to Influx of Disabled Tenants

San Diego Nonprofits Get High Marks in Affordable-Housing Study

City Adds Deed Restrictions to Affordable Homes

Announcements

National Housing Trust Launches Newsletter

Publication Explores Rural Green Building

Affordable Housing Finance Announces Readers' Choice Winners
Enterprise Announces Venture Award Winners

Nonprofits Recognized for Excellence in Community Revitalization

John M. Clancy Award for Socially Responsible Housing - Boston Society of Architects

Save the Date: NeighborWorks Symposium on Community Development Organizations
Disaster Preparedness and Response, Dallas, April 5, 2006

MetLife Foundation Affordable Housing Awards Announced

Inclusionary Housing E-mail Discussion Group Launched

Partnership Helps Homeowners Facing Foreclosure

Studies Released

Low-Income Buyers See Fewer Financial Benefits from Homeownership

"Research & Resources for Rebuilding"

Report Urges Collaboration for Community Development

Hurricane Katrina -- The Aftermath and Relief Effort

Housing Families Displaced by Katrina: A Review of the Federal Response to Date

Homeownership Alliance Study Highlights Homeownership Best Practices

Easing the Transition: Housing Assistance for Rural TANF Recipients

Report Points to a Cut in Commutes


Events

What's the Bottom Line? Effectively Pricing Your Programs

Town Centers and Transit Villages Conference, Dec. 12-13

Experts Online Webcasts – Green Development Series

Consortium for Housing and Asset Management

Putting Smart Growth Policies and Practices to Work in Western New York

The 5th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference

Affordable Housing and Child Care:

Experts Online: Nuts and Bolts of Green Building, Dec. 7

Residential Development Workshop, Jan. 23-24

Experts Online: Rural Home Loan Partnership, Dec. 8

Experts Online: Rural Section 8 Homeownership Training, Dec. 8

ARTICLES

Design Related Articles

GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS; THE DIFFERENCE IS DESIGN
When someone says “white picket fence,” the first image that comes to mind is probably
not just the fence, but the yard and the house behind the fence. Not all developments
have or need fences - but they do all have boundaries. In this Design Update, we use
fences to illustrate some of the design considerations that are important for every
project. Among other things, we will discuss how to use the symbolic potential of fences
to reinforce a desired image in a neighborhood, imply boundaries where strong security
is not necessary, and still be welcoming and friendly where strong security is
appropriate.
Enterprise Network News November 7

POWER OF DESIGN
After renovations, a rundown housing project becomes an oasis amid violence. If France
is searching for solutions to urban problems...it might look to this suburb north of Paris
and a huge housing project named La Caravelle. -- Roland Castro- NY Newsday
ArchNewsNow November 14

PRESCOTT'S URBAN BLUE PRINT UNDER FIRE FROM LORD ROGERS:
Social housing supply across the country is too low and the overall design quality is not
good enough, according to an independent report by the Urban Task Force.-
24dash.com (UK)
ArchNewsNow November 23

SECOND HOMES ON LOTS GET OK FOR A TRIAL YEAR
The San Jose, Calif., City Council approved a yearlong pilot program allowing
homeowners to build second housing units on their properties, reported the San Jose
Mercury News. The vote ends a 21-year ban on such structures by permitting a total of
100 new second or "granny units" to be built next year.
KnowledgePlex November 23

'GRANNY UNITS' OK EXPECTED
Families seeking on-site housing for elderly parents, caregivers, or older children
support the San Jose program, the article said. But opponents say the city's 2,700 illegal
granny units are already causing overcrowding, noise, traffic, and other problems.
Officials said the program may not produce many granny units due to tightened parking
requirements, lot-size rules, and costs.
KnowledgePlex November 23

GREEN AMENITIES CATCHING ON IN NEW HOUSING PROJECTS ACROSS US
Observers say an emerging style of residential development is the use eco-friendly
features in new housing projects. Nov 23 2005 -- MSNBC
Planetizen November 25

REVOLTING HIGH RISES
There is a somewhat comic lining around the cloud of France's suburban riots. Suddenly
the word banlieue has been embraced by people not known for peppering their
conversation with French words - callers to right-wing talk shows, for instance.
Obviously, they want to stress how different those suburbs (burning cars and hip-hop
hand gestures) are from our own (swing sets and Weber grills). NYT Magazine Nov 27
MJA News November 28

NO FAULT: DON'T BLAME LE CORBUSIER FOR THE FRENCH RIOTS:
Not only do the banlieues--which were built without his input--look nothing like what he
intended, but those "machines for living" he did construct are today considered some of
the finest, most sought-after addresses in France... By Clay Risen- The New Republic
ArchNewsNow November 28

PLAN WOULD LEGALIZE GARAGE APARTMENTS IN SOUTHEAST SEATTLE
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels is proposing a pilot program to legalize detached rental units
on single-family lots in southeast Seattle, reported The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Last
year, city planners sought to allow such units in single-family neighborhoods citywide;
currently, they are permitted only in areas zoned for multifamily development.
KnowledgePlex November 30


