Grants, contributions, a collaboration with the Institute for Classical Architecture & Classical America, open minds, and tight budgets are helping Habitat for Humanity raise its design standards.
" 'To be effective, affordable housing should be dispersed throughout healthy historic neighborhoods that have an intact community structure and access to transit,' says NEA Director of Design Jeff Speck. 'But these neighborhoods often resist Habitat houses, not for socioeconomic reasons, but simply because Habitat's designs are not compatible with their historic fabric.' Speck helped bring ICA (now ICA&CA) and Habitat together shortly after becoming NEA director in 2003 "in hopes that they may find a way around this problem.' He says, 'The program that they have created is an inspiring model of how designers can direct their talents towards the service of society.' "
Read the full story: Habitat aims to improve affordable housing design
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority