The nonprofit known for facilitating affordable homeownership is working to cut costs as traditional construction becomes more expensive.
Houston Habitat for Humanity is turning to modular housing to bring down costs and reduce the time it takes to build its housing projects, reports R.A. Schuetz in the Houston Chronicle.
"Construction costs for a new single-family home have risen over 50% since January of 2019, according to Census estimates. The costs of land, materials, labor and insurance have all increased." Habitat for Humanity Houston is piloting two modular homes and plans to order 21 more for its Houston-area projects. The modular units the nonprofit is using are rated to a higher standard of storm resilience than the typical Houston home.
FULL STORY: The unusual Houston home delivery that could shape affordable housing
US Senate Passes Housing Bill With Focus on Financing, Deregulation
The proposal would ease regulations, allow banks to invest more in affordable housing, and change a rule that has been holding back manufactured housing.
How 3D-Printing Can Make Housing More Affordable
Habitat for Humanity is working with 3D-printers to reduce the costs of construction and provide more housing for families in need.
Hartford launches program that uses housing vouchers to facilitate homeownership
The Connecticut capital will allow voucher recipients to use their vouchers toward home payments as a way to build long-term wealth.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association