Location: Nationwide
Website: nlihc.org
In 1974, Cushing N. Dolbeare founded the Ad Hoc Low Income Housing Coalition in response to the Nixon administration’s moratorium on federal housing programs. While this group focused on federal advocacy, other members established the Low Income Housing Information Service (LIHIS) in 1975 to provide information on housing problems and federal housing programs, as well as technical assistance and support to state and local housing advocacy efforts.
In 1978, the ad hoc coalition was incorporated as the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). The two organizations operated jointly, with LIHIS focusing on information, public education, and technical assistance, and NLIHC focusing on advocacy. LIHIS launched a major initiative in 1992 to strengthen partner housing coalitions at the state level in response to devolution of many federal programs. The maturation of NLIHC and LIHIS led to a decision in 1996 to formally merge the two organizations into one 501(c)(3) membership organization, governed by one board of directors. NLIHC today continues the public education, research and policy analysis, organizing, and advocacy work of its predecessor organizations.
Since its inception, NLIHC has been a leader in the effort to address the housing needs of those with the lowest incomes. Ms. Dolbeare recognized that there was no shortage of constituents concerned about low income housing, but rather that constituents needed to be informed about when and how to make their voices heard. To better educate constituents, Ms. Dolbeare authored or co-authored dozens of articles, books and reports. Her writings focused on a wide range of issues, such as the economic underpinnings of the housing crisis; the impact of the crisis on various segments of the population such as women, Hispanics and farm workers; and the unique challenges faced in addressing the housing crisis in urban areas versus rural areas.
"Out of Reach", NLIHC’s widely-cited annual report on the gap between housing costs and the wages of low income people.
While numerous organizations concentrate on federal housing policy, NLIHC is unique because of our sole focus on the needs of extremely low income people, the only population experiencing an absolute shortage of affordable housing. Today NLIHC has hundreds of members across the county. Combined with incisive research and policy analysis, NLIHC is a respected voice in Washington, D.C. that has helped produce policies impacting the lives of millions.
Showing posts with label Housing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Housing. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Healthy Rowhouse Project
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Website: healthyrowhouse.org
Founded in December 2014, The Healthy Rowhouse Project is a growing coalition of organizations in the fields of health, housing, planning and preservation dedicated to improving substandard conditions and health in rowhouses owned by lower-income Philadelphians.
The Healthy Rowhouse Project is funded by the Oak Foundation. Twenty Philadelphia leaders have joined the Advisory Committee. They are lending their expertise to recommend comprehensive Healthy Rowhouse policy, design, construction, and financing tools to assist rowhouse owners to improve their housing quality.
Philadelphia rowhouses are an extraordinary asset that allows the city to offer homeownership to a higher share of low-income households than almost any city in the country.
Philadelphia’s rowhouses, an affordable, energy-efficient and durable form of housing, make up 70% of all homes in the city. Homeowners include 78% of Philadelphians over age 60. In addition, rowhouses provide homes for approximately 40% of all renters. Yet these rowhouses are deteriorating faster than their owners can repair them.
75% of the city’s rowhouses are over 50 years old. The most recent American Housing Survey found that housing quality is most commonly impaired by water leaks from outside, water leaks from inside, cracks in the walls, and roofing problems. Deterioration is one of the leading causes of housing abandonment. In one study, one in four homes with cracks in the wall and one out of seven homes with holes in the roof were abandoned within five years of reporting the problem.
Homes in poor repair literally make their inhabitants sick. Substandard conditions like mold, mildew, lead paint, and pests create and perpetuate health conditions like asthma and lead poisoning in the most vulnerable populations. In fact, 40% of asthma episodes are due to asthma triggers in the home, representing $5 billion annually in preventable medical costs. A 2013-2014 pilot program in Philadelphia found that removing asthma triggers in the home significantly improved the health of children living there, confirming multiple studies that found housing repairs can result in significant health improvements for occupants.
Philadelphia’s rowhouses are durable and affordable. They can last for another century. Philadelphia developed a large stock of attached single-family homes for working-class families before World War II. These rowhouses define Philadelphia neighborhoods and give this city its particular character and distinctiveness. While other cities built apartment buildings to house their workforces, Philadelphia’s locally controlled savings and loan associations financed the “model workingman’s home”, a simple rowhouse that astonished visitors at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
Built of brick, these houses have remained largely intact even as the city’s population has declined by almost 25%. As a result, Philadelphia has a significant, irreplaceable supply of affordable homes for low- and moderate- income households.
Website: healthyrowhouse.org
Founded in December 2014, The Healthy Rowhouse Project is a growing coalition of organizations in the fields of health, housing, planning and preservation dedicated to improving substandard conditions and health in rowhouses owned by lower-income Philadelphians.
The Healthy Rowhouse Project is funded by the Oak Foundation. Twenty Philadelphia leaders have joined the Advisory Committee. They are lending their expertise to recommend comprehensive Healthy Rowhouse policy, design, construction, and financing tools to assist rowhouse owners to improve their housing quality.
Philadelphia rowhouses are an extraordinary asset that allows the city to offer homeownership to a higher share of low-income households than almost any city in the country.
Philadelphia’s rowhouses, an affordable, energy-efficient and durable form of housing, make up 70% of all homes in the city. Homeowners include 78% of Philadelphians over age 60. In addition, rowhouses provide homes for approximately 40% of all renters. Yet these rowhouses are deteriorating faster than their owners can repair them.
75% of the city’s rowhouses are over 50 years old. The most recent American Housing Survey found that housing quality is most commonly impaired by water leaks from outside, water leaks from inside, cracks in the walls, and roofing problems. Deterioration is one of the leading causes of housing abandonment. In one study, one in four homes with cracks in the wall and one out of seven homes with holes in the roof were abandoned within five years of reporting the problem.
Homes in poor repair literally make their inhabitants sick. Substandard conditions like mold, mildew, lead paint, and pests create and perpetuate health conditions like asthma and lead poisoning in the most vulnerable populations. In fact, 40% of asthma episodes are due to asthma triggers in the home, representing $5 billion annually in preventable medical costs. A 2013-2014 pilot program in Philadelphia found that removing asthma triggers in the home significantly improved the health of children living there, confirming multiple studies that found housing repairs can result in significant health improvements for occupants.
Philadelphia’s rowhouses are durable and affordable. They can last for another century. Philadelphia developed a large stock of attached single-family homes for working-class families before World War II. These rowhouses define Philadelphia neighborhoods and give this city its particular character and distinctiveness. While other cities built apartment buildings to house their workforces, Philadelphia’s locally controlled savings and loan associations financed the “model workingman’s home”, a simple rowhouse that astonished visitors at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
Built of brick, these houses have remained largely intact even as the city’s population has declined by almost 25%. As a result, Philadelphia has a significant, irreplaceable supply of affordable homes for low- and moderate- income households.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
The New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness, Inc. (NOAAHH)
Location: New Orleans, LA
Website: sidewalkinc.com
The New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness, Inc. (NOAAHH) began in 1985 when Grammy Trustee Award Recipient and Hall of Fame Inductee songwriter/musician Allen Toussaint and Grammy Award winner and lead vocalist of the Neville Brothers, Aaron Neville, brought together a group of New Orleans musicians for the purpose of performing a concert to benefit the hungry and homeless of Metro New Orleans.
Today, NOAAHH has developed into a successful nonprofit organization that annually presents concerts and gala celebrity mixers to raise funds to help alleviate hunger and homelessness in the metro New Orleans area. NOAAHH is governed by an all-volunteer board of directors. For its first 25 years, NOAAHH was headed by Sister Jane F. Remson, O.Carm. Currently, NOAAHH officers include Pierre Hilzim, president, Sandra Cordray, vice-president, with Sister Jane still providing guidance on the board.
Joining NOAAHH in their efforts are corporate sponsors whose support is needed to cover the production costs of the events. These sponsors donate both cash and in-kind services for which they are duly recognized in NOAAHH’s extensive publicity and on-site signage. Proceeds from the concerts are distributed in metro New Orleans by the NOAAHH Board of Directors using a carefully screened grant application process. To date, more than $1 million dollars have been distributed to charity since the first NOAAHH concert.
Website: sidewalkinc.com
The New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness, Inc. (NOAAHH) began in 1985 when Grammy Trustee Award Recipient and Hall of Fame Inductee songwriter/musician Allen Toussaint and Grammy Award winner and lead vocalist of the Neville Brothers, Aaron Neville, brought together a group of New Orleans musicians for the purpose of performing a concert to benefit the hungry and homeless of Metro New Orleans.
