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Welcome to the December 2006 Newsletter from the Center for Innovation in Affordable Housing Design

This month’s newsletter includes links to a number of design related articles, articles about homelessness as well as about gentrification, legislation, funding and other issues related to affordable housing design.

Be sure to look at the announcements, studies released, and upcoming events section of the newsletter for information you may find useful.

ARTICLES

STUDIES and RESOURCES RELEASED
Neighborhood Housing Markets and the Memphis Model
Paper Reviews State Tax Impact on Low-Income Families
Survey: Fewer Affordable Homes Available
Two Steps Back: City and Suburban Poverty Trends 1999-2005
HUD Releases Major Report on Rehab Best Practices
Cities Report Emergency Food, Shelter Shortages
'Housing First' Is Working in Denver
Report Examines Farmworker Housing
NLIHC Releases Out of Reach 2006

EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Native IDA Training Institutes Set for February-March
Paper Assesses Financial Stability of Low-Income Families
Audio Workshop: State Strategies on Family Homelessness, Jan. 11
Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, Feb. 8-9

ARTICLES

Design Related Articles

IKEA LAUNCHES FLATPACK HOMES IN BRITAIN

BoKloks...a solution to Britain's lack of affordable housing. ...will be developed
here under licence by Live Smart @ Home, part of the affordable housing provider,
Home Group. [image, link]- Guardian ( UK)

ArchNewsNow Dec 01

DESIGN IS THE MORTAR IN SOCIAL HOUSING THAT WORKS

Housing the homeless and affordability for the rest of us generates a lot of talk these
days in Vancouver. A few — a very few — are also doing something about it..."Towards
An Ethical Architecture: Issues Within the Work of Gregory Henriquez" shows that
social housing can enhance any neighbourhood. By Trevor Boddy- Globe and Mail ( Canada)

ArchNewsNow Dec 04

AFFORDABLE HOUSING BY IKEA

The Swedish furniture retailer is expanding its market to include ready-made
and modestly-sized homes. Already selling well in Scandinavia, the homes
are part of a new plan to address Britain's affordable housing shortage.
Dec 02 2006 -- Guardian Unlimited

Planetizen Dec 04

PHOTO TOUR OF A VENEZUELAN BARRIO

This photo slide show gives a detailed look at one of Venezuela's most
populated barrios. With more than 120,000 people in 237 acres, the barrio is
in control of its infrastructure construction, as well as its transportation
planning. Nov 30 2006 -- BBC

Planetizen Dec 04

TOP ARCHITECT ROGERS TRIES IT THE IKEA WAY

In a battle to remodel the British home...has designed his first new house for 37
years, to be followed by 145 more...will be available in up to a dozen combinations
of size and layout.- The Times (UK)

ArchNewsNow Dec 04

NEW WAVE OF GRANNY UNITS STIRS COMMUNITY DEBATE

"Do they damage the 'look and feel' of the neighborhood character, or provide a
necessary housing alternative?" Welcome to the granny unit debate in today's
suburbs. Zoning revisions are being written that reflect the outcome of the debate.
Dec 05 2006 -- The New York Times

Planetizen Dec 07

MISSION FOR WORKER HOUSING STARTS TO GROW

The proprietors of one of the nation's largest family-owned fruit operations are developing a $3 million mixed-income community in Pasco , Wash. , reported the Tri-City Herald. Year-round, Broetje Orchards employs about 1,000 workers who pick about 5,800 acres of mostly apples. The company already owns 128 homes and apartments, a school, and other facilities on its farm in Prescott . The new community of 251 lots will mix farmworker housing with private spec homes. Homes built by Habitat for Humanity and La Clinica will be scattered through the development, alongside homes constructed by private builder Hayden Homes. Eventually, the community could include a park, stores, child-care facilities, and bus service to Broetje farms. The orchard owners hope to break even on the development while building employee loyalty, said a farm spokesman. The company is trying to leverage better home loans for workers, who need a year of service to qualify, the article said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER'S COMMUNE

So-called "intentional communities" are a small, albeit growing trend in the housing market. Could co-housing be making a comeback? Dec 08 2006 -- Mortgage News Daily

Planetizen Dec 11

HOUSES UNITED

For those who live in cohousing, home is where the community is...now that cohousing has a track record...it's easier to find an architect to design it, a city to accept it and a contractor to build it. -- McCamant and Durett Architects- San Francisco Chronicle

ArchNewsNow Dec 11

AFFORDABLE HOUSING RISES ON WISE USE OF LAND

Replace big houses with row houses, apartments... "EcoDensity" initiative, if only it was allowed to proceed, could help reduce housing costs, traffic congestion and create a more sustainable region. By Michael Geller- Vancouver Sun

ArchNewsNow Dec 12

KATRINA COTTAGES NOT HEADING FOR KATRINA VICTIMS

Buyers from other parts of the

country are threatening to snap up the supply of homes before they can get to storm victims. Dec 11 2006 -- Clarion-Ledger

Planetizen Dec 14

COHOUSING PROJECTS INCREASING NATIONWIDE

Land has been purchased for what will be Oakland's fourth cohousing project, a collection of about 33 housing units with an underlying purpose of cooperation and community. Similar community housing projects are cropping up across the country. Dec 12 2006 -- San Francisco Chronicle

Planetizen Dec 14

AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEETS GREEN IN MASSACHUSETTS

An historic building in Cambridge , Mass. , is now a new affordable – and green – housing option for low-income families and individuals. The development is also one of the first in the country to receive Green Communities SM funds.

December Enterprise Network Newsletter

AMBITIOUS TAKE ON PUBLIC HOUSING

Was large-scale public housing a noble attempt to solve intractable social problems? Or were the projects themselves the problem? That's the question behind "The Architect," a thoughtful drama about the relationship between buildings, the people who design them, and those who live in them.- Boston Globe

ArchNewsNow Dec 15

HOW TO MAKE URBAN HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE

Here are ideas new urbanists can use to offset high housing prices and economic segregation. By Stephen Mouzon- New Urban News

ArchNewsNow Dec 20

GOOD DAY AT THE OFFICE

Demand is so high in central London that workplaces are being converted into upmarket homes...There is just one small hitch...if a site consists of more than 10 units..., then Ken Livingstone...will expect up to 50% of them to be given over to “affordable housing”. -- Richard Rogers Partnership; Candy & Candy- The Times ( UK)

ArchNewsNow Dec 20

GOODWILL EMBRACES MODULAR HOMES IDEA

Over the last six years, Goodwill Manasota's GoodHomes has built or renovated 59 homes for lower-income buyers in Florida 's Sarasota-Manatee County area, reported the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. GoodHomes' 60th home will be a three-bedroom, two-bathroom modular product priced less than cost at $208,000. The Sarasota Office of Housing and Community Development is allocating state and federal funds to finance the project. Including lot acquisition, construction, shipment, and installation, the development will cost $215,000 and take months less than preparing a conventional home. Traditionally, Goodwill Industries has been known for offering job training and operating thrift stores, the article said. According to the head of Goodwill, the organization realized that "families need a steady paycheck -- and a mortgage -- to build net worth." Over the next two years, GoodHomes plans to acquire an additional 20 lots on which to install modular homes, said the agency's project manager.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

MODULAR HOMES OK'D BY KENNER ; COUNCIL'S INITIAL DOUBTS PUT TO REST

The Kenner , La. , City Council voted to allow modular homes in districts zoned for single-family homes, reported the Times-Picayune. Under the measure, modular home developers seeking to work in such districts must apply with the Kenner Planning Department and the Planning and Zoning Commission and ultimately obtain approval from the council. Modular homes had been limited to two-family residential zoning districts and other less restrictively zoned districts, the article said. City officials said they supported the change because it would enable residents to replace storm-damaged homes more quickly at less cost.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

SEATTLE ; PARKING SPACED OUT

A parking space can add $30,000 or more to the cost of a condominium, according to an editorial in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "Ordinances requiring so many parking spaces per unit constitute a built-in housing price inflator," the article said. The effects of parking requirements on housing costs, traffic congestion, and environmental quality have become increasingly apparent to Seattle City Council members, the article said. According to a press release from the office of the mayor, the council adopted new land-use rules that amend parking requirements. Under the new rules, parking requirements have been lowered in most commercial areas and eliminated in urban centers and around light rail stations, "letting market forces set the number of spaces."

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

Homelessness Related Articles

SAN ANTONIO PLANS $30 MILLION HOMELESS CAMPUS

The San Antonio City Council approved a plan to build a homeless campus at an estimated cost of $30 million, reported the San Antonio Express-News. The plan, which was drafted by the San Antonio Community Council to End Homelessness, calls for a 15-acre complex near downtown. It will include a 600-bed facility, kitchen, medical and day centers, substance abuse and detoxification services, a chapel, and green spaces. Under the plan, the campus would take over services now provided by two city shelters, which would be sold. Providing a one-stop shop for services will more effectively help homeless people become self-sufficient, housed, and employed, said a city official.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

FAITH, BUSINESS LEADERS JOIN MAYOR IN PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS

The city of Boise , Idaho , is partnering with local church congregations and the business community to provide long-term supportive housing to homeless families with children, according to a press release from Mayor David H. Bieter. The Charitable Assistance to Community's Homeless (CATCH) program will also serve young adults aging out of foster care. Under the program, each participating faith-based organization will sponsor one family in rental housing for six months or a year. Families will also receive ongoing case management addressing the factors that contributed to their homelessness. Businesses will provide funding and in-kind support to help with living expenses. The program is expected to assist 10 to 15 families and three to five young adults in the first year. The city is also creating a $10,000 pool of vouchers to help women and families access shelter in hotels until they can transition to CATCH or other long-term housing solutions.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

INITIATIVE ENCOURAGES LASTING BONDS BETWEEN FAMILIES, CHURCHES

In its first year, a Denver program that partnered the homeless with religious congregations helped 141 families and seniors acquire housing, reported the Rocky Mountain News. The Family and Senior Homeless Initiative is part of the city's 10-year plan to end homelessness. It is administered by the Denver Rescue Mission, whose Family Rescue Ministry boasts an 80 percent success rate and served as a model for the city program. Under the program, each team of two to six congregation members provides a homeless family or senior with guidance and about $1,200 for a security deposit and first month's rent. The program, which seeks to help 1,000 families and seniors in 10 years, exceeded its first-year goal by 40 percent.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

RECORDS PRESENT DIFFERENT IMAGE OF PANHANDLERS

Records collected on panhandlers cited or arrested in Cleveland show that most appear not to be homeless, reported the Plain Dealer. In July 2005, the city enacted a ban on panhandling in certain areas. The law allows police to ticket and arrest people who aggressively solicit money near ATMs, bus stops, and restaurant entrances. Violators can be fined or jailed for up to six months. Cleveland Municipal Court records show that most of those who have been cited or arrested have home addresses, with some living in the suburbs and having driver's licenses. Some homeless advocates have criticized the law, saying that it "punishes the poor and restricts a person's right to solicit in some areas of the city," the article said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

SAN FRANCISCO TO STEP UP FIGHT AGAINST HOMELESSNESS

In his third annual state of the city's homelessness address, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced ramped-up efforts to end homelessness with special initiatives targeting alcoholic homeless people, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. Newsom said the city has made progress, citing as an example the 4,795 formerly homeless people who have moved into homes since 2004. But there is more to do, he said. Several city offices are working with partners to create a "community court" that will direct chronic alcoholics to employment or treatment programs instead of citing them for public inebriation. Liquor store owners in the Tenderloin will be encouraged to limit their hours. Sweeps of homeless people from Golden Gate Park will continue. Soon, city residents will be able to call a city hotline to report persons sleeping in doorways and other "quality of life" issues, Newsom said. The hotline will be another tool for getting homeless people into treatment, he said. An official with the Coalition on Homelessness praised the mayor's dedication to housing homeless people but said it's too early to judge the success of his proposals.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

PROGRAM HELPS HOMELESS SUBSTANCE ABUSERS

San Mateo County , Calif. , is finding success treating homeless addicts by supporting a program that targets more than just those willing to enter treatment or who have already hit rock bottom, program officials told Inside Bay Area. Project HAALO (Helping Addicts and Alcoholics Learn to Overcome) provides 27 people at two shelters in the county with daily group or one-on-one counseling. They are assigned homework to do between sessions. They also meet with case managers to strategize ways to find jobs and housing once they graduate from the six-month program. Relapses are expected and not considered a failure but, rather, a starting point for trying again, program officials said. Since 2005, the program has treated about 160 people, 70 percent of whom have graduated from the program clean and sober. With its emphasis on meeting patients "where they are," the program is philosophically aligned with the county's broader billion-dollar plan to eliminate homelessness, the article said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

Articles related to Inclusionary Zoning

MORE FIND THEY CAN CHALLENGE CHAP. 40B

A growing number of Massachusetts residents are finding they can challenge a state law enacted in 1969 to combat a shortage of affordable homes, reported The Sun. The state's Comprehensive Permit Law, also known as Chapter 40B, faced neighborhood opposition from the start, said a Clark University professor. Under the law, residential developers who set aside at least 20-25 percent of the units in their projects as affordable can bypass local zoning regulations. Residents have feared that Chapter 40B projects will depress property values, change the area's character, and bring in undesirable neighbors, she said. Those who oppose Chapter 40B say they are not fighting affordable housing, but rather their loss of control over development in their communities. Increasingly, 40B-savvy residents are learning how to work within the system to force developers to alter their projects, the article said. "40B allows for some give and take," said the executive director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

IS ONE L.A. DEVELOPER A MODERN DAY MR. SCROOGE?

