New Updates on The Edge

PD&R’s online magazine, The Edge, provides you with a snapshot view of our newly released research, periodicals, publications, news, and commentaries on housing and urban development issues. Stay informed on current topics and check back frequently, as our content is routinely updated.

Featured: The 2022 Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition

This year’s Innovation in Affordable Housing (IAH) Student Design and Planning Competition partnered with Atlanta Housing to challenge students to create innovative solutions for redeveloping the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. On April 13, 2022, four finalist teams presented their design proposals to a panel of jurors. The winning proposal, Rise of the Pines from the University of Maryland Team, employs emerging green building techniques and comprehensive financial strategies to prioritize the people who live near the site. The University of California Berkeley’s Team Gold was the runner-up for its Civic Oaks proposal, which focused on equity, sustainability, and neighborhood connectivity through community engagement.

Message from PD&R Leadership: HUD and the United Nations

In the leadership message, PD&R’s director for International and Philanthropic Affairs Cynthia Campbell discusses HUD’s engagement with several organizations of the United Nations (UN). HUD is preparing for the June 2022 World Urban Forum held in Katowice, Poland, which will convene world leaders to examine rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change, and policies. HUD’s International and Philanthropic Affairs Division also serves on the UN-Habitat Executive Board and provides research expertise and shares information with the UN Human Rights Council, UN Economic Commission for Europe, and the Commission on Science and Technology for Development.

In Practice: Affordable Senior Housing for a Gentrifying Boston Neighborhood

To provide longtime area residents of the gentrifying South Boston neighborhood with an affordable housing option in their community, the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation opened O’Connor Way in summer 2021. Built on a once underutilized portion of the oldest public housing development in New England, O’Connor Way provides 46 one-bedroom apartments for seniors to stay close to their familiar markets, churches, and other neighborhood amenities. The development also demonstrates the efficacy of Boston’s inclusionary zoning policy in providing needed financing for creative affordable housing projects.

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