HOMELESSNESS RELATED ARTICLES

CITY AIMS TO PRESERVE SRO HOTEL AMID DEVELOPMENT BOOM
The city of Los Angeles may help finance the preservation of one of downtown's biggest
residential hotels, reported the Los Angeles Times. The Alexandria Hotel, which was
built in 1906, was once one of the city's finest. Now it is home to elderly, disabled, and
working-poor tenants.
KnowledgePlex November 2

REGION PLANS SYSTEM TO TRACK HOMELESS PEOPLE
Over the next year, San Francisco Bay area governments plan to create an aggressive
regional plan to address homelessness, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. The
Association of Bay Area Governments Regional Task Force to End Homelessness
includes representatives from the Bay Area's nine counties and major cities.
KnowledgePlex November 2

MAYOR VOWS TO SHIFT FUNDS TO HOUSING, SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced plans to double the amount of
money in the city's affordable housing trust fund and ask voters to approve a $1 billion
bond to provide the fund with permanent income, reported the Los Angeles Times and
Copley News Service.
KnowledgePlex November 2

INNOVATIVE EMERGENCY SHELTER BUILT FROM PLASTIC TUBES, DEBRIS
Inspired by ancient structures, an architect's innovative design or an emergency shelter
is adapted by the International Rescue ommittee to house survivors of the South Asia
quake that is stimated to have left 3.3 million homeless. ov 03 2005 -- Happy News
Planetizen November 7

RAFI ELBAZ DISCUSSES HIS 'HOMELESS SHELTER KIT'
Rafi Elbaz, designer of 'Life form's Kit of part Shelter' for the homeless in New York, sits
down for a short interview about the project. Nov 05 2005 -- European Jewish Press
Planetizen November 7

COMPLEX OFFERS A FRESH START FOR CITY CLIENTS
Thanks to a partnership between the Macon, Ga. Housing Authority and River Edge
Behavioral Health Center, formerly homeless people struggling with substance abuse or
mental health problems now have "a quiet place to live," reported The Macon Telegraph.
KnowledgePlex November 17

COPY SHOP PROVIDES HOMELESS PEOPLE WITH JOB TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT
A Rhode Island homeless services organization has launched a copy shop business in
Providence to train its clients for the world of work, reported The Providence Journal.
Crossroads Rhode Island's Copy Center at Crossroads provides copy, print, and graphic
design services. Since September, it has been training homeless people for $12- to $18-
an-hour jobs operating high-tech copy machines, offset presses, and other equipment.
KnowledgePlex November 17

FUNDING DEAL CLEAR PATH FOR NEW SHELTERS
Dallas voters approved $23.8 million in bonds for a new downtown homeless shelter
expected to open in 2008, reported The Dallas Morning News. Homeless people at the
city's existing facility said they were pleased with the vote but worry about their welfare in
the meantime.
KnowledgePlex November 23

DESIGN APPROVED FOR WAREHOUSE-TO-SHELTER CONVERSION
A supportive housing agency and state historians have resolved an impasse over the
redevelopment of an old bottling warehouse in Norfolk, Va., reported The Virginian-Pilot.
Virginia Supportive Housing plans to spend $5 million to convert the building into 60
single-room-occupancy units for the homeless and offer tenants on-site services such as
job training or referrals for substance abuse treatment.
KnowledgePlex November 23

HOMELESS HOUSING GETS CITY APPROVAL
The St. Paul, Minn., Housing and Redevelopment Authority approved a $15 million
residential complex for 120 homeless men and chronic alcoholics, reported the Pioneer
Press.
KnowledgePlex November 30

814 HOMELESS GIVEN A TICKET TO FAMILIES
San Francisco's Homeward Bound program, which seeks to reconnect homeless people
with their families elsewhere, has sent 814 people to all but three of the nation's states,
reported The San Francisco Chronicle.
KnowledgePlex November 30

Katrina Related Articles

ADVOCATES PROPOSE 'USUFRUCT' FOR DAMAGED NEW ORLEANS HOMES
In Louisiana, some officials and community advocates believe that the arcane legal
concept of "usufruct" could help recover housing stock in New Orleans' hurricanedamaged
residential neighborhoods, reported the Los Angeles Times. Much of the land
in the communities is owned by people without the capacity to restore their property,
said a housing adviser to Mayor Ray Nagin.
KnowledgePlex November 2

REBUILDING NEW ORLEANS: TWENTY BIG IDEAS AND A POSTSCRIPT
Two local citizens suggest twenty points of entry. By Gary Esolen and Valeri LeBlanc-
Metropolis Magazine
ArchNewsNow November 8

A PLAN FOR DEMOCRATIC AND EQUITABLE PLANNING IN NEW ORLEANS
ArchNewsNow November 11