Geoff Palmer, a successful developer who has constructed hundreds of new apartments in downtown Los Angeles, has consistently fought the city's attempts to force him to include affordable units in his developments. Dec 08 2006 -- Los Angeles Times

Planetizen Dec 11

SOME BALTIMORE AGENCIES SOUGHT RESTRICTIONS ON HOUSING PR0POSAL

The Baltimore City Council is considering legislation that would require all new residential developments to include affordable units, reported The Baltimore Sun. Under the measure, formally introduced last week, developers must set aside 10 percent of the units in their projects as affordable to low- to moderate-income people. Developers who are granted major subsidies or rezonings for a project must allocate up to 20 percent of the project's units for affordable housing. The bill would create an inclusionary housing board to consider exceptions to the law and measure its effectiveness. The measure would also direct 20 percent of the city's transfer taxes and recordation fees to an inclusionary housing trust fund that voters endorsed in November.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

BALTIMORE 'S RULES FOLLOW MODEL IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

When Baltimore council members consider the new bill, they "will not be navigating in unchartered waters," reported The Daily Record. An inclusionary zoning law enacted in Montgomery County , Md. , 32 years ago has created 12,000 affordable units and prompted similar, more recent laws in Frederick County and the city of Annapolis . About 1,300 affordable units are in the pipeline in Frederick County , which enacted its law in 2002, the article said. Observers disagree about whether conditions in Baltimore point to success for such an initiative. Inclusionary zoning is usually used in cities where there is little land left to develop, said one skeptic, who added that Baltimore has plenty of developable land. A local developer disagreed, praising the city for planning for affordable housing before the market gets too tight.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

REAL ESTATE FIRM WANTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING RULES CHANGED

A real estate firm planning to build 4,000 for-sale and rental units in Stamford , Conn. , is proposing changes to the city's inclusionary zoning program, reported The Stamford Advocate. The city requires multifamily developers to set aside 10 percent of the units in their projects at prices affordable to residents who make less than half the area median income. Antares Investment Partners is seeking a new formula that would count each unit reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of the area median as 1.5 units. Each unit set aside for households earning up to 80 percent of the median would count as half a unit. The formula would create about the same number of affordable units but assist a broader cross-section of residents, said a consultant working on the Antares development. City officials haven't reviewed the proposed changes, the article said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

CORZINE CALLS FOR SPEED-UP ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine told anti-poverty advocates that he wants to accelerate his plan to create 100,000 affordable homes over the next decade, reported The Record. While not specifying a particular timeframe, Corzine called for generating the units "as soon as possible." According to Corzine, any anti-poverty effort relies heavily on sufficient affordable housing units in the right places -- areas close to viable jobs. Although New Jersey towns have affordable housing commitments they must fulfill, some opt out by paying other communities to meet their housing obligations, the article said. Corzine said he favors limiting such Regional Contribution Agreements. He also promised to provide higher rebates to some of the state's 2.5 million renters, particularly tenants with incomes no greater than $50,000. Current rebates average $75, an inadequate amount, Corzine said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

INCLUSIONARY ZONING BEING TRIED IN MADISON

In Madison, Wis., an ordinance requiring residential developers to set aside some of the units in their projects for residents earning up to 80 percent of the area median income hasn't produced the expected results, the executive director of Smart Growth Madison told The Daily Reporter. Instead of 200 to 300 such inclusionary zoning units selling per year, 11 units have sold, sources said. Since its enactment, the ordinance has been reworked with a new formula giving owners some chance to build equity and eliminating the requirement for rental projects. The changes will start to produce results, said a Madison official. But a local developer disagreed, saying uncertainties such as possible penalties for selling inclusionary units to ineligible buyers have soured builders and buyers on the system. The program is forcing developers out of the city, creating sprawl, he said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

Articles related to Gentrification, Legislation and Funding

“WE ARE EXPERTS TOO”

People know more about their communities than any architect, planner, or developer can ever know. Now there’s a chance they’ll be heard. By Susan S. Szenasy -- Center for Architecture; Public Information Exchange (PIE)- Metropolis Magazine

ArchNewsNow Dec 07

Property-Tax Surcharge Helps Mass. Towns Pay for Preservation

Seeking their share of matching state money, more Massachusetts communities are opting into a state program allowing local jurisdictions to impose a 3 percent real estate tax surcharge for funding historic preservation, affordable housing, and open space, reported the Cape Cod Times. A third of the state's 351 communities have signed onto the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act, and the number is growing.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

NATIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM MIGHT BE SQUEEZED BY RULE CHANGE

Regulators for the Federal Home Loan Bank have proposed a rule that housing experts fear could decrease how much the system spends on affordable housing programs, reported the Morning Call. The Federal Home Loan Bank is a financial cooperative of 12 regional banks, owned collectively by more than 8,100 member thrifts, banks, credit unions, and insurance groups. Members own stock in the cooperative and receive dividends, which are viewed as a tool to encourage affordable building as well as an additional source of revenue. The rule proposed last March would require each of the regional banks to limit their dividend payouts to 50 percent of their earnings. According to the Federal Housing Finance Board chairman, FHLBanks need to retain the funds to offset risk and declining profits. He said it won't impact affordable housing programs. But affordable housing experts and organizations that rely on housing grants from FHLBanks fear it will. The board is expected to make a decision on the proposed rule soon, the article said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

STATE PICKS UP RENT SUBSIDIES OF 300 FAMILIES

After months of negotiations, the New Jersey state government has pledged to pick up the more than $3 million annual tab for housing vouchers for 300 Passaic families cut off from federal aid, reported The Record. (Editor's note: As reported in the Nov. 15 Week in Review, a shortfall in federal Section 8 funds led the housing authority to hold a lottery to choose which families would lose their vouchers as of January 2007). The families had received temporary aid through emergency state and local funds but faced eviction. To fund the vouchers, the state will tap a $4 million federal grant applied for last spring, said the commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. The state rescue is DCA's first such response to a voucher crisis of this magnitude, she said. The families will be added to the state's existing rental voucher program, which administers about 16,000 vouchers.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

CAL-I-FOR-NIA, HERE WE...LEAVE?

For the first time since 1994, more residents left California than arrived -- and this time the outflow includes even Hispanics. High housing costs are blamed for the shift in migration. Dec 13 2006 -- Associated Press via San Francisco Chronicle

Planetizen Dec 14

PARTNERSHIPS HELP INCREASE GULF COAST REBUILDING EFFORTS

More than 10,000 new affordable homes are on the horizon for Gulf Coast residents, thanks to new partnerships involving Enterprise, the Biloxi Housing Authority, Fannie Mae, the Gulf Coast Housing Partnership and the Housing Partnership Network.

December Enterprise Network Newsletter

HOUSTON HOPING FOR $105 MILLION FOR APARTMENT UPGRADES

Over the next two years, Houston hopes to spend about $105 million to rehabilitate an estimated 6,000 run-down apartments, reported the Houston Chronicle. According to city officials, the "apartments to standard" program seeks to raise the quality of apartments without raising rents. The improvements will reduce crime and attract new job-creating investments in the neighborhoods, said the city's interim housing director. The city plans to seek additional funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the state to help finance the initiative. Funds will likely help some existing owners repair their properties as well as help private or nonprofit developers acquire and rehabilitate apartment complexes, he said. Rehabilitation is "four or five times more cost-effective" than new construction, which has been the focus of previous city programs, said Mayor Bill White.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

$6.5M PITTSBURGH LIEN DEAL STRIKES BLOW AGAINST BLIGHT

Pittsburgh plans to regain control of tax liens on about 11,000 mostly-vacant properties, reported the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. As reported in the Dec. 6 Week in Review, New York-based bond insurer MBIA holds the liens, which encompass about 8 percent of the land in the city. The city, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, and Pittsburgh Public Schools will pool funds to repurchase the liens for $6.5 million. The cost is about one-tenth of the $64 million that Capital Asset Research (now owned by MBIA) paid for 14,000 liens in the late 1990s. The 11,000 liens still owned by MBIA today are worth an estimated $40 million. MBIA, which shut Capital Asset years ago and was under court order to lower its rates and fees, likely agreed to the bargain sale to cut its losses, local developers said. City officials hope to forgive the unpaid taxes on the lots and make them available for redevelopment, generating more property tax revenues.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

BALTIMORE SEEKS TO SAVE LOW-INCOME HOMES FROM GENTRIFICATION

Baltimore officials have approved almost $12 million in loans and tax credits for a plan to renovate and preserve as affordable 139 federally subsidized apartments in two neighborhoods undergoing gentrification, reported The Baltimore Sun. Last year, nonprofit developer Greater Baltimore AHC purchased the units, which are long overdue for repairs, the article said. AHC will make the repairs without displacing residents. Also, a new agreement will retain the units' subsidized status for at least 20 more years. The rehabilitation will help preserve low-income homes and improve the neighborhood, said a Greater Baltimore AHC official. According to the city's housing commissioner, the project is part of a broader initiative to rehabilitate 14,200 city housing units insured by the Federal Housing Administration. In addition to renovation such as AHC's, the broader effort entails beefed-up code enforcement and large-scale redevelopment, he said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

