Green Communities Grant Funds Available
Green Communities grant funds up to $50,000 per project – plus funding for community trees made possible by the Home Depot Foundation – is now available for developers committed to providing green affordable housing. Applications must be received online by Feb. 23. Awards are expected to be made by the last week of March. Interested parties can join Enterprise Monday, Feb. 5, 2:00 pm EST, for an online meeting to review the application process.
LivingHomes and Enterprise Announce Partnership
LivingHomes, a developer of modern prefabricated homes that combine world-class architecture with sustainable construction, and Enterprise have formed a partnership to help affordable housing developers go green. For each LivingHomes home sold from the line designed by architect Ray Kappe, the company will fund a $5,000 charrette grant through Enterprise. The grants will enable a community-based developer to incorporate an integrated design process to maximize the sustainable potential of an affordable housing development. LivingHomes and Enterprise will also explore the potential of sustainable prefabricated homes to serve low-income families. LivingHomes founder and CEO Steve Glenn and Enterprise announced the partnership at the ceremony honoring the initial Ray Kappe-designed LivingHomes as the first home to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as achieving Platinum-certified home status under the council’s pilot national residential rating system for green homes.
The American Prospect Features “Emerald Cities”
The January-February issue of The American Prospect magazine includes a 22-page special report entitled “Emerald Cities: The Promise of Green Development.” The report features articles on the intersection of environmental and community development solutions on the ground around the country, through green affordable housing, transit-oriented development, sustainable cities and green economy jobs. The coverage explores the work of Enterprise, the U.S. Green Building Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, Southface, Global Green USA, the National Center for Healthy Housing and a number of community-based organizations.
Washington, D.C., Takes Bold Steps on Green Building
Washington, D.C., became the first city in the nation to require developers to meet U.S. Green Building Council LEED standards for commercial projects and Green Communities Criteria for housing. Specifically, the bill requires all publicly owned or financed buildings initially funded in the city’s fiscal year 2008 budget or later to meet LEED or Green Communities. All privately financed buildings 50,000 square feet or larger would have to meet the requirement by 2012. The rules apply to both new construction and significant renovations on older buildings.
New York City Selects Winners of Sustainable-Affordable Competition
The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects selected the team to revitalize a 60,000 square foot vacant lot in the South Bronx under the city’s first juried competition to combine affordable and sustainable development. The team of Phipps Houses, Dattner Architects, Jonathan Rose Companies and Grimshaw presented a proposal called “Via Verde” that will consist of 202 residential units, in addition to retail and community spaces. Gardens will be used for fruit and vegetable cultivation, passive recreation and social gathering along with providing storm water control and enhanced insulation. Enterprise provided funding to support the competition. For more information go to the New Housing New York website.
State Housing Agencies Continue to Encourage Green Affordable Development
Approximately half of the state housing agencies have adopted annual “qualified allocation plans” setting their policies for awarding Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to developers in 2007. The memorandum previews some of the noteworthy changes related to sustainable development that have been included in Housing Credit plans. The summary indicates that states continue to drive healthier, smarter building through their Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs by adopting policies based on Green Communities and other proven frameworks for green affordable housing. Enterprise will develop a more complete analysis of the 2007 plans when they are available.
Home Depot Foundation 2007 Awards Program is Now Open
The Home Depot Foundation is accepting applications for its Awards of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly program. The program identifies, recognizes and showcases the outstanding work of nonprofit housing developers who have successfully combined affordability with healthy, sustainable measures in housing design and construction. Projects are evaluated by an independent advisory committee of experts. Letters of inquiry are due March 31. More information is available on the Home Depot Foundation website.
Green Communities Project Profile: Carter Woods, Richmond, Va.
Carter Woods II, which opened last month, provides affordable housing to 70 low-income seniors. Developed by Better Housing Coalition, the development includes recyclable carpet in the common areas, fresh outside air to each unit, healthy coolant in the cooling system, an ecologically productive and water-efficient landscape and a system for testing the building, among other environmental features. The development also meets the EarthCraft House multifamily guidelines developed by Southface. Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow Joshua Galloway designed the development. View his PowerPoint presentation on the development.