NEW HOME STYLES PLANNED FOR POOR, HUD SAYS
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson said
that the agency will spend more than $1.8 billion to create a new kind of public housing
along the Gulf Coast, especially in New Orleans, reported the Times-Picayune.
KnowledgePlex November 9

HUD TO AWARD $5.6 MILLION TO UNIVERSITY-LED RECOVERY EFFORTS
HUD is offering $5.6 million in grants to college and university efforts to help rebuild the
Gulf Coast, reported The Advocate. The "Universities Rebuilding America Partnership"
could help fund everything from restoring schools to distributing supplies, providing
health care, and doing environmental work, said the CEO of the Corporation for National
and Community Service.
KnowledgePlex November 9

THOUSANDS OF EVACUEES FACE EVICTION
"Two months after Hurricane Katrina displaced more than 1 million people, problems
with federal housing aid threaten to spawn a new wave of homelessness," reported USA
TODAY.
KnowledgePlex November 9

GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO HOUSE EVACUEES CALLED MISGUIDED
According to many housing experts, FEMA should have initiated a rapid-response
housing voucher program immediately after Hurricana Katrina rather than focusing on
putting evacuees in travel trailers, reported Knight Ridder.
KnowledgePlex November 9

PROTEST: ETHNIC CLEANSING, GOP-STYLE:
In Mississippi’s ruined coastal cities...in metropolitan New Orleans, landlords, galvanized
by rumors of gentrification and soaring land values, are beginning to institute mass
evictions. Into this fraught and sinister situation now blunders the circuslike spectacle of
the Congress of New Urbanism (CNU)... By Mike Davis- The Architect's Newspaper
(NYC)
ArchNewsNow November 16

MANUFACTURED HOUSING RELATED ARTICLES

PROGRAM SUPPORTS TENANTS AFFECTED BY MOBILE HOME PARK CLOSURES
Pinellas County, Fla., is offering redevelopers of mobile home parks a new way to satisfy
a state mandate that displaced residents have adequate and suitable housing
alternatives, reported the St. Petersburg Times. Under the county's novel program,
developers seeking park rezoning could provide low-income park tenants who own their
mobile homes with a monthly rental stipend of $366 for up to two years.
KnowledgePlex November 2

MANUFACTURED HOME CO-OPS TOUTED AS NATIONAL MODEL
At a recent manufactured housing conference in New Hampshire, industry observers
discussed manufactured homes as an attractive option for affordable housing, reported
National Public Radio. Groups of manufactured housing residents in the state have
bought parks from owners and formed resident-owned co-ops to run their parks.
KnowledgePlex November 9

MODULAR RESIDENCES MEETING DEMANDS FOR SPACE, DESIGN
Using advanced technology, manufacturers of modular homes are customizing their
product much like the auto industry does, sources told The Times Union. The result can
be larger homes with vaulted ceilings, great rooms, fireplaces, custom windows, and
other features found in conventionally built homes -- including upscale residences.
KnowledgePlex November 17

MODULAR BUILDING HELPS DEFRAY RISING COSTS
A Knoxville, Tenn., developer of affordable housing is incorporating modular homes into
its offerings, reported The Knoxville News-Sentinel. Through its Neighborhood Housing
program, Knoxville Leadership Foundation has produced and sold 22 stick-built homes
in inner-city neighborhoods. But after the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes, materials cost
more and contractors were harder to find. By purchasing its two most recent homes from
modular builder Clayton Homes, Neighborhood Housing avoided some of the
"headaches" of traditional development while spending the same or less money for
homes of better quality, said foundation president Chris Martin.
KnowledgePlex November 17

MANUFACTURED HOMES INDUSTRY SET FOR COMEBACK
An expected 130,000 manufactured homes will be sold this year, heralding "an end to a
half-decade long sales slump," reported The Augusta Chronicle.
KnowledgePlex November 23

MOBILE HOMES GETTING BIGGER, LESS AFFORDABLE
Sales of increasingly expensive and larger manufactured homes are altering the
economics and demographics of mobile home parks, reported the Sarasota Herald-
Tribune. Due to the high cost of land in Southwest Florida, people who wouldn't normally
buy manufactured homes are looking at "triple-wides" and even larger units, said an
official with one manufacturer.
KnowledgePlex November 23

NEIGHBORHOOD CLEARED FOR MOBILE HOMES
Bucking recent planning trends, North Charleston, S.C., will permit more manufactured
homes in a low-income neighborhood, reported The Post and Courier.
KnowledgePlex November 30

MODULAR HOMES ARE EASY AS 1-2-3
In Boston's northern suburbs, sales of factory-built homes have reached record levels,
reported The Boston Globe. Sometimes, property owners will tear down outdated sitebuilt
homes and replace them with modular homes. The trend is being driven by
modular homes' design flexibility and their relative affordability.
KnowledgePlex November 30

