Then & Now
The Journal of Housing & Community Development
• Established October 1944 as Journal of Housing, less than one year before VE Day • Such discussion necessary because of the... ○ Massive housing shortage following WWII as soldiers returned, married and ready to start families ○ Necessity of affordable housing for people still recovering from the Great Depression ○ Limitations of resources due to war ○ Novel public actions in housing, as the Federal Housing Administration was not established until 1934, and the United States Housing Act was not passed until 1937 • Exclusively digital since 2018 • Published every other month • Publishing organization is the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, or NAHRO • Key topics include... ○ Affordable housing, public housing, and community development ○ Subtopics include green buildings, legislation, advocacy, financing, administration, maintenance, social issues, and design
Cover Artwork
Cover from Older Volume
“The Importance of Sustainable Affordable Housing: A Story from San Buenaventura”
Key Contributors • Artwork submitted by children around the country used as covers • Articles written by editors as well as professionals in the field ○ Sylvia Gimenez ■ Managing Editor for Journal of Housing and Community Development ■ Writes many of the journal’s articles ■ Director of Communications for NAHRO ○ Ashanti Wright ■ Assistant Editor for Journal of Housing & Community Development ■ Writes many articles in the journal, including some that I have selected for my research ■ Public Affairs Coordinator for NAHRO • NAHRO ○ Adrianne Todman ■ CEO of NAHRO and publisher of the journal since 2017 ■ Previously Executive Director at District of Columbia Housing Authority from 2009-2017, policy aide in the Office of the Secretary of HUD, and legislative director for the US House of Representatives on education, labor, and transportation topics ■ Served leading roles in projects involving affordable and public housing, infrastructure, homelessness, veterans’ issues, education, youth empowerment, workforce development, and gender issues
By Nicholas Birck and Andrew Pattinson
This article discusses the importance of both affordable housing and environmental sustainability as well as the effects that intertwining the two can have. Public housing has potential for great impact in environmental justice, for Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) are landlords of many vulnerable people, those most affected by climate change. Incorporating sustainability into affordable housing not only increases social equity but also mitigates climate change crises. Buildings produce a large portion of greenhouse gas emissions; therefore, large buildings, such has public housing complexes, can have a significant impact. Public housing retrofitted toward sustainability not only has positive environmental effects but also incurs monetary savings and creates healthier living environments. For example, the Westside Revitalization Project in San Buenaventura, CA is a LEED certified neighborhood development that includes affordable housing, green space, walkability, gray water irrigation, and community gardens, all of which contribute to environmental, social, and economic well-being. LEED Public Housing
Adrianne Todman, CEO
Key Contributors • Though there is little information released about Ashanti Wright and Sylvia Giminez, Adrianne Todman clearly possesses extensive understanding of social issues in the built environment and has developed skills in addressing such issues in the favor of marginalized communities. • Notably, the journal’s three major contributors are all women of color, lending the journal a background of knowledge and experiences unique from most people in the profession, who are typically white males. • The Journal of Housing & Community Development is an example of the positive discussions that bloom when the voices of minorities in our fields are heard.
“Award Winner: The Growing Experience” By Ashanti Wright
700 low-income households consisting of families, seniors, and disabled individuals live in the Carmelitos Public Housing Development. This development resides in one of California’s many food deserts, so the residents have limited access to groceries, particularly nutritious food. In response to this, the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles built a community garden on seven acres of the Carmelitos land. The garden emphasizes environmental sustainability, nutritional health, community engagement, and skills training. Additionally, this includes aquaponics, vertical growing towers, native and drought-tolerant plants, green space, composting, and renewable energy offsetting. Residents participate in conservation programs, cooking classes, and gardening; in particular, youth are recruited to learn about various aspects of sustainable development and processes.
Community Members Working in Carmelitos Garden
Ashanti Wright, second from left
“NAHRO National Awards of Excellence: Resident and Client Services, Mariposa Neighborhood EcoPass Program”
Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Planning by Race/Ethnicity and Gender in 2017
By Taanya Wilson
The Mariposa Neighborhood in Denver, Colorado, has been remade in a transit-oriented design, including a light rail with a stop in the middle of the neighborhood. Though accessible location-wise, the light rail was not affordable for those living in the Mariposa Neighborhood, effectively making public transit inaccessible. Public transportation infrastructure is only sustainable if people are using it, so the Denver Housing Authority (DHA) responded with the Neighborhood Eco Program to provide alternative, multi-modal transportation. The Mariposa Neighborhood was the pilot of this program, which included discounted passes for the lightrail and bus lines as well as discounted memberships for the car- and bike sharing programs. Alternative, multi-modal transportation such as these promote community self-sustainability and environmental sustainability. Public Transit in Mariposa Neighborhood
Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and Related Services by Race/Ethnicity and Gender in 2017
COA Prevalence • Topics included in this journal -- design, urban planning, administration, and sustainability -- are intertwined throughout the fields in the Gibbs College of Architecture. • All our graduating professionals should consider the rights and needs of low-income residents in the built environment as this journal does. • Design, construction, and planning influence equity; this journal helps grant insight into projects with positive social impacts to guide future enterprises. • As shown by the rising Gini Coefficient in the chart below, income inequality in the United States is rising, so affordable housing and community development will only become more important. Likewise, humans continue to systemically degrade the natural environment, so sustainable development is more neccessary than ever. • This journal’s staff also sets a standard for inclusion in our profession regarding gender, race, and ethnicity.
Cover Artwork
Gini Index of Income Inequality in the United States, 1967-2018
My Research • How can communities effectively develop under triple-bottom-line sustainability on a widespread scale? • Widespread sustainable development has not occurred in the past because of the prioritization of development weighted heavily towards economics, discounting social and environmental well-being. • The Journal of Housing & Community Development regularly reports on sustainability projects that focus on public housing, but these individual projects are not widespread enough to make the significant change needed in the face of climate change and its effects. • In order to expand triple-bottom-line community development, communities need a replicable base for successful sustainability projects: ○ Programming for economic development, including education and skills training ○ Prioritization of equity by working with the most vulnerable and affected residents first ○ Participation for environmental sustainability; increase effectiveness of sustainable projects by increasing community engagement via tactics like language translation, childcare, ease, and accessibility • Notably, sustainable community development should emphasize people over dramatic and expensive designs. Wangari Maathai Tree Planting Project