Early Conclusions from The Mixed-Income Demonstration Program: Reaching Extremely Low-Income Families in Mixed-Income Settings

This report contains the results of a special Congressionally-appropriated grant program to develop affordable multi-family housing that serves extremely low income households. The grants included capital grant "gap" funding for NeighborWorks organizations operating and preserving affordable multi-family housing

SUSTAINABILITY OF POST-SOCIALIST URBAN DESIGN TREATMENT OF PUBLIC OPEN SPACES IN MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING AREAS: CASE STUDY OF NIS, SERBIA

This research focuses on the treatment of public open spaces (POS) in multi-family housing areas in post-socialist Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. The aim is to evaluate their quality and sustainability and to identify all important impact factors influencing their properties. A case study was conducted on a representative sample of four multi-family housing sites in Nis, Serbia. Determining the interconnection between urban planning parameters and the realized quality of POS is one of the primary objectives that could lead to forming recommendations for future multi-family housing development, including more usable and sustainable POS in the current social and economic context. The models for improvement of POS quality and sustainability are defined as a research result

Designing supplementary space in multi-family housing

La démographie et les modes de vie ont considérablement évolué au cours des dernières décades. De tels changements sont destinés à influencer la conception de l’habitation et ils incluent notamment une série de besoins émergents: s’en suivent des besoins additionnels en espace pour répondre à l’arrivée de ces activités additionnelles au niveau du logement. La planification en vue de répondre à ces besoins émergeants constitue le principal thème de la présente thèse. Dans le cas de la maison unifamiliale détachée, le sous-sol est disponible pour offrir des espaces appropriés à ces besoins émergents. Par contre, une telle ressource n’est normalement pas présente dans le cas d’un édifice multifamilial. La thèse propose un espace additionnel spécifique en vue de répondre à ces besoins émergents : l’espace supplétif. Même si un tel espace n’est pas envisagé dans les publications du domaine, des précédents existent quant à sa présence en planification multifamiliale. Le but de la présente étude est d’offrir des lignes directrices quant à la conception et l’intégration d’un tel espace supplétif. Elle va s’appuyer sur l’approche systémique en raison de la logique de déduire la solution à partir d’une analyse de l’objectif. L’application de l’approche systémique implique donc que tous les critères correspondant à la nature spécifique de l’espace supplétif seront extrapolés à partir de l’objectif. Dans le cas la présente étude, ce sont les critères du bureau à domicile qui seront d’abord précisés car il s’agit de l’activité émergente la plus exigeante. Les critères seront traités comme vecteurs d’un modèle générique indicatif de la manière d’organiser l’espace supplétif. Ce modèle visera le bureau à domicile en vue d’offrir les solutions pertinentes et il se concentrera principalement sur les critères d’intimité visuelle et spatiale. La contribution du modèle sera de suggérer des lignes directrices en vue d’incorporer l’espace supplétif à l’intérieur des édifices résidentiels de type multifamilial, ce que la planification conventionnelle n’offre pas. C’est le concept d’adaptabilité qui est à la base de toute stratégie visant à permettre le changement en architecture et en habitation, d’autant plus lorsqu’il s’agit d’un espace supplétif. À cet effet, l’espace supplétif va recourir à l’approche Open Building afin d’appliquer le concept d’adaptabilité, en raison de ses avantages majeurs tant au niveau conceptuel que constructif. Différentes applications de l’approche Open Building, telles que le projet NEXT21 et le protocole KSI (Kikou support and Infill), offrent des exemples susceptibles de constituer d’efficaces lignes directrices pour la conception d’un espace supplétif. La faisabilité du modèle d’espace supplétif proposé est vérifiable et démontrable dans le monde réel. Les systèmes constructifs industrialisés sont en mesure de permettre le changement sans démolition car leurs joints mécaniques « à sec » rencontrent généralement les normes DfD (Design for Disassembly), non seulement en ce qui concerne l’espace supplétif mais pour l’ensemble du logement.Demographics and lifestyles have changed considerably in the past few decades. These changes are bound to influence the design of housing and they notably include a series of emerging needs: additional spatial needs due to additional activities brought to the traditional housing premises. Planning for those emerging needs is the main theme of this thesis. In a typical single-family detached house, the basement is available to accommodate the spatial requirements for these emerging needs. However, such a provision does not typically exist in multi-family housing. This thesis proposes a specific additional space to accommodate these emerging needs: the supplementary space. Although such a space has not been explored in the literature, there are precedents for its application in multi-family floor planning. The objective of this study is to provide guidelines for the design and the integration of this supplementary space. It relies on the systems approach as the design-decision methodology due to its logic of deducting the solution from the analysis of the objective. Applying the systems approach means that all the criteria corresponding to the specific purpose of the supplementary space will be extrapolated from the objective. However, once the supplementary space is being used to deal with emerging needs, it will then introduce its own relevant criteria. This study will start with the criteria for designing a home office because this is the most demanding emerging needs activity. The criteria are organized as vectors of a generic model indicating how the supplementary space can be formulated. The model will target the workplace at home and subsequently offer solutions to them. This study focuses on the planning provisions dealing mainly with visual and spatial privacy. The overall outcome of the model is to suggest guidelines to incorporate the supplementary space within multi-family residential buildings, a feature not offered in traditional planning. The concept of adaptability is the key design strategy to accommodate change in architecture and housing, even more in the case of a supplementary space. Therefore, the supplementary space model will apply the concept of adaptability through the Open Building (OB) approach; elaborating more on the practical design and construction features. Different OB applications, such as the NEXT21 project and the KSI (Kikou Support and Infill) protocol in Japan, are examples that can be used as efficient guidelines to design a supplementary space. The feasibility of the supplementary space model can be validated and served in the real world. Industrialized building systems are capable of accommodating change without demolition as their dry mechanical joints are generally at meeting the DfD (design for disassembly) standards, not only for the supplementary space but also for the whole dwelling unit