LEGISLATION, FUNDING AND OTHER ARTICLES
HOUSING BILL CONTAINS A VOTER REGISTRATION CATCH
Some national antipoverty and housing advocates opposed the voter registration
restriction on the new affordable housing fund, reported the Star Tribune. Federal law
requires nonprofits to provide voter registration services if they obtain housing and other
social service funds from the states.
KnowledgePlex November 2

COUNTY PUSHES AFFORDABILITY INCENTIVES
Unlike initiatives in nearby jurisdictions, Manatee County, Fla.'s new affordable housing
law focuses exclusively on incentives to build homes for low- and moderate-income
people, reported the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
KnowledgePlex November 2

COUNCIL APPROVES AFFORDABLE HOMES ORDINANCE
According to Manatee County officials, developers have already proposed projects
incorporating about 900 new affordable units so far this year, reported The Bradenton
Herald. Even if just a third of the projects were completed, it would make a significant
difference, said one official.
KnowledgePlex November 2

HOUSING PRICES REMAIN STEADY UNDER SMART GROWTH POLICIES
The idea that limiting sprawl leads to a scarcity of homes and increased home prices just
doesn't hold up, according to new research from California State University at
Sacramento. Oct 31 2005 -- California State University at Sacramento
Planetizen November 3

DEVELOPER TURNS TO BALLOT BOX FOR PROJECT
Developer-backed measures to expand urban growth boundaries for specific projects
were on the ballot in four cities in the East San Francisco Bay area, reported the Los
Angeles Times. Opponents of one proposed development say it would increase traffic
congestion and destroy habitat for threatened and endangered species. But according to
supporters, the proposal would bring needed mixed-income housing and revenues to the
city while setting aside 750 acres as open space.
KnowledgePlex November 9

HOT MARKET CHALLENGES HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Amid rising housing costs, Habitat for Humanity in Sacramento, Calif., has instituted an
equity share provision to help expand the number of homes it builds, reported the
Sacramento Bee. It may also increase the income levels of eligible families from 30-50
percent of the area median income to up to 80 percent.
KnowledgePlex November 9

GROUP-HOME BAN EXTENDED
In Tacoma, Wash., the city council voted to extend a ban on new group homes, halfway
houses, and transitional houses for as much as six more months, reported The News
Tribune. The moratorium was enacted in May after residents of one neighborhood said
that their community was home to a disproportionate share of housing for high-needs
populations.
KnowledgePlex November 9

DREAMS FADING FOR SCHOOL INTEGRATION
A half-century after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling for desegregation, "the level of school
integration is slipping to a point not seen in decades," reported the Omaha World-Herald.
To some observers, housing policies have a greater impact on schools than enrollment
plans. More affordable homes would help integrate neighboring schools, they say.
KnowledgePlex November 9

FORMER MAYOR SAYS KIDS' SUCCESS LINKED TO NEIGHBORHOOD
According to former Albuquerque, N.M., Mayor David Rusk, inclusionary zoning could
help boost the performance of lower-income elementary school students, reported the
Albuquerque Tribune. Rusk studied school performance in Albuquerque and six other
metropolitan areas and found that "who a child sits next to" has more impact on his or
her school performance than class size or other factors.
KnowledgePlex November 9

AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXPERIMENT LOOKS LIKE A SUCCESS
Wisconsin's two "boldest experiments" in nonprofit-led affordable housing creation are
serving as models for projects elsewhere, reported the Wisconsin State Journal. In Sun
Prairie, a suburb of Madison, the Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development is
developing a 143-unit affordable subdivision called the Uplands. Though most of the
units will be for homeowners paying a range of prices, some are set aside for residents
receiving federal rental vouchers.
KnowledgePlex November 9

HOW GENTRIFICATION CHANGED A D.C. NEIGHBORHOOD - PART 1
Many people who stuck through the hard times are slowly, but steadily either being
pushed or bought out. Nov 15 2005 -- Washington Post
Planetizen November 17

MAYOR SEEKS HOUSING LAW CHANGES
Madison, Wis., officials are debating whether to amend or repeal the city's inclusionary
zoning ordinance, reported the Wisconsin State Journal. In January 2004, the city
council passed a law requiring that 15 percent of the units in most new residential
developments be affordable for people who make less than 80 percent of the Dane
County median income. According to critics, the law is ineffective and burdensome.
KnowledgePlex November 17

DOWNTOWN PROJECT CALLED MODEL OF SUSTAINABILITY
Meanwhile, construction is under way on Capitol West, a $110 million downtown
Madison redevelopment project that will include 18 lower-cost units to meet the city's
inclusionary zoning law, reported The Capital Times. The complex, to be built in phases
on the site of a former hospital, will eventually include 400 condominiums, 120,000
square feet of retail and office space, and parking. The developer will receive $4.3
million in tax incremental financing from the city.
KnowledgePlex November 17