Today, NOAAHH has developed into a successful nonprofit organization that annually presents concerts and gala celebrity mixers to raise funds to help alleviate hunger and homelessness in the metro New Orleans area. NOAAHH is governed by an all-volunteer board of directors. For its first 25 years, NOAAHH was headed by Sister Jane F. Remson, O.Carm. Currently, NOAAHH officers include Pierre Hilzim, president, Sandra Cordray, vice-president, with Sister Jane still providing guidance on the board.
Joining NOAAHH in their efforts are corporate sponsors whose support is needed to cover the production costs of the events. These sponsors donate both cash and in-kind services for which they are duly recognized in NOAAHH’s extensive publicity and on-site signage. Proceeds from the concerts are distributed in metro New Orleans by the NOAAHH Board of Directors using a carefully screened grant application process. To date, more than $1 million dollars have been distributed to charity since the first NOAAHH concert.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
Location: PA
Website: www.housingalliancepa.org
People all over Pennsylvania are working to solve the state’s housing problems, and the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania is helping them. We promote common-sense solutions to balance Pennsylvania's housing market and increase the supply of safe, decent homes for low-income people.
Through our website and weekly e-newsletter, we keep the housing community up to date on news they need to do their jobs better. Monthly Legislative Briefing calls provide updates on state and federal housing and homeless policy and budgets.
We serve as the go-to information source on housing issues for the media and for policy makers.
We actively engage the media to inform and raise the profile of important housing issues.
We testify at legislative hearings.
We provide tools and information to help housing and homeless service providers do their jobs better, through webinars, regional forums and our annual Homes within Reach Conference.
We forge partnerships to broaden the base of support for affordable housing by connecting people and organizations across constituencies. The Alliance has built and sustains a statewide network of service providers, developers and consumers,
We believe research and best practices should inform policy.
We conduct research and analysis on affordable housing issues and publish our findings.
We also serve as a clearinghouse for relevant research from other sources.
We work with policy makers to find win-win solutions and common ground whenever possible.
We believe that we share core values about fairness, opportunity and doing what’s best for the community.
We are the housing community’s eyes and ears in Harrisburg and D.C. We monitor all state and federal housing legislation and let the community know what’s important and when to act.
Website: www.housingalliancepa.org
People all over Pennsylvania are working to solve the state’s housing problems, and the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania is helping them. We promote common-sense solutions to balance Pennsylvania's housing market and increase the supply of safe, decent homes for low-income people.
Through our website and weekly e-newsletter, we keep the housing community up to date on news they need to do their jobs better. Monthly Legislative Briefing calls provide updates on state and federal housing and homeless policy and budgets.
We serve as the go-to information source on housing issues for the media and for policy makers.
We actively engage the media to inform and raise the profile of important housing issues.
We testify at legislative hearings.
We provide tools and information to help housing and homeless service providers do their jobs better, through webinars, regional forums and our annual Homes within Reach Conference.
We forge partnerships to broaden the base of support for affordable housing by connecting people and organizations across constituencies. The Alliance has built and sustains a statewide network of service providers, developers and consumers,
We believe research and best practices should inform policy.
We conduct research and analysis on affordable housing issues and publish our findings.
We also serve as a clearinghouse for relevant research from other sources.
We work with policy makers to find win-win solutions and common ground whenever possible.
We believe that we share core values about fairness, opportunity and doing what’s best for the community.
We are the housing community’s eyes and ears in Harrisburg and D.C. We monitor all state and federal housing legislation and let the community know what’s important and when to act.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Opportunity Village Eugene
Location: Eugene, OR
Website: www.opportunityvillageeugene.org
Opportunity Village is a pilot project that will provide transitional micro-housing for 30-40 homeless individuals and couples at a time.
br> Design and organization of the village will be based upon best practices derived from a comprehensive study of long standing “tent cities” in the United States, lessons learned from local encampments, and a creative understanding of permaculture principles.
The transitional micro-housing will be compact (60-100 square feet) and transportable (less than 8 feet wide).
The idea is to combine a sense of ownership over a small, private space with an abundance of shared, common spaces that include cooking facilities, gathering areas, restrooms, and micro-business opportunities.
The village will be built through a collaboration between village residents, community volunteers, and skilled builders.
The Village will be self-managed with oversight provided by a 501(c)3 Board of Directors. Basic rules will be upheld through a community agreement that prohibits stealing, violence, and drug or alcohol use.
Furthermore, it requires that all residents contribute to the operation and maintenance of the village through participating in security shifts, fundraising events, construction projects, cooking, gardening, or any number of other supportive activities.
This encourages both skill and relationship building, emphasizing the transitional aspect of the village.
The purpose of the project is to bridge the existing gap between the housed and the unhoused, create a place for that collaboration to occur, and build social capital.
This is how we believe we can effectively transition people off the streets, through the village, and into more permanent living situations.
Website: www.opportunityvillageeugene.org
Opportunity Village is a pilot project that will provide transitional micro-housing for 30-40 homeless individuals and couples at a time.
br> Design and organization of the village will be based upon best practices derived from a comprehensive study of long standing “tent cities” in the United States, lessons learned from local encampments, and a creative understanding of permaculture principles.
The transitional micro-housing will be compact (60-100 square feet) and transportable (less than 8 feet wide).
The idea is to combine a sense of ownership over a small, private space with an abundance of shared, common spaces that include cooking facilities, gathering areas, restrooms, and micro-business opportunities.
The village will be built through a collaboration between village residents, community volunteers, and skilled builders.
The Village will be self-managed with oversight provided by a 501(c)3 Board of Directors. Basic rules will be upheld through a community agreement that prohibits stealing, violence, and drug or alcohol use.
Furthermore, it requires that all residents contribute to the operation and maintenance of the village through participating in security shifts, fundraising events, construction projects, cooking, gardening, or any number of other supportive activities.
This encourages both skill and relationship building, emphasizing the transitional aspect of the village.
The purpose of the project is to bridge the existing gap between the housed and the unhoused, create a place for that collaboration to occur, and build social capital.
This is how we believe we can effectively transition people off the streets, through the village, and into more permanent living situations.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Urban Development Institute
Location:
Website: www.udi.bc.ca
The Urban Development Institute is a national non-profit association (with international affiliations) of the development industry and its related professions that is non-partisan in its activities.
With over 600 corporate members, UDI Pacific represents thousands of individuals involved in all facets of land development and planning, including: developers, property managers, financial lenders, lawyers, engineers, planners, architects, appraisers, real estate professionals, local governments and government agencies.
Since 1972, the Pacific Region has been dedicated to fostering effective communication between the industry, government, and the public; and aims to improve both housing and job opportunities for all British Columbians.
UDI Pacific also serves as the public voice of the real estate development industry, communicating with the media on a number of issues. UDI concentrates its activities in three primary areas: government relations, professional development and education, and research. As a "Partner in Community Building," the Urban Development Institute is committed to working with communities and governments to create and achieve the vision of balanced, well-planned and sustainable communities.
The Urban Development Institute, a non-profit association of the development industry in British Columbia, promotes wise and efficient urban growth, good planning and good development practices, affordable housing and high quality commercial and industrial developments.
Website: www.udi.bc.ca
The Urban Development Institute is a national non-profit association (with international affiliations) of the development industry and its related professions that is non-partisan in its activities.
With over 600 corporate members, UDI Pacific represents thousands of individuals involved in all facets of land development and planning, including: developers, property managers, financial lenders, lawyers, engineers, planners, architects, appraisers, real estate professionals, local governments and government agencies.
Since 1972, the Pacific Region has been dedicated to fostering effective communication between the industry, government, and the public; and aims to improve both housing and job opportunities for all British Columbians.
UDI Pacific also serves as the public voice of the real estate development industry, communicating with the media on a number of issues. UDI concentrates its activities in three primary areas: government relations, professional development and education, and research. As a "Partner in Community Building," the Urban Development Institute is committed to working with communities and governments to create and achieve the vision of balanced, well-planned and sustainable communities.
The Urban Development Institute, a non-profit association of the development industry in British Columbia, promotes wise and efficient urban growth, good planning and good development practices, affordable housing and high quality commercial and industrial developments.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Coalition for Non-Profit Housing and Economic Development
Location: Washington, DC
Website: www.cnhed.org
CNHED leads nonprofit community development organizations in ensuring that residents with low and moderate incomes have housing and economic opportunities in neighborhoods throughout the District.
CNHED is a dynamic, member-driven 501(c)3 umbrella organization that supports the nonprofit housing and economic development industry in Washington, DC.