Conditional use regulations on multi-amily housing and patterns of segregation in Auburn, AL

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently passed a new rule that requires entities that receive federal funding from HUD to take steps to “affirmatively further” fair housing. HUD’s new rule includes an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH). One of the requirements in the AFH is to examine segregation and integration in the city and to determine if zoning and land use laws have contributed to patterns of segregation. This paper looks specifically at the city of Auburn, AL and its zoning and conditional use regulations on multi-family housing. It examines patterns of racial segregation and ways in which zoning and land use laws, specifically conditional use regulations on multi-family housing, have perpetuated segregation in the city.Community and Regional Plannin

Primena koncepta individualizacije u stambenoj arhitekturi u kontekstu unapređenja kvaliteta višeporodičnog stanovanja u Srbiji

This paper deals with the research of the potential of improvement of multifamily housing quality, by implementing the individualization concept in housing architecture. The thesis is a continuation of the research conducted in the framework of the master thesis "Contemporary tendencies in housing architecture: towards individualization of multi-family housing" and represents its further elaboration and improvement. The advantages of a single-family housing, and disadvantages of the multi-family housing lead to considering the individual family housing a more quality and more humane type of housing, and it has always been a desire of most of the people. Yet, further research of one and the other type of housing reveals a complex mixture of advantages and disadvantages, so the need for the concept representing synergy of advantages of one and the other type - synthesis of a house and an apartment has arisen. The concept of individualization in the housing architecture comprises a broad and comprehensive approach which refers to the identification of those characteristics of single-family housing whose application in the multifamily housing will contribute to the increase of the degree of its individuality, and thus to the improvement of its quality. The basic goal of this research is a scientific explanation of the individualization concept as a contemporary tendency in housing architecture and determination of theoretical and practical models of implementation of this concept for the purpose of improvement of multi-family housing in Serbia. The research starts from the working hypothesis comprising that defining of the way in which the individualization of multi-family housing is related to the housing quality bears a special importance in the process of identification of appropriate models of improvement of architectural organization of multi-family housing, i.e. that the degree of individualization of multi-family housing is the directly defining conditioning the quality of housing. The complexity of the problem dealt with by this research, as well as the multi-disciplinary basis of the research, call for an implementation of the complex scientific apparatus consisting of several research methods: basic scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, classification, induction and deduction), general scientific methods (methods of modeling and comparison) and methods and techniques of data acquisition (empirical knowledge method, case study and survey). For several decades, in the developed courtiers, and increasingly in the neighboring countries in the recent period, there has been high awareness of all the actors in planning and construction of multi-family housing buildings of the importance of individualization for this type of housing. Separation, isolation, seclusion and anonymity of users (needs characterizing contemporary urban housing) are demands for individualization in the fundamental sense. However, in a broader sense, individualization means recognition and analysis of all the characteristics of single-family housing which render it an attractive and desirable form of housing, and their implementation in the multi-family housing. Separate entrances to the apartments, large open areas belonging to them, organization of housing units in several levels, planning for the areas intended for mutual interaction of the residents are only some of them. The qualities of a single-family, within multi-family housing are achieved by implementing the modality of functional, spatial and formal organization of housing units and their environment present in the single-family housing. In Serbia nowadays, it is necessary to comprehensively approach the improvement of the quality of multi-family housing. Apart from the changes of economic-political and socialcultural conditions, which are out of the scope of direct action of the architects, it is necessary to change the designing approach but also the corresponding legal regulations. By implementing the individualization concept, acceptable housing densities in the city can be combined, as well as other advantage of multi-family housing and an always present desire for individuality and living in one’s own house, which would make multi-family housing a preferred form of housing. The research conducted within this paper indicates what is the users’ opinion and what their wishes are, when it comes to the individualization of multifamily housing - the tenants recognize the modalities of individualization, and reach affirmatively and create the priority lists when choosing their housing. Nevertheless, when it comes to the implementation of this concept, the codes, regulations, and standards which regulate the areas of housing building designing and housing districts arrangement should also be modernized, in several terms. In order for the architects to increasingly implement individualization modalities in the future designing of multi-family housing, it is necessary that they have the legal regulations support, which would provide a better understanding by the investors. In such conditions, the housing quality will certainly by improved, and thus, the users will be more satisfied. Multi-family housing is a necessary choice if increasing number of people is to be accommodated in the cities in a sustainable manner. This research indicates that the application of the individualization concept in the housing architecture - or the development of the model of single-family houses in multi-family housing - is a extremely useful approach of the growing problem of lacking housing space, sprawl of cities, need to affirm own individuality, etc. It suggests combining and modification of already known types and forms of single-family and multi-family housing construction and indicates that solutions within multi-family housing, which apart from their own, use the advantages of the single familyones, provide potential for individualization, humanization and improvement of the quality of this type of housing