SOME CLAIM BALTIMORE'S SCOPE PROGRAM NOT LIVING UP TO PROMISE
Baltimore officials are countering charges that a program aimed at returning vacant cityowned
homes to productive use isn't working, reported The Daily Record. The Selling
City Owned Properties Efficiently program directs real estate agents to seek buyers for
homes that the city has confiscated from absentee landlords.
KnowledgePlex November 17

NORTHROP, BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LAB. OFFER WORKER HOUSING AID
Two high-profile companies have signed on to Long Island, N.Y.'s Employer Assisted
Housing Program, perhaps signaling a brighter future for the initiative, reported Long
Island Business News.
KnowledgePlex November 23

NEW AFFORDABILITY GUIDELINES AIM FOR COMMON GROUND
Massachusetts officials are introducing new guidelines and policies for the review of
projects under the state's Chapter 40B affordable housing law, reported The Boston
Globe. The law allows developers who include affordable homes in their projects to
bypass some local zoning requirements.
KnowledgePlex November 23

PLANS UNDERWAY FOR SENIOR COMPLEX
The Saugus, Mass., Housing Authority plans to build the town's first senior supportive
housing complex subsidized by the federal government, reported The Boston Globe.
KnowledgePlex November 23

EXPECTATIONS BUILD WITH STATE'S NEW HOUSING LAW
The latest iteration of Rhode Island's affordable housing law should produce better
results, state officials said at an American Planning Association conference. Under the
Rhode Island Low and Moderate Income Housing Act, 10 percent of the homes in each
community must be affordable, reported The Providence Journal.
KnowledgePlex November 23

CHICAGO LAGS ON AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT
The Metropolitan Planning Council in Chicago released a report tracking progress on the
Chicago Housing Authority's 10-year redevelopment initiative, reported the Chicago
Tribune. Under the plan, new mixed-income complexes are expected to include a total of
3,934 low-income units; 6,131 public housing units; and 6,589 market-rate units.
KnowledgePlex November 23

AN EMINENT DOMAIN HIGH TIDE:
Riviera Beach, Fla., wants to displace about 6,000 of its residents and raze their homes
to build a yachting and residential complex.- Los Angeles Times
ArchNewsNow November 30

PROGRAM GIVES RENTERS SHOT AT OWNING A HOME
A coalition of Lexington, Ky.-area service agencies has found safe, affordable homes for
close to 50 women with special needs, reported the Lexington Herald-Leader.
KnowledgePlex November 30

NEW COMPLEX OFFERS HOUSING FOR MENTALLY ILL
A new 24-unit apartment complex for homeless mentally ill singles in Belmont, Calif., is
the largest complex of its kind in San Mateo County, reported The San Francisco
Chronicle. The Mental Health Association of San Mateo County built the $5.5 million
facility with government grants and private donations.
KnowledgePlex November 30

WORKFORCE HOUSING PLANNED FOR NEAR SOUTH SIDE
A development team lead by former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros plans to build 391
homes on mostly industrial land in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, reported the Chicago
Sun-Times.
KnowledgePlex November 30

VACANT LAND TURNS TO GOLD FOR INSIDERS
In Chicago, programs to return neglected property in mostly poor neighborhoods back to
productive use have left many lots undeveloped while benefiting politically connected
developers, reported the Chicago Tribune.
KnowledgePlex November 30

CUTBACKS LEAVE CITY PROPERTY UNTENDED
Budget cuts in Pittsburgh have left hundreds of city-owned buildings and thousands of
vacant lots improperly maintained, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. For example,
the contractor that cuts grass and cleans lots for the city tended only about 2,500 of the
city's 3,819 lots this year.
KnowledgePlex November 30

MAYOR: MANY VACANT HOMES TO BE REVAMPED FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES
New York City and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will work
with nonprofits and a developer to redevelop 360 run-down, vacant homes in Brooklyn,
Queens, and the Bronx as affordable housing, reported The New York Sun.
KnowledgePlex November 30

SENIORS FEEL THREATENED DUE TO INFLUX OF DISABLED TENANTS
The increasing number of younger, disabled people moving into Connecticut public
housing complexes that were once reserved for the elderly is causing tension between
the two populations, reported the Connecticut Post.
KnowledgePlex November 30

SAN DIEGO NONPROFITS GET HIGH MARKS IN AFFORDABLE-HOUSING STUDY
According to a new report, San Diego County's community development corporations
have produced more than 8,500 housing units, mostly rentals for lower-income tenants,
reported The San Diego Union-Tribune.
KnowledgePlex November 30

CITY ADDS DEED RESTRICTIONS TO AFFORDABLE HOMES
Palmetto, Fla., city commissioners are considering an inclusionary zoning measure that
would preserve the long-term affordability of homes built under the law, reported the
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
KnowledgePlex November 30

