October 6, 2016

Beyond Bricks and Sticks


A weekly digest of current trends in housing and community development. The discussion examines topics from infrastructure to community fabric.


Homelessness Data Added to Sourcebook

(RECAP: Housing Virginia has added a new tool to Sourcebook: homelessness data for your jurisdiction. This new feature provides data from the most recent Point-In-Time Count and Housing Inventory Count for all available regions in the state. Sourcebook users can now see a regional snapshot of their jurisdiction’s homelessness data in one place and alongside a wide range of other data that reflect housing trends and needs in the community.)
http://www.housingvirginia.org/sourcebook/homelessness/

Virginia’s National Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan (2016 Draft)

(RECAP: The NHTF is a dedicated fund that will provide resources to build, preserve and rehabilitate housing for extremely low- and very low-income households. This HUD program will be allocated annually beginning in 2016. In Virginia, the NHTF will be administered by the Virginia DHCD. Virginia’s Consolidated Plan resources  include the Community Development Block Grant, the HOME Investment Partnership, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, the Emergency Solution Grant and the NHTF.)
http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/nhtf/va/Virginia_HTF_Allocation_Plan_Draft.pdf

Community For Adults With Disabilities Not Without Controversy

(RECAP: A housing project for people with intellectual disabilities plans to break ground in Virginia Beach in the next six months. The founder of Vanguard Landing says she’s made adjustments to ensure residents with Medicaid waivers can live there, but critics question whether the community will meet other government requirements.)
https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2016/09/09/community-disabilities-controversy/22723/


Has Planning Changed?


(RECAP: If planning hadn’t changed, the profession and practice would no longer be in existence. While planners remain loyal to the comprehensive plan as the bedrock of community planning, they’ve also invented a wide range of approaches to plans. Planning has truly become more integrative, more nimble and more specific to the culture and the circumstance of place.)
https://www.planning.org/blog/blogpost/9111077/


Field Notes: Modular Construction for Mid-Rise Affordable Multifamily Construction

(RECAP: Research has shown that modular multifamily construction is rapidly emerging as a competitive alternative for a number of reasons. The benefits potentially include higher financial return due to less construction interest carry and related time savings through shorter construction schedule and potentially reduced hard costs due to repeatable and higher efficiency construction methods, streamlined process, reduced material waste, innovation in sustainability and higher construction quality.)
http://blog.enterprisecommunity.com/2016/09/construction-affordable-multifamily


Media partnerships help reach far-flung residents

(RECAP: How can you cost-effectively educate residents who live across a large area? Lack of budget to purchase paid advertising does not have to be a limiting factor for community organizations when designing an effective outreach program. The executive director of this Oregon nonprofit tells how he has partnered with local media to solve the problem.)
http://www.neighborworks.org/Blog/Media-partnerships-help-reach-far-flung-residents

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