Since its inception in 2000, the organization has grown from 55 organizations to over 130 today, due in part to its success in carrying out a highly successful program of advocacy, training, research, communication, and information sharing in support of its members. CNHED’s membership represents a broad spectrum of entities including nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing developers, housing counseling and service agencies, community development corporations, small businesses, lenders, intermediaries, associations and government agencies. This diversity enables CNHED to continue building strong neighborhoods together.
CNHED is proud to be a leader in the District of Columbia as:
- One of the District’s Most Effective Advocacy Organizations,
- A Premier Trainer of Community Development Staff in DC,
- A Respected Expert on Affordable Housing Issues,
- A Unifying Voice and Representative of Community Development Sector, and
- A Problem Solver and Reliable Source of Information.
[CNHED] provides an informed and respected voice for the community development industry as an advocate for affordable housing and neighborhood-based economic development.
Website: www.cnhed.org
CNHED leads nonprofit community development organizations in ensuring that residents with low and moderate incomes have housing and economic opportunities in neighborhoods throughout the District.
CNHED is a dynamic, member-driven 501(c)3 umbrella organization that supports the nonprofit housing and economic development industry in Washington, DC.
Since its inception in 2000, the organization has grown from 55 organizations to over 130 today, due in part to its success in carrying out a highly successful program of advocacy, training, research, communication, and information sharing in support of its members. CNHED’s membership represents a broad spectrum of entities including nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing developers, housing counseling and service agencies, community development corporations, small businesses, lenders, intermediaries, associations and government agencies. This diversity enables CNHED to continue building strong neighborhoods together.
CNHED is proud to be a leader in the District of Columbia as:
- One of the District’s Most Effective Advocacy Organizations,
- A Premier Trainer of Community Development Staff in DC,
- A Respected Expert on Affordable Housing Issues,
- A Unifying Voice and Representative of Community Development Sector, and
- A Problem Solver and Reliable Source of Information.
[CNHED] provides an informed and respected voice for the community development industry as an advocate for affordable housing and neighborhood-based economic development.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Shelterforce
Location: International
Website: www.shelterforce.org
Shelterforce is the nation’s oldest continually published housing and community development magazine. For more than three decades, Shelterforce has been a primary forum for organizers, activists, and advocates in the affordable-housing and neighborhood revitalization movements.
National Housing Institute, an independent nonprofit organization that examines the issues causing the crisis in housing and community in America These issues include poverty and racism, disinvestment and lack of employment, safety, education, and breakdown of the social fabric. NHI examines how these and other factors affect people as they try to build safe, viable neighborhoods. NHI searches for what does and does not work in community-building. In our 30-plus years of existence, Shelterforce has become the leading publication for community-building professionals and other stakeholders in creating vibrant communities.
We are dedicated to providing the tools (information, analysis, resources) for advocates, activists, and community members to organize their communities, rebuild their neighborhoods, and create decent housing and living-wage jobs for the families who live there.
Shelterforce began as a “how-to” publication for tenant activists
Shelterforce helped tenants, tenant organizers, and tenant advocates (e.g. legal aid lawyers) learn how to be more effective in securing tenants’ rights to safe, decent homes.
Over the years, as inner-city neighborhoods experienced an onslaught of disinvestment, crime, and family disintegration, the focus has changed. During the ‘80s and early ‘90s, Shelterforce began to examine a wider range of community-building issues, always with the goal of empowering individuals and groups to take control of their communities so that they can effect real change.
Shelterforce has established itself as a vital link in policy development—providing clear and understandable analysis of important policy issues (as well as concise descriptions of rules and regulations) to grass-roots activists while providing input from the grass-roots to local, state, and national policymakers.
As a part of the National Housing Institute, Shelterforce is driven by NHI’s vision of once-devastated communities rebuilt by empowered residents. Founded by grass-roots activists such as tenant organizer and legal services lawyer John Atlas and Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, the executive director of New Jersey Citizen Action, NHI’s board is composed of community-based organization representatives and individuals devoted to economic and social justice.
Website: www.shelterforce.org
Shelterforce is the nation’s oldest continually published housing and community development magazine. For more than three decades, Shelterforce has been a primary forum for organizers, activists, and advocates in the affordable-housing and neighborhood revitalization movements.
National Housing Institute, an independent nonprofit organization that examines the issues causing the crisis in housing and community in America These issues include poverty and racism, disinvestment and lack of employment, safety, education, and breakdown of the social fabric. NHI examines how these and other factors affect people as they try to build safe, viable neighborhoods. NHI searches for what does and does not work in community-building. In our 30-plus years of existence, Shelterforce has become the leading publication for community-building professionals and other stakeholders in creating vibrant communities.
We are dedicated to providing the tools (information, analysis, resources) for advocates, activists, and community members to organize their communities, rebuild their neighborhoods, and create decent housing and living-wage jobs for the families who live there.
Shelterforce helped tenants, tenant organizers, and tenant advocates (e.g. legal aid lawyers) learn how to be more effective in securing tenants’ rights to safe, decent homes.
Over the years, as inner-city neighborhoods experienced an onslaught of disinvestment, crime, and family disintegration, the focus has changed. During the ‘80s and early ‘90s, Shelterforce began to examine a wider range of community-building issues, always with the goal of empowering individuals and groups to take control of their communities so that they can effect real change.
Shelterforce has established itself as a vital link in policy development—providing clear and understandable analysis of important policy issues (as well as concise descriptions of rules and regulations) to grass-roots activists while providing input from the grass-roots to local, state, and national policymakers.
As a part of the National Housing Institute, Shelterforce is driven by NHI’s vision of once-devastated communities rebuilt by empowered residents. Founded by grass-roots activists such as tenant organizer and legal services lawyer John Atlas and Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, the executive director of New Jersey Citizen Action, NHI’s board is composed of community-based organization representatives and individuals devoted to economic and social justice.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Joint Center for Housing Studies
Location: Nationwide
Website: urbanretailinstitute.com
The Center was originally formed in 1959 as the Joint Center for Urban Studies of Harvard and MIT, and took up the challenge of addressing intellectual and policy issues confronting a nation experiencing widespread demographic, economic and social changes, with dramatic and far-reaching effects on cities in particular. With principal support from the Ford Foundation the research agenda was based on the premise that the resolution of these issues called for imaginative interdisciplinary approaches to the study of urban problems and issues and required cooperation among universities, government and industry.
During the decade after its inception, when urban studies programs were not yet established at Harvard or MIT, the Center concentrated on building a bridge between multidisciplinary research and policy applications. Research activities were deliberately flexible and exploratory.
In the 1970s, the Center consolidated its research around a core of subjects related to housing. Its analysis of U.S. housing policy reflected the national debate over the government’s responsibility to ensure a decent home and suitable living environment for all its citizens. Early in this period, the Center recognized the need to supplement housing analysis with research in related fields, and with input from outside the academy, in the form of partnerships with public, private, and not-for-profit entities.
The Policy Advisory Board (PAB) of the Joint Center for Housing Studies was formed in 1971--- under the guidance of John T. Dunlop, former United States Secretary of Labor and then Dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences--- to bring together a diverse group of leading firms and organizations with interests and influence in the housing sector. The PAB continues to play a critical role in identifying emerging issues and trends and joins our commitment to advancing housing as a national priority.
By 1975, research in regional and urban economies, demographic trends, and social policy had been integrated into the program, and during the 1980s the Center underwent a variety of institutional changes. In 1985, the Joint Center for Urban Studies officially became the Joint Center for Housing Studies. In 1989, the Center evolved into a unit based solely at Harvard and jointly affiliated with the Graduate School of Design and the Harvard Kennedy School.
In 1988, the Center launched its signature report The State of the Nation’s Housing, which continues to provide a widely-referenced annual assessment of housing markets, homeownership, and affordability challenges. Since 1998, the Center has expanded its programs of research and convenings to address emerging issues in remodeling markets, rental housing, and housing finance, and has been at the forefront of national policy discussions concerning mortgage and consumer lending and the foreclosure crisis.
In contrast to the Center of several decades ago, the Joint Center for Housing Studies is institutionally smaller, yet more connected to national and international networks as we investigate and illuminate housing’s critical role in the economy and in communities. We continue to foster strong academic ties with schools, faculty and students from across the university community, and to engage with new initiatives on global urbanism, sustainability, and other critical topics for the 21st century. Most importantly, our work continues to serve as a resource for scholars, public and private sector leaders, housing practitioners, and policymakers.
Website: urbanretailinstitute.com
The Center was originally formed in 1959 as the Joint Center for Urban Studies of Harvard and MIT, and took up the challenge of addressing intellectual and policy issues confronting a nation experiencing widespread demographic, economic and social changes, with dramatic and far-reaching effects on cities in particular. With principal support from the Ford Foundation the research agenda was based on the premise that the resolution of these issues called for imaginative interdisciplinary approaches to the study of urban problems and issues and required cooperation among universities, government and industry.