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST LAUNCHES NEWSLETTER
The National Housing Trust, a national nonprofit that focuses on housing preservation
policy, lending, and development, has launched a newsletter. The first issue introduces
readers to the Trust, its role in preserving affordable housing, and its affiliate
organizations: the National Housing Trust Community Development Fund and
NHT/Enterprise Preservation Corporation. Future issues will cover partners' preservation
efforts and preservation policy updates.
KnowledgePlex November 2

PUBLICATION EXPLORES RURAL GREEN BUILDING
The latest issue of Rural Voices, the quarterly magazine of the Housing Assistance
Council, focuses on building environmentally friendly rural housing that is affordable,
efficient, and healthy.
KnowledgePlex November 9

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE ANNOUNCES READERS' CHOICE WINNERS
Affordable Housing Finance magazine named the winners of its first ever Readers'
Choice Awards for the nation's best affordable housing developments. The Grand Prize
winner was an abandoned bus storage site in Seattle that was redeveloped into
affordable housing for low-income families and seniors. Seattle Chinatown International
District Preservation and Development Authority developed the $15.4 million Domingo
Viernes Apartments with funding from several sources, including $2.5 million from the
Seattle Office of Housing's housing trust fund.
KnowledgePlex November 17

ENTERPRISE ANNOUNCES VENTURE AWARD WINNERS
Three developers have won top honors in The Enterprise Social Investment
Corporation's first Innovative Venture Awards competition. The awards recognizes
projects by Enterprise partners that are most likely to increase the supply of affordable
housing or provide the most innovative community development services.
KnowledgePlex November 17

NONPROFITS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION
The Enterprise Foundation, with which ESIC is affiliated, announced the winners of its
2005 Jim and Patty Rouse Award, which honors community-based organizations for
excellence in neighborhood revitalization. The winners are Home HeadQuarters Inc. of
Syracuse, N.Y., and Central City Concern of Portland, Ore.
KnowledgePlex November 17

JOHN M. CLANCY AWARD FOR SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE HOUSING - BSA
ArchNewsNow November 22

SAVE THE DATE: NEIGHBORWORKS SYMPOSIUM ON COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS
Disaster Preparedness and Response, Dallas, April 5, 2006
Hurricane Katrina has left many Americans wondering what citizens, organizations, and
local governments can do to prepare for natural and man-made catastrosophes. What
are the best ways to endure disasters and then to reconstruct communities? To begin to
answer these important questions, NeighborWorks America is convening a one-day
symposium at the Dallas NeighborWorks Training Institute, scheduled for April 5, 2006.
CDCs and local governments in the Gulf Coast area will actively participate with
presentations from organizations and communities that have implemented effective
strategies. Attendees will take away the best practices, tools and skills needed to
prepare for disasters and plan for recovery.
NeighborWorks Alert November 22

METLIFE FOUNDATION AFFORDABLE HOUSING AWARDS ANNOUNCED
The Enterprise Foundation and MetLife Foundation recently announced the six winners
of their MetLife Foundation Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing. The
community-based organizations, honored for affordable housing programs that have
helped transform the lives of people living in poverty, received awards totaling $100,000.
Winners in each category received unrestricted grants: $25,000 for first place, $15,000
for second place, and $10,000 for third place.
KnowledgePlex November 23

INCLUSIONARY HOUSING E-MAIL DISCUSSION GROUP LAUNCHED
As a follow-up to an October conference on inclusionary zoning, PolicyLink has
launched an e-mail discussion group to continue sharing information and strategies. The
conference was sponsored by PolicyLink, Innovative Housing Institute, National Housing
Conference, and Business and Professional People for the Public Interest. According to
PolicyLink, inclusionary zoning policies in Boston, New York, San Diego, San Francisco,
and hundreds of other cities have produced tens of thousands of units of affordable
housing. The online discussion provides a way to learn from peers about how to develop
inclusionary zoning strategies that balance community needs for affordable homes with
the needs of developers to realize a return on investment. Participants will also get the
latest news on inclusionary housing advances.
KnowledgePlex November 23

PARTNERSHIP HELPS HOMEOWNERS FACING FORECLOSURE
The Homeownership Preservation Foundation and NeighborWorks® America have
joined forces to expand their efforts to reach homeowners at risk of foreclosure as early
as possible. The partnership will link the foundation's 1-888-995-HOPE toll-free hotline,
which offers free foreclosure prevention counseling and advice, with NeighborWorks'
national network of homeownership education and counseling organizations. The
Homeownership Preservation Foundation has committed to grant up to $425,000 over
the next year to support the initiative and may contribute an additional $850,000 over the
next two years based on the program's success. NeighborWorks will use the grant to
develop and implement foreclosure prevention workshops in communities it serves and
to provide face-to-face counseling to local homeowners. The two nonprofits also will
work together to fund foreclosure prevention research and to host forums on foreclosure
issues.
KnowledgePlex November 30