Typological games in multi-family housing

Some typologies of contemporary residential housing are characterised by unclear or inconsistently applied classification rules, whereas typology, like a game, requires compliance with some rules. The fact of non-compliance with the rules may turn the typology into a meaningless game and deprive it of its seriousness

The State of Zoning for Multi-Family Housing in Greater Boston

After a pause during the Great Recession, housing costs began rising again as the shortage of homes identified in 2001 began to widen. In some degree, this is because of nationwide changes that have increased demand for apartments and homes on small lots, especially in walkable, transit-connected places. But Greater Boston is also a victim of its own success. The many attractive characteristics of our region are drawing new households by the thousands. Young adults are forming new families and older residents are less likely to flee to Florida and Arizona. Overall, the population of the region is growing – in fact, Massachusetts is the fastest growing state in the Northeast. The disinvestment and population declines of earlier decades have been reversed, and the benefits are overwhelmingly positive. But, if housing supply cannot keep up with demand, these gains could be lost.From 2010 to 2017, the Metropolitan Boston region added 245,000 new jobs, a 14 percent increase. Yet according to the best data available, cities and towns permitted only 71,600 housing units over that same time period, growth of only 5.2 percent. When supply of new housing does not keep pace with the growing demand created by new workers and young adults forming new households, there is more competition for the existing units. Low rental vacancy rates (just above half of normal) and low for-sale inventory (just above a third of normal) make it a landlord and sellers' market, allowing them to charge top dollar to the highest bidder. Continued demand for labor, driven by economic growth and the retirement of the Baby Boomers is likely to continue driving strong population growth and housing demand well into the future. Compounding the issue is the fact that Baby Boomers will continue to need housing well after they retire, but are stuck in large single family homes because there are very few affordable options to downsize.For more information: https://ma-smartgrowth.org/resources/resourcesreports-books

Development Plan for a Multi-Family Residential Building in San Luis Obispo

Real estate development is often regarded as a daunting effort that requires a large sum of time and money. However, a greater supply of multi-family housing will protect cities from this homelessness, lack of availability to education, along with poor mental and physical health conditions. This paper addresses methods in which any new developer can efficiently approach developing small-scale, multi-family housing in San Luis Obispo and see overall profitability. The initial research set forth provides interested parties with a generalized basis of the analysis of value, design considerations, and methods of savings involved in development. The research is then directly applied to a currently vacant, city-owned piece of land in San Luis Obispo which lays out each of the necessary components of development such as the feasibility study, creating a conceptual design for the structure, acquiring necessary approvals and permits, as well as the cost and profit analysis. The case study application identifies the best practices in multi-family development so that the developer can methodically approach their cooperation with the city in supplying affordable housing, while still seeing great return on their investment

Analysis of Economic Depreciation for Multi-Family Property

This paper uses a hedonic pricing model and National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries data to estimate economic depreciation for multi-family real estate. The findings indicate that investment grade multi-family housing depreciates approximately 2.7% per year in real terms based on total property value. This implies a depreciation rate for just the building of about 3.25% per year. With 2% inflation, this suggests a nominal depreciation rate of about 5.25% per year. Converted into a straight-line depreciation rate that has the same present value, this suggests a depreciable life of 30.5 years - as compared to 27.5 years allowed under the current tax laws. Thus, these laws are slightly favorable to multi-family properties by providing a tax depreciation rate that exceeds economic depreciation, which is in part due to inflation that has been less than expected during the past decade.