During the decade after its inception, when urban studies programs were not yet established at Harvard or MIT, the Center concentrated on building a bridge between multidisciplinary research and policy applications. Research activities were deliberately flexible and exploratory.
In the 1970s, the Center consolidated its research around a core of subjects related to housing. Its analysis of U.S. housing policy reflected the national debate over the government’s responsibility to ensure a decent home and suitable living environment for all its citizens. Early in this period, the Center recognized the need to supplement housing analysis with research in related fields, and with input from outside the academy, in the form of partnerships with public, private, and not-for-profit entities.
The Policy Advisory Board (PAB) of the Joint Center for Housing Studies was formed in 1971--- under the guidance of John T. Dunlop, former United States Secretary of Labor and then Dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences--- to bring together a diverse group of leading firms and organizations with interests and influence in the housing sector. The PAB continues to play a critical role in identifying emerging issues and trends and joins our commitment to advancing housing as a national priority.
By 1975, research in regional and urban economies, demographic trends, and social policy had been integrated into the program, and during the 1980s the Center underwent a variety of institutional changes. In 1985, the Joint Center for Urban Studies officially became the Joint Center for Housing Studies. In 1989, the Center evolved into a unit based solely at Harvard and jointly affiliated with the Graduate School of Design and the Harvard Kennedy School.
In 1988, the Center launched its signature report The State of the Nation’s Housing, which continues to provide a widely-referenced annual assessment of housing markets, homeownership, and affordability challenges. Since 1998, the Center has expanded its programs of research and convenings to address emerging issues in remodeling markets, rental housing, and housing finance, and has been at the forefront of national policy discussions concerning mortgage and consumer lending and the foreclosure crisis.
In contrast to the Center of several decades ago, the Joint Center for Housing Studies is institutionally smaller, yet more connected to national and international networks as we investigate and illuminate housing’s critical role in the economy and in communities. We continue to foster strong academic ties with schools, faculty and students from across the university community, and to engage with new initiatives on global urbanism, sustainability, and other critical topics for the 21st century. Most importantly, our work continues to serve as a resource for scholars, public and private sector leaders, housing practitioners, and policymakers.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
San Francisco Tenants Union
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.sftu.org
Since 1971, the SF Tenants Union has been fighting for the rights of tenants and for the preservation of affordable housing in San Francisco. From the struggle for rent control in the 1970s to 1998's Proposition G (to end the abuses of OMI evictions), the Tenants Union has been the city's leading advocate for tenants. The SFTU is 100% membership supported and this enables our advocacy to be uncompromising and immune to pressures from government or other funders.
For both members and non-members, the SFTU operates a drop in counseling clinic at 558 Capp Street (in the Mission District - cross street is 21st Street (Capp runs parallel to Mission St and is one block east of Mission). Counseling hours are available by calling tel:282-6622.
Counseling is free for SFTU members. Non-members are asked to donate ($20 for people of moderate incomes or above, $10 for people with low incomes) per visit (no one is turned away for lack of funds, however).
Telephone counseling is provided only to SFTU members. Non-members must come to the drop in clinic.<
SFTU members get free counseling for a year, phone counseling access, our comprehensive Tenants Rights Handbook and a subscription to Tenant Times, the city's tenant newspaper.
Website: www.sftu.org
Since 1971, the SF Tenants Union has been fighting for the rights of tenants and for the preservation of affordable housing in San Francisco. From the struggle for rent control in the 1970s to 1998's Proposition G (to end the abuses of OMI evictions), the Tenants Union has been the city's leading advocate for tenants. The SFTU is 100% membership supported and this enables our advocacy to be uncompromising and immune to pressures from government or other funders.
For both members and non-members, the SFTU operates a drop in counseling clinic at 558 Capp Street (in the Mission District - cross street is 21st Street (Capp runs parallel to Mission St and is one block east of Mission). Counseling hours are available by calling tel:282-6622.
Counseling is free for SFTU members. Non-members are asked to donate ($20 for people of moderate incomes or above, $10 for people with low incomes) per visit (no one is turned away for lack of funds, however).
Telephone counseling is provided only to SFTU members. Non-members must come to the drop in clinic.<
SFTU members get free counseling for a year, phone counseling access, our comprehensive Tenants Rights Handbook and a subscription to Tenant Times, the city's tenant newspaper.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
San Francisco Housing Coalition
Location: San Francisco, CA,
Website: www.sfhc.org
The SFHAC is a small, lean operation with a staff of two, an executive director and a project manager. From the start, our work has largely been done by the amazing community of volunteers and activists from our member organizations in three long-running committees as dictated in our bylaws.
The Endorsement Committee reviews and discusses proposed projects to see how they match up with our endorsement guidelines. If we endorse a project, the SFHAC becomes one of the few groups to advocate for it at public hearings and in the entitlement process. This is not a small service in a city with such strong NIMBY views.
The Regulatory Committee addresses housing and land use policy and legislation. In a city like ours, there are always policy proposals. Where they advance SFHAC’s mission we support them and push to get them enacted. Where they are harmful to our mission, we work to modify them to cause the least harm possible to our mission. We also work to influence housing policies in a proactive, inclusive fashion from the beginning, such as our work with then-Supervisor Mark Leno on an affordable housing ordinance or our current advocacy on the creation of student housing legislation.
The Outreach Committee manages SFHAC’s interface with the public. It helps craft our messages, plan our public events and help with membership recruitment.
Website: www.sfhc.org
The SFHAC is a small, lean operation with a staff of two, an executive director and a project manager. From the start, our work has largely been done by the amazing community of volunteers and activists from our member organizations in three long-running committees as dictated in our bylaws.
The Endorsement Committee reviews and discusses proposed projects to see how they match up with our endorsement guidelines. If we endorse a project, the SFHAC becomes one of the few groups to advocate for it at public hearings and in the entitlement process. This is not a small service in a city with such strong NIMBY views.
The Regulatory Committee addresses housing and land use policy and legislation. In a city like ours, there are always policy proposals. Where they advance SFHAC’s mission we support them and push to get them enacted. Where they are harmful to our mission, we work to modify them to cause the least harm possible to our mission. We also work to influence housing policies in a proactive, inclusive fashion from the beginning, such as our work with then-Supervisor Mark Leno on an affordable housing ordinance or our current advocacy on the creation of student housing legislation.
The Outreach Committee manages SFHAC’s interface with the public. It helps craft our messages, plan our public events and help with membership recruitment.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The Long Island Index
Location: Long Island, NY
Website: www.longislandindex.org
The Long Island Index created the Build a Better Burb competition and maintains the Build a Better Burb website. The Index is a project of the Rauch Foundation, a Long Island-based family foundation established in 1961.
The Foundation acts as the convener of the Long Island Index Advisory Committee and the financial underwriter of the Index.
In 2011, the Long Island Press described the Index as “the most definitive status report on the quality of Long Island life.
Long Island is one region with a shared history, geography, beaches, aquifers, and a shared future. But from day- to-day, our differences seem more apparent than our similarities. We are 2 counties, 2 cities, 13 towns, 95 incorporated villages, 37 legislative districts. We have 110 library districts, 125 school districts and 187 fire districts plus hundreds of other special districts. Sometimes it is easier to see these as many fragments rather than our shared whole.
We created The Long Island Index to focus on our region as a whole – those things that unite us, issues that can only be understood by looking at the big picture. Whether it is how our economy is changing, the types of jobs we are creating, how well our schools are doing to educate all students, our political structure, the health of our natural environment, or types of housing we’re providing, the Index explores all these issues and more by analyzing how each plays out across our 1,198 square miles.
Website: www.longislandindex.org
The Long Island Index created the Build a Better Burb competition and maintains the Build a Better Burb website. The Index is a project of the Rauch Foundation, a Long Island-based family foundation established in 1961.
The Foundation acts as the convener of the Long Island Index Advisory Committee and the financial underwriter of the Index.
In 2011, the Long Island Press described the Index as “the most definitive status report on the quality of Long Island life.
Long Island is one region with a shared history, geography, beaches, aquifers, and a shared future. But from day- to-day, our differences seem more apparent than our similarities. We are 2 counties, 2 cities, 13 towns, 95 incorporated villages, 37 legislative districts. We have 110 library districts, 125 school districts and 187 fire districts plus hundreds of other special districts. Sometimes it is easier to see these as many fragments rather than our shared whole.
We created The Long Island Index to focus on our region as a whole – those things that unite us, issues that can only be understood by looking at the big picture. Whether it is how our economy is changing, the types of jobs we are creating, how well our schools are doing to educate all students, our political structure, the health of our natural environment, or types of housing we’re providing, the Index explores all these issues and more by analyzing how each plays out across our 1,198 square miles.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Rebuild Foundation
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.rebuiild-foundation.org
Rebuild Foundation helps neighborhoods thrive through culture-driven redevelopment by activating abandoned spaces with arts and cultural programming. We transform under-resourced communities by leveraging economic and cultural resources to:
- Strengthen neighborhoods through community-driven programming,spatial equity for underserved artists and creative people,
- Educate and provide opportunity through work force enhancement, and
- Invest in creative entrepreneurs and local artists to spark economies.
Rebuild hosted the 2012 Bruner Loeb Forum "The Art of Placemaking" conference and will break ground on the Dorchester Artist Housing Collaborative in 2013 with the Chicago Housing Authority, transforming an empty housing project into a 36-unit complex with mixed income housing and a community arts center for programming, performance, and arts exhibitions.
Rebuild Foundation, a not-for-profit creative engine focused on cultural-driven redevelopment and affordable space initiatives in under-resourced communities, currently manages projects in Chicago, St. Louis and Omaha. Our programs enlist teams of artists, architects, developers, educators, community activists, and residents who work together to integrate the arts, apprenticeship trade training and creative entrepreneurship into a community-driven process of neighborhood transformation.
Rebuild engages an artistic practice which uses as its medium the urban fabric of under-resourced districts, bridging the creation of art with adaptive reuse of abandoned spaces and community-driven initiatives for neighborhood revitalization.
Rebuild Foundation is the creation of Chicago native, artist, urban planner, and a Wall Street Journal 2012 Innovator of the Year, Theaster Gates, Jr. who has conducted innovative renovation of unused spaces and community service activities through his art practice since 2005. Rebuild received its official 501 status in December 2010, and immediately continued Gates work leveraging creative community resources to build thriving neighborhoods. We act as a catalyst in local economies by integrating arts and cultural programming, workforce enhancement, creative entrepreneurial investment, hands-on education, and artistic intervention. Rebuild began creating cultural programming in Gates' renovated and repurposed buildings first in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood of Chicago South Side. Next, Rebuild established operations in the Hyde Park neighborhood of St. Louis, activating two residential spaces of Gates'. Soon after, Rebuild entered a partnership with Beyond Housing to establish a programming hub from one of their neighborhood spaces in the north St. Louis community of Pagedale. Also in 2011, Rebuild began a partnership with the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha to activate a derelict bank building with renovation, arts programming, and the incubation of a local small business.</p><p class=\"p1\">Rebuild hosted the 2012 Bruner Loeb Forum. The Art of Placemaking\" conference and will break ground on the Dorchester Artist Housing Collaborative in 2013 with the Chicago Housing Authority, transforming an empty housing project into a 36-unit complex with mixed income housing and a community arts center for programming, performance, and arts exhibition.
Rebuild Foundation has received funding support from ArtPlace, Creative Capital Foundation, JB and MK Pritzker Foundation, Kanter Family Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Leveraging Investments in Creativity, W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation, University of Chicago, and others.
Website: www.rebuiild-foundation.org
Rebuild Foundation helps neighborhoods thrive through culture-driven redevelopment by activating abandoned spaces with arts and cultural programming. We transform under-resourced communities by leveraging economic and cultural resources to:
- Strengthen neighborhoods through community-driven programming,spatial equity for underserved artists and creative people,
- Educate and provide opportunity through work force enhancement, and
- Invest in creative entrepreneurs and local artists to spark economies.
Rebuild hosted the 2012 Bruner Loeb Forum "The Art of Placemaking" conference and will break ground on the Dorchester Artist Housing Collaborative in 2013 with the Chicago Housing Authority, transforming an empty housing project into a 36-unit complex with mixed income housing and a community arts center for programming, performance, and arts exhibitions.
Rebuild Foundation, a not-for-profit creative engine focused on cultural-driven redevelopment and affordable space initiatives in under-resourced communities, currently manages projects in Chicago, St. Louis and Omaha. Our programs enlist teams of artists, architects, developers, educators, community activists, and residents who work together to integrate the arts, apprenticeship trade training and creative entrepreneurship into a community-driven process of neighborhood transformation.
Rebuild engages an artistic practice which uses as its medium the urban fabric of under-resourced districts, bridging the creation of art with adaptive reuse of abandoned spaces and community-driven initiatives for neighborhood revitalization.
Rebuild Foundation is the creation of Chicago native, artist, urban planner, and a Wall Street Journal 2012 Innovator of the Year, Theaster Gates, Jr. who has conducted innovative renovation of unused spaces and community service activities through his art practice since 2005. Rebuild received its official 501 status in December 2010, and immediately continued Gates work leveraging creative community resources to build thriving neighborhoods. We act as a catalyst in local economies by integrating arts and cultural programming, workforce enhancement, creative entrepreneurial investment, hands-on education, and artistic intervention. Rebuild began creating cultural programming in Gates' renovated and repurposed buildings first in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood of Chicago South Side. Next, Rebuild established operations in the Hyde Park neighborhood of St. Louis, activating two residential spaces of Gates'. Soon after, Rebuild entered a partnership with Beyond Housing to establish a programming hub from one of their neighborhood spaces in the north St. Louis community of Pagedale. Also in 2011, Rebuild began a partnership with the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha to activate a derelict bank building with renovation, arts programming, and the incubation of a local small business.</p><p class=\"p1\">Rebuild hosted the 2012 Bruner Loeb Forum. The Art of Placemaking\" conference and will break ground on the Dorchester Artist Housing Collaborative in 2013 with the Chicago Housing Authority, transforming an empty housing project into a 36-unit complex with mixed income housing and a community arts center for programming, performance, and arts exhibition.
Rebuild Foundation has received funding support from ArtPlace, Creative Capital Foundation, JB and MK Pritzker Foundation, Kanter Family Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Leveraging Investments in Creativity, W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation, University of Chicago, and others.
Row House Community Development Corporation
Location: Houston, TX
Website: www.rowhousecdc.org
Row House CDCwas established in 2003 as a sister corporation to Project Row Houses (PRH) in direct response to PRH’s vision to “create community” in Houston’s Northern Third Ward. Row House CDC’s mission is to develop housing for low-to-moderate income residents, public spaces, and facilities to preserve and protect the historic character of the Third Ward.
However, our interests extend far beyond low-income housing, and include strengthening, sustaining and celebrating the life of the Third Ward community. Row House CDC’s target area is the northern section of Third Ward which is bounded by McGowen on the north, Alabama on the south, Scott on the east and Hwy 288 on the west.
The 74-acre district was developed in 1993 as a classical small-scale residential neighborhood, with a grid pattern of 35 blocks served by four major thoroughfares. Civic institutions own about 50% of the area land (38 of 74 acres) and include Riverside General Hospital, Ryan Middle School, Blackshear Elementary, numerous churches, Project Row Houses, and Row House CDC.
The remaining 220 lots are used for housing, small retail shops, or are vacant. Residential development includes classic bungalow architecture featuring pier and beam foundations, front porches, and clapboard siding.
The neighborhood includes major institutions, shops and stores; an indigenous musical heritage; churches, schools, parks; and a mix of historic homes, many of which are in the African-American “shotgun” style originally developed by freed slaves (and their descendants) over 100 years ago.
Row House CDC envisions creating a careful blend of homes, including restored historic residences and architecturally compatible new structures offered for rent and for sale. The community will be woven together with streetscape promenades and greenway pedestrian paths to identify and reinforce the historic and artistic character.
The Row House District will showcase the creative arts and a broad array of cultural and social programs. Working in tandem with current residents, institutional stakeholders, and philanthropies, Row House CDC will preserve and enhance the spirited character of this unique Houston neighborhood.
Website: www.rowhousecdc.org
Row House CDCwas established in 2003 as a sister corporation to Project Row Houses (PRH) in direct response to PRH’s vision to “create community” in Houston’s Northern Third Ward. Row House CDC’s mission is to develop housing for low-to-moderate income residents, public spaces, and facilities to preserve and protect the historic character of the Third Ward.
However, our interests extend far beyond low-income housing, and include strengthening, sustaining and celebrating the life of the Third Ward community. Row House CDC’s target area is the northern section of Third Ward which is bounded by McGowen on the north, Alabama on the south, Scott on the east and Hwy 288 on the west.
