REVIEW OF LITERATURE The New Urbanism ideas allow for more affordable housing options because of the overall community design and lower development costs. Site selection, street and lot design, and the construction of homes are important components to address in sustainable design. Housing becomes more affordable in compact developments linked by sidewalks and bike trails because it allows for more pedestrian mobility, which means residents spend less on transportation, and developers save money on infrastructure costs. Nearby amenities and services can encourage community connections and affordability (Cisneros 135). Making smaller lot sizes for single-family homes saves money for home-buyers and renters, but multi-family housing is cheaper to build. Developers can also save money by reducing street widths, extending lower costs to residents (Cisneros 137). Green tactics for home location to maximize the amount of sunlight and natural ventilation for the unit make it more energy efficient and affordable. Using landscape systems for storm water runoff instead of typical infrastructure saves on construction costs, and saves on utility bills for the homeowners (Cisneros 142-144). All of these methods create more sustainable communities because compact development impacts the environment less and saves money for the developers, businesses, and residents. New Urbanism guidelines apply to Latinos’ preferences for communities and dictate the community design to create more affordable housing that addresses cultural heritage for the growing population. An example of affordable housing is in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Some housing developments are mixed-income and mixed-use with residential and commercial locations close to the downtown center. The design follows New Urbanism principles with “human-scale buildings, walk-able neighborhoods, and green construction” (Burdick 58). Residents have four housing types from which to choose: single-family bungalows, two-story townhouses, and apartments aimed at low-income residents with subsidized rent payments (Burdick 58). Offering Latinos and residents a variety of options in affordable housing allows them to reach goals of homeownership and improves the neighborhood. Providing more affordable housing is also viable in Indianapolis, which is demonstrated by Fall Creek Place, a 26-block neighborhood on the near north side of Indianapolis (Palladino 12). The goal of the project is to make a mixed-income and diverse community with many housing choices, recreational opportunities, and commercial uses (Palladino 12). HUD grants require that over 50% of the housing units be designated for those earning 80% or less of the area’s median income, and the city does not want to displace existing residents (Palladino 12). The four million dollar grant requires 265 homes to be built, but over 300 home sites and 46 rehabilitation opportunities were identified (Palladino 12). Other goals are to create viable retail nodes, add neighborhood parks, make gateways to the community, and improve infrastructure (Palladino 12). The city provided subsidies and incentives to accommodate the mixed-income housing requirements, and to gain the private business enterprises. Infrastructure improvements included new streets,
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