CONDO CONVERSION LAW FAILS TO WIN COUNCIL SUPPORT

In Oakland , Calif. , a law that would have made it easier to convert apartments to condominiums was pulled prior to a vote, when its failure appeared imminent, reported Inside Bay Area. Under the plan, property owners seeking to convert apartments to condos would pay a fee to a housing trust fund, which would provide down-payment assistance to first-time home buyers. Displaced tenants would receive relocation benefits, while those seeking to purchase their apartments would receive discounts on the sales price and up to $15,000 in closing-cost assistance. Supporters said the measure, which would have allowed 800 conversions annually, would stabilize neighborhoods and boost affordable homeownership. Opponents said it would increase evictions and create homes too costly for the majority of the city's renter households. The bill's sponsor withdrew the measure and won a motion to refer it to a study commission that will meet next year to review inclusionary zoning as well as affordable rental and homeownership opportunities.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

TURNING TRIANGULAR LOT INTO A SQUARE DEAL

Multnomah County , Ore. , is supporting a plan to build condos on a site contaminated by underground gas tanks, reported The Oregonian. Under the plan, half of the 25 condos would sell at market rates, with the remaining units set aside as affordable units. The project is spearheaded by Reach Community Development, which owns the land, in partnership with the Portland Community Land Trust, which will attach deed restrictions to the units ensuring continued affordability. According to the land trust's executive director, the project could serve as a model of how to create affordable housing without relying heavily on public money. The partners say the land is ineligible for federal funds due to the underground tanks. In addition, the odd size and shape of the lot will likely require the units to be one-bedroom, precluding the use of public subsidies targeting family housing. The county is seeking and expects to receive state environmental approval by the end of the year.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

EXPERTS WORRY N.J. OVERPRICING ITSELF

The New Jersey Conference of Mayors gathered about 100 mayors, educators, and business people to review prospects for economic growth in the state's suburbs, reported The Record. The conference was prompted by concerns about aging infrastructure, congestion, land shortages, and other problems besetting older suburbs, the article said. Expert speakers stressed the need for better mass transportation and more affordable homes. Without enough reasonably priced housing, employers will migrate to other states that have lower living costs and friendlier business environments, they said. But one mayor objected to the recommendation to create more affordable homes. Most towns are 98 percent developed, leaving no room for such housing, he said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

GOVERNOR SPEAKS IN NORFOLK AS PART OF 3-DAY HOUSING CONFERENCE

According to Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, the state is exploring ways to reduce community resistance to affordable housing, reported the Virginian-Pilot. Kaine made the announcement in a speech at the 2006 Governor's Housing Conference. Speaking to nearly 1,000 housing advocates, developers, and policymakers, Kaine said one option could involve rewarding localities that strive for more affordable homes with state discretionary funds. Jurisdictions with policies that limit affordable housing development could be bypassed by state grant programs, he said. Housing advocates have been urging state lawmakers to establish a trust fund for affordable housing preservation and construction. But it's unlikely such a fund would be created in the middle of the state's biennium budget, Kaine said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

SURVEY: STAMFORD-NORWALK HAS STIFFEST RENTS IN NATION

According to a new report, Stamford-Norwalk, Conn., has surpassed San Francisco as the nation's least affordable rental market, reported The Stamford Advocate. In its "Out of Reach" report, the National Low Income Housing Coalition calculates the "housing wage" -- the hourly wage a full-time worker in a given jurisdiction must earn to rent a two-bedroom apartment without spending more than 30 percent of income on housing. The coalition calculated the housing wage based on federal estimates of the cost of renting an adequate but not luxurious apartment in each jurisdiction. The housing wage in Stamford-Norwalk is $30.62 per hour, while the average renter in the area makes $20.26 an hour, the report said. Joining Stamford-Norwalk and San Francisco among the most expensive metropolitan areas are Boston , New York City, and Washington , D.C. , the article said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

IT'S NOT ABOUT BUILDING CHEAP HOUSES IN MILWAUKEE

Mixed-income neighborhoods, rather than "cheap houses," are the answer to the housing affordability problem, according to an article in The Daily Reporter. Economic segregation leaves residents of low-income neighborhoods without access to higher-paying jobs and education, and high-income neighborhoods without lower-wage workers, including police and teachers, the article said. Long plagued by economic segregation in its metropolitan area, Milwaukee is progressing toward its goal of transforming its Lindsay Heights neighborhood into a mixed-income community, the article said. The city created a tax incremental financing district, using revenues to help fund 120 new homes to date as well as repairs of older homes. The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority supports the effort.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

MILWAUKEE 'S HOUSING MARKET'S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

However, as more people seek to buy or develop housing in Milwaukee , higher prices are raising property taxes, noted The Daily Reporter in another article. Higher property taxes are forcing lower-income residents from the handful of neighborhoods that are already mixed-income, said an official with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council. In recent months, community advocates and city officials have responded to the city's housing challenges with new initiatives. The city pledged to borrow $2.5 million in 2007 to create a housing trust fund, and backers of the fund plan to lobby state government to ease regulations over the sources of revenues for the fund. The city and WHEDA are also funding the new Milwaukee Housing Partnership, created in October with NeighborWorks® America . The partnership plans first to train more nonprofits to educate first-time home buyers about avoiding borrowing practices that end in foreclosure.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

PROJECT SEEKS TO SAVE LOW-INCOME CITY HOMES FROM GENTRIFICATION

The substantial renovation of 150 Section 8 units in Baltimore , MD is part of a citywide effort to revitalize certain neighborhoods and preserve the city's subsidized housing stock. (The Baltimore Sun)

National Housing Trust’s Preservation December Newsletter

BROOKLYN TRACT GOES ON BLOCK; HOME TO 14,000

Starrett City, a subsidized apartment complex home to 14,000 residents in Brooklyn, NY, is up for sale. The Bloomberg Administration has committed to monitoring the sale to ensure that the property remains affordable after ownership is transferred. (The New York Times)

National Housing Trust’s Preservation December Newsletter

TAKING WORKFORCE HOUSING SERIOUSLY

The wide range of housing prices in a Milwaukee suburb -- offering affordability for all -- is no accident. Dec 21 2006 -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Planetizen Dec 26

STUDIES AND RESOURCES RELEASED

NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING MARKETS AND THE MEMPHIS MODEL

Linking Information to Neighborhood Action in Memphis, Tennessee...introduces an alternative to the classic redlining paradigm for understanding transition and decline in neighborhood housing markets.]- Brookings Institution

ArchNewsNow Dec 04

PAPER REVIEWS STATE TAX IMPACT ON LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

A new policy brief from the Urban Institute seeks to help states understand how their tax policy choices affect low-income families. According to the study, some of the tax increases enacted during the latest recession to plug budget shortfalls fell hard on low-income families. For example, increases in the tobacco tax may have had a greater impact on low-income families. In the future, states might consider looking at a broader array of tools, evaluating how particular taxes impact low-income families, and enacting or increasing existing low-income tax credits "so these families do not face the double burden of program cuts and tax increases."

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

SURVEY: FEWER AFFORDABLE HOMES AVAILABLE

One-third of the local housing officials surveyed by the National League of Cities said falling home prices haven't stemmed the shrinkage of the affordable housing supply, reported USA TODAY . The League released the survey at a conference in Reno , Nev. According to three-fourths of the survey respondents, housing prices are greatly limiting homeownership opportunities for lower-income people and young families. In recent years, falling interest rates helped fuel demand to tear down or rehabilitate older homes and convert apartments to condos, removing lower-cost homes from the housing stock, the article said. Faced with federal funding declines, cities are finding creative ways to preserve housing affordability, said Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. Some cities are dedicating tax revenues to housing or requiring that new projects include affordable units, the article said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

TWO STEPS BACK: CITY AND SUBURBAN POVERTY TRENDS 1999-2005

A new study ranking the poorest big-city suburbs puts McAllen , Texas , at the top of the list, reported the Modesto Bee. The study, by the Brookings Institution, is based on poverty rates for 2005. According to the study, McAllen 's suburbs have a poverty rate of 43.9 percent, followed by those of El Paso , Texas (38.7 percent); Bakersfield , Calif. (23.1 percent); Fresno , Calif. (16.2 percent); and Albuquerque , N.M. (15.9 percent). At 18.8 percent, the poverty rate in the nation's cities is twice as high as that in suburbs, which ranks at 9.4 percent, the study finds. However, for the first time, there were more poor people living in suburbs than in the inner cities, due to populations migrating to the suburbs. The report applauds communities that require new housing developments to include some affordable units and cautions against development patterns that consume farmland while bringing economic woes to rings beyond the center city.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

HUD RELEASES MAJOR REPORT ON REHAB BEST PRACTICES

HUD released a two-volume, 400+ page report on the rehabilitation of affordable housing, prepared by the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

December NeighborWorks Alert

CITIES REPORT EMERGENCY FOOD, SHELTER SHORTAGES

A survey of 23 mayors by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Sodexho Inc. found that overall requests for emergency shelter assistance in their cities increased an average of 9 percent over the last year, according to a press release from the organizations. Twenty-three percent of all requests for shelter went unmet, the 2006 Hunger and Homelessness Survey said. The mayors surveyed cited mental illness, a lack of needed social services, and a lack of affordable homes as the three leading causes of homelessness. Almost all of the mayors said their cities have plans to end chronic homelessness, with a quarter reporting that their plans have reduced the number of people living on the streets. However, three-fourths say it is too early to gauge the impact of their plans, particularly any cost savings. The survey also found that requests for emergency food assistance increased an average of 7 percent, while 23 percent of requests overall went unmet.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