The 74-acre district was developed in 1993 as a classical small-scale residential neighborhood, with a grid pattern of 35 blocks served by four major thoroughfares. Civic institutions own about 50% of the area land (38 of 74 acres) and include Riverside General Hospital, Ryan Middle School, Blackshear Elementary, numerous churches, Project Row Houses, and Row House CDC.
The remaining 220 lots are used for housing, small retail shops, or are vacant. Residential development includes classic bungalow architecture featuring pier and beam foundations, front porches, and clapboard siding.
The neighborhood includes major institutions, shops and stores; an indigenous musical heritage; churches, schools, parks; and a mix of historic homes, many of which are in the African-American “shotgun” style originally developed by freed slaves (and their descendants) over 100 years ago.
Row House CDC envisions creating a careful blend of homes, including restored historic residences and architecturally compatible new structures offered for rent and for sale. The community will be woven together with streetscape promenades and greenway pedestrian paths to identify and reinforce the historic and artistic character.
The Row House District will showcase the creative arts and a broad array of cultural and social programs. Working in tandem with current residents, institutional stakeholders, and philanthropies, Row House CDC will preserve and enhance the spirited character of this unique Houston neighborhood.
Friday, March 8, 2013
SPARC
Location: India
Website: www.sparcindia.org
The Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC) is one of the largest Indian NGOs working on these issues. SPARC supports two people's movements, the National Slum Dwellers Federation and Mahila Milan, in organizing the urban poor to come together, articulate their concerns and collectively produce solutions to the problems they face.
Together, these organizationsknown as the Allianceare active in over seventy cities across India and in global networks spanning over twenty countries, working to improve the lives of slum dwellers in India and around the world.
The Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC) was formed in 1984 and began working with the most vulnerable and invisible of Mumbai's urban poor - the pavement dwellers. SPARC's philosophy is that if we can develop solutions that work for the poorest and most marginalised in the city, then these solutions can be scaled up to work for other groups of the urban poor across the country and internationally.
SPARC began work in Mumbai’s pavement slums, where they formed a network of women’s collectives called Mahila Milan (“Women Together”).
In 1986, SPARC and MM entered into a partnership with the National Slum Dwellers Federation (NSDF), a broad-based organization of the urban poor founded in the mid-1970s. Together we are known as the SPARC-NSDF-Mahila Milan Alliance.
The ultimate aim of the Alliance is to produce urban and development practices and policies that are inclusive of the poor.
Our mission is to build the capacity of organized communities of the urban poor, especially women, in informal settlements to stop forced evictions and develop the skills and confidence to negotiate with the government and other resource providers around issues of housing, land, basic infrastructure and their “right to the city.”
SPARC today provides professional support to its grassroots partners in order to build their capacity to play a proactive role in developing solutions to urban poverty and creates links between the CBOs and formal institutions and resources.
SPARC is not a manager or welfare provider, but a platform and catalyst for community-driven processes.
Website: www.sparcindia.org
The Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC) is one of the largest Indian NGOs working on these issues. SPARC supports two people's movements, the National Slum Dwellers Federation and Mahila Milan, in organizing the urban poor to come together, articulate their concerns and collectively produce solutions to the problems they face.
Together, these organizationsknown as the Allianceare active in over seventy cities across India and in global networks spanning over twenty countries, working to improve the lives of slum dwellers in India and around the world.
The Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC) was formed in 1984 and began working with the most vulnerable and invisible of Mumbai's urban poor - the pavement dwellers. SPARC's philosophy is that if we can develop solutions that work for the poorest and most marginalised in the city, then these solutions can be scaled up to work for other groups of the urban poor across the country and internationally.
SPARC began work in Mumbai’s pavement slums, where they formed a network of women’s collectives called Mahila Milan (“Women Together”).
In 1986, SPARC and MM entered into a partnership with the National Slum Dwellers Federation (NSDF), a broad-based organization of the urban poor founded in the mid-1970s. Together we are known as the SPARC-NSDF-Mahila Milan Alliance.
The ultimate aim of the Alliance is to produce urban and development practices and policies that are inclusive of the poor.
Our mission is to build the capacity of organized communities of the urban poor, especially women, in informal settlements to stop forced evictions and develop the skills and confidence to negotiate with the government and other resource providers around issues of housing, land, basic infrastructure and their “right to the city.”
SPARC today provides professional support to its grassroots partners in order to build their capacity to play a proactive role in developing solutions to urban poverty and creates links between the CBOs and formal institutions and resources.
SPARC is not a manager or welfare provider, but a platform and catalyst for community-driven processes.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Atlanta Beltline
Location: Atlanta, GA
Website: www.beltline.org
Here we've outlined the who, what, when, where, why and how! Learn how we're making this project happen and about all the research and work that has gone into bringing it to life!
- The Atlanta BeltLine is the most comprehensive revitalization effort ever undertaken in the City of Atlanta and among the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment and mobility projects currently underway in the United States.
- This sustainable project is providing a network of public parks, multi-use trails and transit by re-using 22-miles of historic railroad corridors circling downtown and connecting 45 neighborhoods directly to each other.
- Federal funding for the Atlanta BeltLine is already underway. The Atlanta Regional Commission has programmed $18.66 million of federal funding for use in right of way acquisition and trail construction in the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).
- Over $4.7 million of other federal funding for streetscape improvements has already been committed to the Atlanta BeltLine. Other considerations include Transit, Transportation,
- TAD was created in 2005 after receiving overwhelming support from the community and votes of approval by the Atlanta City Council, the Atlanta Public School Board, and the Fulton County Commission.
- Importantly, TAD financing does not require a tax increase. It is a means of using future tax funds to pay for investment in the Atlanta BeltLine now.
- Some neighborhoods have continued to prosper with time, while others have fallen into disrepair. New development, new roads, and new realities have altered some neighborhoods, while others have remained virtually unchanged for decades.
- Obstacles, both natural and manmade, have created barriers separating many of these neighborhoods, and the result is a curious hodgepodge lacking a common thread — until now.
- The Atlanta BeltLine represents an extraordinary opportunity for the City of Atlanta. City leaders the world over spend decades seeking ways to upgrade infrastructure, improve housing opportunities, revolutionize transportation services, promote new job growth, and bring communities together. A success story in any one of these areas is worthy of accolades.
- The Atlanta BeltLine accomplishes every one of these elements, and as the project takes shape, it will provide a blueprint for urban renewal that will be envied and followed by cities across the country and around the world.
- There are many different ways for people to get involved in the Atlanta BeltLine. This is a project by the community for the community, and residents have an active role in every phase of the process. Study Groups and Advisory Boards are opportunities to engage in high-level discussion with neighbors, planners, developers, and elected officials tasked with making the Atlanta BeltLine .
- Study Groups are the primary way to participate in planning the Atlanta BeltLine. Created by the Atlanta City Council, Study Groups enable direct input into the planning, design, and implementation of the Atlanta BeltLine. There are five Study Groups around the Atlanta BeltLine (N, NE, SE, SW, W), and they focus on topics ranging from park design to transit planning. Visit the event calendar to find Study Group meetings near you.
- Cotywide Conversations are the primary way Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. introduces the community to concepts unique to planning and implementing the Atlanta BeltLine vision. These forums engage subject matter experts, provide community education, and promote in-depth dialogue covering different perspectives. Concepts introduced to date include transit supportive development, affordable housing, and community benefits.
- Visit the event calendar to find Citywide Conversations near you.Attend our Quarterly BriefingsAtlanta BeltLine, Inc. convenes quarterly for a citywide briefing on its progress regarding planning, design, and construction activities. You can engage the Atlanta BeltLine team and partners one-on-one and in an open Q&A format.
- Participate with Advisory BoardsThe community can serve on advisory groups by appointment from Atlanta BeltLine Inc., City Council, Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County, the Mayor and others. The two key advisory groups for the Atlanta BeltLine are the Tax Allocation District Advisory Committee and the BeltLine Affordable Housing Advisory Board. Other planning and advisory committees are created for a short term and typically technical purpose.
Website: www.beltline.org
Here we've outlined the who, what, when, where, why and how! Learn how we're making this project happen and about all the research and work that has gone into bringing it to life!
- The Atlanta BeltLine is the most comprehensive revitalization effort ever undertaken in the City of Atlanta and among the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment and mobility projects currently underway in the United States.
- This sustainable project is providing a network of public parks, multi-use trails and transit by re-using 22-miles of historic railroad corridors circling downtown and connecting 45 neighborhoods directly to each other.
- Federal funding for the Atlanta BeltLine is already underway. The Atlanta Regional Commission has programmed $18.66 million of federal funding for use in right of way acquisition and trail construction in the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).
