Twenty-one affordable housing developments with an aggregate 1,100 affordable homes and apartments in 10 states and the District of Columbia received Green Communities planning and construction grants through a recent national competition. Another six developments in four states received smaller grants to conduct green development planning charrettes. There are now 131 Green Communities developments with nearly 6,800 affordable homes in various stages of development in 23 states.
USGBC Announces Major Consumer Commitment to Green Homes
At the Clinton Global Initiative Conference in New York the US Green Building Council announced a major year-long campaign to educate consumers on the benefits of green homes. According to the USGBC press release, “The first product of this joint effort will be an online consumer education resource at usgbc.org, which will leverage USGBC’s 300,000-plus website users per month. Using online educational tools, the resource will provide current and potential homeowners with credible information on how they can make their homes better, more efficient, healthier places to live.”
Enterprise Report Highlights Sustainable Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast
The report, Gulf Coast, Rebuilding Hope and Homes: A One Year Report, describes the year-one progress, early lessons and long-term visions of Enterprise and a group of extraordinary local partners to help rebuild the Gulf Coast. Enterprise has committed to provide $200 million to help create 10,000 sustainable affordable homes and economic development activities in the region. Enterprise is privileged to have as lead development partners Providence Community Housing in New Orleans and the Biloxi, Miss. Housing Authority.
Louisiana Housing Finance Agency Adopts Green Criteria
In other green Gulf Coast news, the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency has adopted environmental building policies based on the Green Communities Criteria in the scoring system for allocating $103.5 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Proposed developments that commit to meet the criteria will receive 25 points in the state’s scoring system. Due to the intense competition for tax credits in the state, the significant weighting of green criteria will encourage many developers to incorporate them into their plans.
Enterprise Network Conference Hosts Home Depot Foundation Awards
Enterprise is honored that The Home Depot Foundation will present its Awards of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly at a special plenary breakfast at Enterprise Network Conference, the largest annual meeting of the community development industry, Oct. 25-27 in Los Angeles. The awards identify, recognize and showcase the outstanding and innovative work of nonprofit affordable housing organizations engaged in green building and healthy home construction and rehabilitation. The Home Depot Foundation is also hosting a reception at the conference for all Green Communities partners and friends.
Katie Swenson to Lead Rose Fellows Program
Katie Swenson, founder and executive director of the Charlottesville Community Design Center,
has been named director of the Frederick P. Rose Fellowship program. Sponsored by Enterprise Community Partners, the fellowship connects young, public interest architects who are committed to sustainable community design in low-income communities across the country. To date, the 22 Rose Fellows have produced more than 550 green, affordable homes and over a dozen major community facilities, including child care centers, recreation centers and community gardens. In addition, three major planning projects have leveraged millions of dollars in public and private funds for community development projects.
From 2001-2004, Swenson completed a Rose Fellowship at the Piedmont Housing Alliance in Charlottesville, Va, where she helped develop 30 properties for first-time homeowners using the first Energy Star homes in Charlottesville. Deeply committed to environmental sustainability and justice in her Charlottesville community, she will continue to provide leadership to the Charlottesville Community Design Center while serving as Rose Fellowship director and on the Steering Committee. Swenson received a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley.
Landmark High Point Development Featured
Before the launch of Green Communities in 2004, the Seattle Housing Authority and Mithun design and planning firm pioneered approaches to large-scale sustainable and affordable development at High Point, which was the subject of a recent op-ed by syndicated columnist Neal Pierce. Enterprise provided tax credit equity to support affordable rental housing at High Point and continues to work with the Seattle Housing Authority.
Project Profile: David and Joyce Dinkins Gardens, New York, NY
Ground broke last week on this model green affordable housing development in Harlem. Developed by Jonathan Rose Companies and Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, this sustainable development of 85 apartments with community and educational space features numerous healthy, efficient and environmentally conscious features inside and outside the building. The case study provides more information.
