John Kennedy, LEED AP’s Post

Chicago committee looks at free-market solution to affordable housing "Affordable housing is a crucial issue in Chicago, and the city's Committee on Housing and Real Estate is taking a free market approach to tackle it. By promoting competition and innovation in the housing market, they hope to provide more options for low-income residents. 💡🏘️ Let's support this initiative for a more equitable and affordable Chicago! #AffordableHousing #FreeMarketSolutions #InnovationForAll #ChicagoHousing #SocialImpact #CommunityDevelopment"

Access to affordable and appropriate housing decreases the likelihood that families and individuals will fall into or remain in poverty. Additionally, the availability of affordable housing is vital to accommodate the growing numbers our city is seeing. Rezoning would streamline and simplify the process of building different types of housing and reduce timelines for permit approvals in areas with already established transit and service infrastructure. Vibrant Communities Calgary’s staff are not zoning experts, but we know that affordable and diverse housing options are necessary for a vibrant city. We also hear stories of the struggles people are having with rental increases and the limited supply of rental options. We strongly believe rezoning is an important element in building the homes we need, and we urge Council to vote yes on this proposal. Read the rest of the letter we submitted to Calgary's Mayor and Council on March 13, 2024 in support of a proposal for citywide rezoning to a base residential district. https://lnkd.in/gtsa3z-M

Let's talk about the benefits of citywide rezoning 🏚: 1. Homes for Calgarians. Right now, 115,000 Calgarians are at extreme risk of homelessness due to the housing crisis. These are our neighbours, families, and co-workers being impacted by the housing crisis. 2. With increased density, we can increase access to services and infrastructure. You can get those potholes fixed and split the bill with more neighbours. 3. Revitalizing communities with more neighbours attracts new businesses, improves access to amenities and transit, and fosters a sense of belonging for all residents. As a city, we need to streamline the process of building different types of housing through rezoning. Calgarians need homes NOW. #yyc #zoning #housingcrisis #density

Great article about NYC upzoning its housing code. Some great principles include: 1. Housing abundance is better than affordable housing 2. People over parking 3. A little more housing in every neighborhood! https://lnkd.in/gkR97REz

A good coalition of organizations with some good ideas to spur additional housing development in Westchester. Pay particular attention to the ideas in the last paragraph. In a BANANA county like Westchester (whose citizens and municipalities have the attitude Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody) these are some basic suggestions to speed up approvals and development that would also result in lower costs for developers and lower costs for housing. https://bit.ly/3XVqAP7

Great article about NYC upzoning its housing code. Some great principles include: 1. Housing abundance is better than affordable housing 2. People over parking 3. A little more housing in every neighborhood! https://lnkd.in/gE4qxeUE

Thank you, Community Housing Industry Association, for a jam-packed two-day program exploring Affordable Housing Development and Investment. We were thrilled to have our CEO, Jennifer Michelmore, invited to facilitate a panel that explored ideas for winning community support for social and affordable housing developments. Patrick Fensham, PIA Victoria divisional president, discussed the critical importance of quality neighbourhood planning, that social and affordable housing must be viewed as critical infrastructure, and that CHPs must be consulted as key stakeholders in the planning processes. Jonathan O'Brien, Lead Organisation of YIMBY Melbourne, discussed the limitations of our current planning process being focused on an 'objections culture' and shared the work his organisation is doing to elevate the 'yes' voice in the planning processes. Jo Cannington, Director of Homes Melbourne, shared an overview of the City of Melbourne's People Panel on Affordable Housing, where a demographically representative group of 40 residents developed 11 recommendations for how the city could improve affordable housing delivery. Our three big takeaways: We need to find a way to amplify the voice of the silent majority. Education is vital - we need to help communities understand the size and scale of the housing affordability challenge and build their knowledge on the types of solutions that work. CHPs are critical stakeholders that need to be at the table in neighbourhood planning discussions.