- Over $4.7 million of other federal funding for streetscape improvements has already been committed to the Atlanta BeltLine. Other considerations include Transit, Transportation,
- TAD was created in 2005 after receiving overwhelming support from the community and votes of approval by the Atlanta City Council, the Atlanta Public School Board, and the Fulton County Commission.
- Importantly, TAD financing does not require a tax increase. It is a means of using future tax funds to pay for investment in the Atlanta BeltLine now.
- Some neighborhoods have continued to prosper with time, while others have fallen into disrepair. New development, new roads, and new realities have altered some neighborhoods, while others have remained virtually unchanged for decades.
- Obstacles, both natural and manmade, have created barriers separating many of these neighborhoods, and the result is a curious hodgepodge lacking a common thread — until now.
- The Atlanta BeltLine represents an extraordinary opportunity for the City of Atlanta. City leaders the world over spend decades seeking ways to upgrade infrastructure, improve housing opportunities, revolutionize transportation services, promote new job growth, and bring communities together. A success story in any one of these areas is worthy of accolades.
- The Atlanta BeltLine accomplishes every one of these elements, and as the project takes shape, it will provide a blueprint for urban renewal that will be envied and followed by cities across the country and around the world.
- There are many different ways for people to get involved in the Atlanta BeltLine. This is a project by the community for the community, and residents have an active role in every phase of the process. Study Groups and Advisory Boards are opportunities to engage in high-level discussion with neighbors, planners, developers, and elected officials tasked with making the Atlanta BeltLine .
- Study Groups are the primary way to participate in planning the Atlanta BeltLine. Created by the Atlanta City Council, Study Groups enable direct input into the planning, design, and implementation of the Atlanta BeltLine. There are five Study Groups around the Atlanta BeltLine (N, NE, SE, SW, W), and they focus on topics ranging from park design to transit planning. Visit the event calendar to find Study Group meetings near you.
- Cotywide Conversations are the primary way Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. introduces the community to concepts unique to planning and implementing the Atlanta BeltLine vision. These forums engage subject matter experts, provide community education, and promote in-depth dialogue covering different perspectives. Concepts introduced to date include transit supportive development, affordable housing, and community benefits.
- Visit the event calendar to find Citywide Conversations near you.Attend our Quarterly BriefingsAtlanta BeltLine, Inc. convenes quarterly for a citywide briefing on its progress regarding planning, design, and construction activities. You can engage the Atlanta BeltLine team and partners one-on-one and in an open Q&A format.
- Participate with Advisory BoardsThe community can serve on advisory groups by appointment from Atlanta BeltLine Inc., City Council, Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County, the Mayor and others. The two key advisory groups for the Atlanta BeltLine are the Tax Allocation District Advisory Committee and the BeltLine Affordable Housing Advisory Board. Other planning and advisory committees are created for a short term and typically technical purpose.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Innovative Housing Institute
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.inhousing.org
The Innovative Housing Institute promotes providing quality affordable housing in communities throughout the nation, primarily through the policies and practices known as Inclusionary Housing.
The Innovative Housing Institute offers a great depth of knowledge and experience in the variety of Inclusionary Housing tools and strategies used in different local jurisdictions and states.
Inclusionary Housing, also known as Inclusionary Zoning, calls for a portion of housing units in residential projects to be available for low- and moderate-income households.
Many programs provide developers with "cost offsets" or incentives, such as density bonuses, zoning or design flexibility, parking reductions, fee waivers, or an expedited review process for providing these affordable units. The term inclusionary is used to counter exclusionary practices that require minimum lot sizes and setbacks, effectively preventing affordable housing from being built.
Inclusionary Housing programs are based on a variety of legal frameworks and can be mandatory or voluntary. Affordable units can be provided on-site as part of a mixed-income project or at another location. In some cases, financial contributions in lieu of units can be made to affordable housing funds.
Since the 1970s, more than 300 local governments and numerous states have adopted inclusionary housing programs resulting in the production and preservation of hundreds of thousands of affordable homes and apartments. Adaptable to local conditions, Inclusionary Housing tools have been successfully used in states such as California, Colorado, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Burlington, Vermont, are among cities that have adopted Inclusionary Housing tools.
The success of Inclusionary Housing programs results from private residential activity, so the tool works best in locations with strong real estate markets.
Website: www.inhousing.org
The Innovative Housing Institute promotes providing quality affordable housing in communities throughout the nation, primarily through the policies and practices known as Inclusionary Housing.
The Innovative Housing Institute offers a great depth of knowledge and experience in the variety of Inclusionary Housing tools and strategies used in different local jurisdictions and states.
Inclusionary Housing, also known as Inclusionary Zoning, calls for a portion of housing units in residential projects to be available for low- and moderate-income households.
Many programs provide developers with "cost offsets" or incentives, such as density bonuses, zoning or design flexibility, parking reductions, fee waivers, or an expedited review process for providing these affordable units. The term inclusionary is used to counter exclusionary practices that require minimum lot sizes and setbacks, effectively preventing affordable housing from being built.
Inclusionary Housing programs are based on a variety of legal frameworks and can be mandatory or voluntary. Affordable units can be provided on-site as part of a mixed-income project or at another location. In some cases, financial contributions in lieu of units can be made to affordable housing funds.
Since the 1970s, more than 300 local governments and numerous states have adopted inclusionary housing programs resulting in the production and preservation of hundreds of thousands of affordable homes and apartments. Adaptable to local conditions, Inclusionary Housing tools have been successfully used in states such as California, Colorado, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Burlington, Vermont, are among cities that have adopted Inclusionary Housing tools.
The success of Inclusionary Housing programs results from private residential activity, so the tool works best in locations with strong real estate markets.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Shrinking Cities
Location: International
Website: www.shrinkingcities.org
Whether in the USA, Britain, or Belgium, Finland, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan, or China: everywhere, cities are shrinking. The dramatic development in eastern Germany since 1989, which has led to more than a million empty apartments and to the abandoning of countless industrial parks and social and cultural facilities, has proven to be no exception, but a general pattern of our civilization.
Shrunken cities contradict the image, familiar since the Industrial Revolution, of the "boomtown", a big city characterized by constant economic and demographic growth. Shrunken cities spur a reconsideration not only of traditional ideas of the European city, but also of the future development of urban worlds.
The drastic changes in cities caused by shrinking thus present not only an economic and social, but also a cultural challenge. Urban shrinking can hardly be affected by city planning, and it brings numerous problems. New types of cities arise; we do not yet have ways of thinking or of using their specific character.
Shrinking Cities, a three-year initiative project of Germany's Federal Cultural Foundation, seeks to expand Germany's city-planning debate - until now concentrated on questions of demolishing surplus apartments and improving residential quarters - to address new questions and perspectives.
The project also places developments in eastern Germany in an international context, involving various artistic, design, and research disciplines in the search for strategies for action.
The emphases of the research and exhibition project, Shrinking Cities, are, first, an international study of processes of shrinking (first project phase) and, second, the development of strategies for action for eastern Germany (second project phase).
Since 2002, four local interdisciplinary teams have been commissioned to study and document urban shrinking processes in the urban regions of Detroit (USA), Manchester/Liverpool (Britain), Ivanovo (Russia), and Halle/Leipzig (Germany).
Each site stands as an example of a specific form of shrinking: In Detroit, the issue is the consequences of suburbanization; in Manchester/Liverpool, of deindustralization; in Ivanavo, of postsocialism; and in the greater Halle/Leipzig region, several of these factors are compounded. People from various disciplines, including urban geographers, cultural experts, architects, journalists, and artists, take part in the work.
The Shrinking Cities project initiates innovative approached to solutions in two ways. First, together with the architecture magazine archplus, the project announced in January 2004 an international, open idea competition.
Second, the two other project partners - the Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau and the Galerie für zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig - gave direct commissions and work stipends related to the theme.
In this way, a selection of potential interventions were emerged that offers exemplary perspectives for culturally dealing with shrinking cities. This will give the respective sites ideas for discussing their new situation and local actors new possibilities of action.
Communicating the work and the results of the project Shrinking Cities is an essential part of the project itself. The project's results were presented in numerous public presentations, three exhibitions, the website, and diverse publications.
The results of the first project phase (the international study) are documented in a catalogue and an exhibition, which was shown in September 2004 at the KW - Institute For Contemporary Art (formerly: Kunst-Werke) in Berlin and in 2005 in Halle (Saale).
The results of the second phase of work were presented in an exhibition in Winter 2005 in Leipzig. In Autumn 2006 the project will be presented in the framework of the 10th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice. It is intended to then show the exhibition in additional international sites.
2002: September kick-off project / form local teams at the four locations to be investigated / begin analysis.