'HOUSING FIRST' IS WORKING IN DENVER

According to a new report, Denver 's Housing First program for chronically homeless people saved taxpayers about $712,000 since it was launched two years ago, reported The Denver Post. Through the program, 150 of "the most hard-core homeless people" have been placed in homes and connected to mental health and substance abuse treatment, reported the Rocky Mountain News. Medical, psychiatric, and legal records for 19 of the program participants showed a marked drop in their use of costly services such as emergency room care and jail stays, the News said. On average, in the two years after they joined the program, participants consumed $31,545 less in such services than they did in the two years before they entered the program -- a 73 percent drop. Subtracting the cost of the program's housing and treatment from the cost savings, the study found a net annual savings of $4,745 per person, the article said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

REPORT EXAMINES FARMWORKER HOUSING

According to a new report from the Housing Assistance Council, the stock of USDA-funded farmworker housing is aging, with the majority of units having been built more than 25 years ago. HAC's analysis of housing built under the Section 514/516 program also found that the development of off-farm housing under these programs is on the rise. The report explores the impacts of trends in farmworker population, changing migration patterns, and declining employer ownership. For example, fewer farmworkers are following crops along the migrant streams as more stay in place year-round. This is raising demand for permanent housing and the attendant need for more resources to rehabilitate migrant units into year-round units, the report said.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

NLIHC RELEASES OUT OF REACH 2006

The cost of affordable rental housing climbed again in 2006, out pacing the wages of those who need it most. The national two-bedroom Housing Wage climbed to $16.31 for 2006, up from $15.78 last year. This is the hourly wage a full time worker must earn in order to afford a two-bedroom home at his or her community’s Fair Market Rent (FMR). The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) annual Out of Reach report, released on December 12, provides data for every state, metropolitan area and county in the country showing how much a household must earn to afford a modest market-rate rental home. The report also provides local wage and income data for comparison purposes. Extensive data for every state, metropolitan area and county in the country are available online.

National Housting Trust’s Preservation December Newsletter

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

NATIVE IDA TRAINING INSTITUTES SET FOR FEBRUARY-MARCH

The Native IDA Initiative will hold regional training institutes in various cities this winter. The initiative is a collaboration of First Nations Development Institute, First Nations Oweesta Corporation, and CFED. The training institutes will cover how Native organizations can establish, implement, and sustain Individual Development Account programs in their communities. Participants in the institutes will receive three days of expert training and will have access to free, customized follow-up technical assistance. Before the institutes, workshops will be held to cover Native Earned Income Tax Credit campaigns. Applications for the Feb. 27-March 1 institute in Denver are due Jan 12. Applications for the March 27-29 institute in Washington , D.C. , are due Feb. 9.

KnowledgePlex Dec 07

PAPER ASSESSES FINANCIAL STABILITY OF LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

A recent report by the Urban Institute examines the income and expenses of low-income working families to determine their capacity to sustain themselves with the limited resources at their disposal. The study found that families with at least one full-time, full-year worker fared better than expected. The authors attribute their success to work effort, earnings, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The study also found that low-income families without a full-time, full-year worker did not have enough income to cover their basic expenses.

KnowledgePlex Dec 15

AUDIO WORKSHOP: STATE STRATEGIES ON FAMILY HOMELESSNESS, JAN. 11

On Thursday, Jan. 11 at 3 p.m. ET, the Leadership to End Homelessness Audio Conference Series will feature an audio workshop on efforts in Massachusetts to improve the response to family homelessness. In the last couple years, the state has adopted initiatives to facilitate rapid rehousing, increase access to subsidized housing, prevent homelessness, and enhance and target supportive services. Speakers will include John Shirley of the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, which administers a network of state-supported shelters for homeless families.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

CONFERENCE ON ENDING FAMILY HOMELESSNESS, FEB. 8-9

The National Alliance to End Homelessness will host its third national conference on ending family homelessness Feb. 8-9 in Oakland, Calif. Conference sessions will cover such topics as prevention programs, permanent supportive housing, state policy changes, partnering with local public housing authorities, and designing state and local housing subsidy programs. Conference participants will have the opportunity to visit one of three programs serving homeless or formerly homeless families in the Bay Area. Registrations received by Jan. 7 qualify for the early registration fee.

KnowledgePlex Dec 22

__________________________________________________________________________
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.