The City of Gainesville, Georgia was proud to partake in Tuesday’s Harrison Village groundbreaking ceremony hosted by the Gainesville Housing Authority and Paces Preservation Partners LLC. Attendees heard from community leaders, including our very own Mayor Sam Couvillon, and those integral to the project prior to breaking ground on Harrison Village phase No. 1. Upon completion, Harrison Village will serve as an affordable rental housing community for families. This preservation project, in partnership with Paces Preservation Partners, will boast 120 new affordable apartments priced for renters earning under 80% of the area’s median income. 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA) is an advocate and provider for affordable housing for Gainesville families. Working with the City of Gainesville, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other organizations, GHA provides life resources and opportunities not only to residents, but to the entire community. 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗟𝗟𝗖 Paces Preservation Partners LLC is a strategic partnership created by The Paces Foundation and Soho Housing Partners LLC. Combining Paces' industry leading affordable housing development and preservation services with Soho's exceptional capabilities structuring complex financial solutions make quality investments for workforce housing communities possible. With a growing affordable housing crisis brewing, state and local authorities recognize the need for creative and sustainable solutions to meet their communities' workforce housing needs. The Paces-Soho partnership brings together significant skills in funding strategies, public procurement, urban revitalization, affordable housing development, services and management to help housing authorities meet their portfolio revitalization goals. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/d4wM2RV

For New England communities strapped for housing supply, data from the NZA and partner HousingWorks RI at RWU suggests large minimum lot sizes are a policy choice worth renegotiating: In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, data derived from completed state zoning atlases reveal minimum lot size requirements skew 1 acre or larger. What does this mean for the state of housing at large? A new story reported by The Public's Radio 89.3 FM delves into the consequences of limiting housing development on large swaths of land: https://lnkd.in/dt8AuuRu “It's not to say that all of a particular town has to look like an urban center. But where is it more appropriate? Where are you able to up-zone to accommodate some growth? At some point the people who live there now are going to be gone. And how have you attracted new and young people into a space to create some continued vibrancy is something I think we have to contemplate,” says Melina Lodge, executive director of Housing Network of Rhode Island.

📢 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟯𝟱 Exciting opportunities are on the horizon for real estate developers in New Jersey! The state recently unveiled 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, outlining the number of affordable units municipalities are required to zone for by 2035. The goal? 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟰𝟲,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘀 - including both newly constructed homes and the rehabilitation of substandard housing. 🔍 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄! 1️⃣Two Types of Affordable Housing Obligations. ✅𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 - Renovation of existing affordable homes classified as “substandard.” ✅𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 - Construction of new affordable housing units to meet future demand. 2️⃣𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 - These guidelines don’t mean municipalities have to build affordable housing themselves. Instead, they must provide zoning regulations to allow developers to step in and propose housing projects. This opens significant opportunities for developers to align with municipal plans and state requirements. 3️⃣𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 - The state’s initiative aims to protect towns from legal battles over affordable housing and provides access to resources, including the upcoming NJ Housing Opportunities for Municipal Equity and Success (NJHOMES) program in early 2025. The program offers financial resources and technical assistance to ensure successful development. 📌𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘄! Municipalities have until January 31, 2025, to adopt the new guidelines or provide their own calculations. Developers can use this window to propose affordable housing projects that align with state goals and local needs. 📈 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲! Developers are uniquely positioned to help fill the affordable housing gap while tapping into favorable zoning policies and state support. By participating in these initiatives, developers can: ♻️Expand their portfolio with impactful projects. 🏘️Help address New Jersey's critical housing shortages. 📈Drive economic growth while contributing to sustainable, long-term community development. This is the time for developers to seize the opportunity to build projects that not only provide affordable homes but also strengthen communities. https://lnkd.in/e4CizE8a #AffordableHousing #RealEstateDevelopment #CommunityGrowth #SustainableDevelopment #NJHousing #UrbanDevelopment #EconomicOpportunity #HousingForAll #EquityInHousing #DevelopmentOpportunities