2003: Develop project concept further - carry out comparative international analysis together with architects, artists, urban geographers, ethnologists, journalists, graphic designers etc.
February initial event for the press / 1st International Workshop in Berlin July 2nd International Workshop in Ivanovo November 3rd International Workshop in Liverpool December conclude analysis.
2004: Award commissions and stipends / the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation and the Leipzig Gallery of Contemporary Art, as project partners, hold workshops to develop interventions for eastern Germany.
January ARCH+ magazine holds the international open competition / September exhibit the results of the international analysis in Berlin / publish book / judge the second phase of the competition.
2005: Fall present results of the second phase of the project, with exhibition and interventions in public space in Halle and Leipzig / publish second book .
2006: The project is presented in the framework of the 10th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice/ publish second book / publish Atlas of shrinking cities / Exhibitions in New York.
2007 - 2008: Shrinking Cities Exhibition
Website: www.shrinkingcities.org
Whether in the USA, Britain, or Belgium, Finland, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan, or China: everywhere, cities are shrinking. The dramatic development in eastern Germany since 1989, which has led to more than a million empty apartments and to the abandoning of countless industrial parks and social and cultural facilities, has proven to be no exception, but a general pattern of our civilization.
Shrunken cities contradict the image, familiar since the Industrial Revolution, of the "boomtown", a big city characterized by constant economic and demographic growth. Shrunken cities spur a reconsideration not only of traditional ideas of the European city, but also of the future development of urban worlds.
The drastic changes in cities caused by shrinking thus present not only an economic and social, but also a cultural challenge. Urban shrinking can hardly be affected by city planning, and it brings numerous problems. New types of cities arise; we do not yet have ways of thinking or of using their specific character.
Shrinking Cities, a three-year initiative project of Germany's Federal Cultural Foundation, seeks to expand Germany's city-planning debate - until now concentrated on questions of demolishing surplus apartments and improving residential quarters - to address new questions and perspectives.
The project also places developments in eastern Germany in an international context, involving various artistic, design, and research disciplines in the search for strategies for action.
The emphases of the research and exhibition project, Shrinking Cities, are, first, an international study of processes of shrinking (first project phase) and, second, the development of strategies for action for eastern Germany (second project phase).
Since 2002, four local interdisciplinary teams have been commissioned to study and document urban shrinking processes in the urban regions of Detroit (USA), Manchester/Liverpool (Britain), Ivanovo (Russia), and Halle/Leipzig (Germany).
Each site stands as an example of a specific form of shrinking: In Detroit, the issue is the consequences of suburbanization; in Manchester/Liverpool, of deindustralization; in Ivanavo, of postsocialism; and in the greater Halle/Leipzig region, several of these factors are compounded. People from various disciplines, including urban geographers, cultural experts, architects, journalists, and artists, take part in the work.
The Shrinking Cities project initiates innovative approached to solutions in two ways. First, together with the architecture magazine archplus, the project announced in January 2004 an international, open idea competition.
Second, the two other project partners - the Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau and the Galerie für zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig - gave direct commissions and work stipends related to the theme.
In this way, a selection of potential interventions were emerged that offers exemplary perspectives for culturally dealing with shrinking cities. This will give the respective sites ideas for discussing their new situation and local actors new possibilities of action.
Communicating the work and the results of the project Shrinking Cities is an essential part of the project itself. The project's results were presented in numerous public presentations, three exhibitions, the website, and diverse publications.
The results of the first project phase (the international study) are documented in a catalogue and an exhibition, which was shown in September 2004 at the KW - Institute For Contemporary Art (formerly: Kunst-Werke) in Berlin and in 2005 in Halle (Saale).
The results of the second phase of work were presented in an exhibition in Winter 2005 in Leipzig. In Autumn 2006 the project will be presented in the framework of the 10th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice. It is intended to then show the exhibition in additional international sites.
2002: September kick-off project / form local teams at the four locations to be investigated / begin analysis.
2003: Develop project concept further - carry out comparative international analysis together with architects, artists, urban geographers, ethnologists, journalists, graphic designers etc.
February initial event for the press / 1st International Workshop in Berlin July 2nd International Workshop in Ivanovo November 3rd International Workshop in Liverpool December conclude analysis.
2004: Award commissions and stipends / the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation and the Leipzig Gallery of Contemporary Art, as project partners, hold workshops to develop interventions for eastern Germany.
January ARCH+ magazine holds the international open competition / September exhibit the results of the international analysis in Berlin / publish book / judge the second phase of the competition.
2005: Fall present results of the second phase of the project, with exhibition and interventions in public space in Halle and Leipzig / publish second book .
2006: The project is presented in the framework of the 10th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice/ publish second book / publish Atlas of shrinking cities / Exhibitions in New York.
2007 - 2008: Shrinking Cities Exhibition
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Focus Maui Nui
Location: Maui, HI
Website: www.focusmauinui.org
Focus Maui Nui is a community process seeking the input of local citizens in a discussion about what residents want for the future of our islands (Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe) which together make up Maui Nui and Maui County.
The project is designed to bring individuals, organizations, and communities throughout the county together to identify and prioritize shared values and to send clear messages to local leaders about what we want for our islands, our communities, and our future.
The ultimate goal of Focus Maui Nui is twofold:
- To create one cohesive vision for the future, based on the priorities and values of everyday residents countywide on jobs, the environment, education, housing, and more.
- To hold leaders in government, business, and the community accountable to this vision, creating a tangible link between residents’ hopes and dreams and the decisions that are made about the future of our islands.
In summer 2003, Focus Maui Nui brought together a diverse cross-section of nearly 1,700 residents to discuss their values and priorities. Over three months, 167 small group discussions took place in neighborhood homes, churches, shopping centers and workplaces, with each group ultimately developing a list of key strategies that could shape Maui’s future.
The Five Key Strategies for Action included:
- Improve Education
- Protect the natural environment, including our water resources
- Address infrastructure challenges especially housing and transportation
- Adopt targeted economic development strategies
- Preserve local culture and address community health concerns such as substance abuse.
Community leaders have pledged to uphold the findings of this process and to make decisions based on the vision that emerges. In 2004, county administrators and planners successfully adopted the findings into their Ten-Year Plan for Maui County.
Website: www.focusmauinui.org
Focus Maui Nui is a community process seeking the input of local citizens in a discussion about what residents want for the future of our islands (Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe) which together make up Maui Nui and Maui County.
The project is designed to bring individuals, organizations, and communities throughout the county together to identify and prioritize shared values and to send clear messages to local leaders about what we want for our islands, our communities, and our future.
The ultimate goal of Focus Maui Nui is twofold:
- To create one cohesive vision for the future, based on the priorities and values of everyday residents countywide on jobs, the environment, education, housing, and more.
- To hold leaders in government, business, and the community accountable to this vision, creating a tangible link between residents’ hopes and dreams and the decisions that are made about the future of our islands.
In summer 2003, Focus Maui Nui brought together a diverse cross-section of nearly 1,700 residents to discuss their values and priorities. Over three months, 167 small group discussions took place in neighborhood homes, churches, shopping centers and workplaces, with each group ultimately developing a list of key strategies that could shape Maui’s future.
The Five Key Strategies for Action included:
- Improve Education
- Protect the natural environment, including our water resources
- Address infrastructure challenges especially housing and transportation
- Adopt targeted economic development strategies
- Preserve local culture and address community health concerns such as substance abuse.
Community leaders have pledged to uphold the findings of this process and to make decisions based on the vision that emerges. In 2004, county administrators and planners successfully adopted the findings into their Ten-Year Plan for Maui County.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Old North Saint Louis Restoration Group
Location: St. Louis, MO
Website: www.onsl.org
ONSLRG is pursuing a comprehensive revitalization strategy rooted in the community’s vision of a sustainable and welcoming neighborhood that offers high quality housing opportunities for a diverse population from all walks of life.
What's New in Old North chronicles the dramatic transformation under way in the neighborhood of Old North St. Louis. As a neighborhood just north of Downtown St. Louis, Old North is becoming a dynamic urban village of new and historic homes, a landmark eating establishment, beautiful community gardens, and a diverse, friendly, and engaged community.
Website: www.onsl.org
ONSLRG is pursuing a comprehensive revitalization strategy rooted in the community’s vision of a sustainable and welcoming neighborhood that offers high quality housing opportunities for a diverse population from all walks of life.
What's New in Old North chronicles the dramatic transformation under way in the neighborhood of Old North St. Louis. As a neighborhood just north of Downtown St. Louis, Old North is becoming a dynamic urban village of new and historic homes, a landmark eating establishment, beautiful community gardens, and a diverse, friendly, and engaged community.
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