STUDIES RELEASED

LOW-INCOME BUYERS SEE FEWER HOMEOWNERSHIP FINANCIAL BENEFITS
A recent paper from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University analyzes
the returns to low-income households that buy homes compared with the returns of
investing down-payment funds elsewhere and renting instead. According to the report,
"low-income homeowners typically gain less from owning than high-income owners who
buy and sell in the same years because [the low-income homeowners] get no additional
value from deducting mortgage interest and property taxes." Returns are also affected
because low-income homeowners are more likely to obtain higher interest rate
mortgages and less likely to refinance when it would be beneficial, the paper said.
KnowledgePlex November 9

"RESEARCH & RESOURCES FOR REBUILDING"
A list of relevant publications and other resources the Department of Housing and Urban
Development's Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) is offering to state
and local officials, builders/developers, and others involved in Gulf Coast hurricane
recovery efforts. This is a one-stop-shop for research reports, publications, and
information, including existing city ordinances and state laws about the use of
manufactured and modular housing, rehabilitation, storm-resistant building design, and
disaster response.
LISC eNewsletter November 16

REPORT URGES COLLABORATION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
A new report from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation underscores the importance
of collaboration for effective community development. "Community Development: A
Guide for Grantmakers on Fostering Better Outcomes Through Good Process"
describes the kind of collaboration required to avoid delays and frustrations and achieve
sustainable results. It covers such topics as meaningfully engaging residents, dealing
with race and class issues, resolving conflicts, and strengthening a grantee's capacity to
lead an effective community development process.
KnowledgePlex November 17

HURRICANE KATRINA -- THE AFTERMATH AND RELIEF EFFORT
Special KnowledgePlex Report on Katrina Aftermath and Relief Effort
More than any other event in recent history, the hurricanes have moved the issues of
poverty and affordable housing to the forefront of the nation's conscience and policy
agenda. This special report provides information about how governments and
organizations are dealing with the disaster as well as statistical data about the areas that
were hit.
NeighborWorks Alert November 22

HOUSING FAMILIES DISPLACED BY KATRINA: REVIEW OF THE FED RESPONSE
A report from The Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program suggests the most
cost-effective ways the federal government can invest in the recovery of the New
Orleans region and address pockets of poverty found in other cities around the country.
NeighborWorks Alert November 22

HOMEOWNERSHIP ALLIANCE HIGHLIGHTS HOMEOWNERSHIP BEST PRACTICES
The Homeownership Alliance's recent survey of affordable homeownership programs in
the country's 20 largest municipalities found many initiatives worth emulating, according
to a press release on U.S. Newswire.
KnowledgePlex November 23

EASING THE TRANSITION: HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL RECIPIENTS
According to a new report from the Housing Assistance Council, "Easing the Transition:
Housing Assistance for Rural TANF Recipients", finding affordable housing is a key
challenge facing rural families leaving welfare. Barriers include a lack of well-paying,
long-term employment, transportation difficulties, participants' credit issues,
complications related to state housing programs' eligibility requirements, limited local
provider networks to administer or support welfare and housing programs, and a
shortage of available decent and affordable units. Some state governments have found
ways to address these challenges, from homeownership counseling programs to a state
partnership with a local nonprofit housing developer to address the shortage of rural
affordable homes.
KnowledgePlex November 30

REPORT POINTS TO A CUT IN COMMUTES
Researchers found that average commuting distances for Atlanta drivers decreased
about 19 percent between 1998 and 2003, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
According to the study by the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, people drove
an average of 38.3 miles a day in 2003, compared with 47.2 miles in 1998. The study
didn't probe the cause of the decline. However, the authors, business leaders, and
planners attribute some of the drop in travel distances to the development of mixed-use
projects and new town centers with homes near businesses and activities, as well as
increased residential development within Atlanta city limits.
KnowledgePlex November 30

EVENTS

WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE? EFFECTIVELY PRICING YOUR PROGRAMS
On Nov. 30 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Lisa A. Gioia, CPA, an accounting and tax
consultant for nonprofits in the Kansas City area, will join Ginny Tranchek of LISC's OrganizationalDevelopment Initiative to discuss how to effectively pricep
programs based on anaccurate assessment of the real costs. Improve
organizational performance bydeveloping a truly useful cost allocation
system to accurately identify funding gaps andrecover those costs
from funders! For more information, visit the LISC Online Resource
Library LISC Experts Online Announcement November 2005

TOWN CENTERS AND TRANSIT VILLAGES CONFERENCE, DEC. 12-13
The Urban Land Institute will host a conference on developing town centers,
transit villages, and main streets Dec. 12-13 in The Woodlands, Texas. (The seventh annual Place Making conference was originally scheduled for September but was postponed due to Hurricane Rita.) The conference will focus on best practices and innovative approaches for developing dynamic, pedestrian-friendly mixed-use places. Futurist JoelKotkin, Irvine Fellow with the New America Foundation, will give the keynote address.Other sessions will cover such topics as the creation of authenticity and lasting identity intown centers, public/private transit villages, the pros and cons of developing homesalongside or above retail spaces, office tenants in town centers, mixed-use planning anddesign, and investor interest in mixed-use developments.
KnowledgePlex November 2

EXPERTS ONLINE WEBCASTS – GREEN DEVELOPMENT SERIES
The Green Development Series, Part III: The Nuts and Bolts of Green - Lessons
Learned from the Ground Up, Dec. 7, 2:00 p.m. ET
LISC eNewsletter November 16

CONSORTIUM FOR HOUSING AND ASSET MANAGEMENT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The CHAM 6th Annual Asset Management Professionals Conference will be Dec. 1-3
in San Francisco. Co-sponsored by LISC, Enterprise, and NeighborWorks
America,the CHAM Conference brings industry experts and practitioners together
to share bestpractices, emerging issues, and trends, and to explore building and maintaining soundreal estate portfolios that satisfy both neighborhood impact and financial feasibility. This event is made possible through funding from Citigroup.
LISC eNewsletter November 16

PUTTING SMART GROWTH POLICIES, PRACTICES TO WORK IN W. NEW YORK
The last workshop in the Smart Growth is Smart Business series in Buffalo
will be Dec.8. William Fulton, journalist, urban planner, researcher, pundit, best-selling author, andnationally-known speaker and lecturer on land use planning and economic developmentissues will be the presenter.
LISC eNewsletter November 16

THE 5TH ANNUAL NEW PARTNERS FOR SMART GROWTH CONFERENCE
Jan. 26-28 in Denver. The program will feature cutting-edge smart
growth strategies, thelatest research, implementation tools, successful
case studies, interactive learningexperiences, and new policies.
LISC eNewsletter November 16

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CHILD CARE:
The Nuts and Bolts of Successful Development is a training institute,
consisting of four sequential 2-day modules, to be held in Northern
California in February 2006, New YorkCity in March 2006, and in
Southern California in April 2006. The institute is designedspecifically
for housing developers considering child care operators as
developmentpartners and tenants in their projects.
The training will provide a solid understanding o child
care operations as well as the resources and tools necessary
for7co-locating childcare in developments. Space is limited,
so register soon.LISC eNewsletter November 16

EXPERTS ONLINE: NUTS AND BOLTS OF GREEN BUILDING, DEC. 7
On Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. ET, Local Initiatives Support Corp. will
present anonline discussion about integrating green-building techniques into
cash-strappedaffordable housing projects. The panelists for the discussion
are Carlton Brown, chiefoperating officer of Full Spectrum of New York LLC, New
York; Dennis Creech, CEO ofSouthface Energy Institute, Atlanta; and Jane
Jones, senior project manager atHomeowners' Rehab Inc., Cambridge, Mass. The panelists will discuss working witharchitects, general contractors, subcontractors,
local regulatory agencies, product vendors, and funding sources.
KnowledgePlex November 22

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP, JAN. 23-24
The Urban Land Institute will host a workshop on successful residential
development Jan. 23-24 in San Francisco. The mobile workshop will visit
at least four successful SanFrancisco Bay Area projects. Besides
presentations from development and design teammembers, the workshop
will include sessions on determining project feasibility, matchingproduct
design withconsumer demand, successful marketing strategies, figuring
netoperatingincome and capital structures, and managing project risks.
The principal instructor will be Jim Heid, president and founder of Urban
Green LLC in San Francisco.UrbanGreen acts as a development
partner and adviser to legacy landowners,institutions, and land
development companies that embrace principles of sustainability.
KnowledgePlex November 23

EXPERTS ONLINE: RURAL HOME LOAN PARTNERSHIP, DEC. 8
At 11 a.m. ET, Hal Wilson, a consultant to LISC and co-creator of the
Rural Home Loan Partnership, will moderate a session on the partnership,
an innovative 9-year-old ruralhomeownership program. Presenters
Ali Nelson of the Southwest Minnesota HousingPartnership; Lisa Livermore
with the USDA's Rural Development, Single-Family Directprogram
in Marshall, Minn.; and Deb Bloome of Bremmer Bank will cover the
fundamentalsthrough a case study of a local program.
KnowledgePlex November 30

EXPERTS ONLINE: RURAL SECTION 8 HOMEOWNERSHIP TRAINING, DEC. 8
At 2 p.m. ET on Dec. 8, Mary Paumen, director of LISC's Housing
Authority ResourceCenter, will moderate an online discussion about rural
Section 8 homeownershiptraining. The session will cover how HUD's Section 8
Program can be a useful financialtool in developing rural homeownership
opportunities, how to create an effectiveprogram, and the basics of
financial literacy for practitioners Colin Bloch of theBurlington, Vt.,
Community Land Trust will describe how the trust's program has workedin
high-cost areas.
KnowledgePlex November 30



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