Supply and Demand Isn't So Simple

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In this issue: Chester Hartman Interview * Rx: Apples, Carrots, and Jobs

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Events

Integrating the Inner City with Robert Chaskin & Mark Joseph | San Francisco, CA | Wednesday, April 27 5:00pm - 7:00pm

The San Francisco Foundation hosts this conversation about the new book Integrating the Inner City: The Promise and Perils of Mixed-Income Public Housing Transformation. The authors will discuss the findings from their seven- year study of the mixed-income approach to public housing redevelopment, and the implications for current and future efforts at promoting racial and economic diversity in our neighborhoods and cities. Book signing to follow. Register here.

What It's Worth: Financial Health Is Public Health | Philadelphia, PA | Thursday, May 5
9:00am - 2:30pm

Speakers at this event--from CFED, the Penn Center for Public Health Initiatives, and two Federal Reserves--will examine the intricate link between financial and public health, and will explore promising solutions for public health and community development stakeholders to work together in building financial well-being. Emphasis will be placed on social disparities and initiatives targeting low-income populations. Learn more and register here.

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Supply and Demand Isn't So Simple

Peter Cohen, San Francisco Council of Community Housing Organizations

A supply-side approach will never work in the Mission. Here's why . . . More

Interview: Chester Hartman, Poverty & Race Research Action Council

Miriam Axel-Lute and Harold Simon, Shelterforce

In an interview with Shelterforce earlier this year, Chester Hartman, founder of the PRRAC, talked about his decades-long career in the housing field, and was quite outspoken about America's racial blindspot, structural inequality, and how learning institutions aren't doing enough to address those issues . . . More

Rx: Apples, Carrots, and Jobs

Bob Van Meter, Boston LISC

Put two unlikely partners in the same room, throw in the right amount of funding and a commitment to community, and amazing things can happen. Here's how . . . More

You Said It!

On Canada is Looking Better and Better (The Regent Park Story)

Examples of original HUD financed high rises that failed as rentals but were saved by conversion to housing cooperatives exist in Chicago, Illinois starting with Gill Park Cooperative . . . --Herb Fisher

If I recall correctly, the degrees of racial and economic segregation are not nearly as apartheid-like in Canada as they have been in the U.S.; and the problems with high rise public housing not as intense either. I've got a healthy skepticism whether . . . --Daniel Lauber

The cutting-edge design and dedication to building affordable housing was perhaps best captured by former legal services attorney Devereaux Bowly in his pictorial essay, "The Poorhouse: Subsidized Housing in Chicago 1895-1976". Devereaux tells us that for a long time in America it was public housing authorities that did cutting edge work . . . --Abbott Gorin

Author Reply

One point I'd like to clarify, which perhaps was not made clearly enough in my piece, is that the rebuilt Regent Park is NOT high-rise public housing. It is a high-density mixed-income, mixed-use community, which includes both high-rise and low-rise housing, within which about 30% of the units are subsidized housing. I share much of the skepticism about high-rise public housing, which tends to turn into untenable poverty concentrations. My point was, however, when creating mixed-income, mixed-use communities, density is not necessarily the enemy -- it may even be an asset. --Alan Mallach

Read and join the full discussion here

Thanks for raising this important issue. San Francisco has funded community organizing in the Tenderloin, Mission, Chinatown and Sixth Street for over 25 years. The legislative successes of the low-income residents of these communities might not have happened absent this public support.
--Randy Shaw on Government-Funded Organizing?

We have a similar system in the UK which is the Section 106 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), private developers have to provide a proportion of affordable housing on site (anything between 20 to 50% depending on local planning policy). The proportion of affordable housing is then . . .
-- Marc Jacquemond on Using the Wrong Tools to Build Affordable Housing

On Why We Must Build

As several previous commenters note, it seems quite hard to find studies or data demonstrating local negative impact on affordability from new market-rate housing -- even though this is considered self-evident by many . . . --Tim McCormick

I am not arguing here in favor (or against) of a moratorium (unless it is used as an organizing or negotiating tool to gain greater affordable housing resources). But, there is very little support for the notion that luxury units, or market rate units, are going to deliver truly affordable housing for anyone other than upper-middle or high-income households, especially at a NEIGHBORHOOD level . . . --Dan Immergluck

Read and join the full discussion here

Looking for a Job?

Research Manager

The Research Manager has primary responsibility for designing and implementing our research program in order to advance best practices and innovations in housing programs and policies that lead to lasting affordability and more inclusive communities. S/he will oversee all aspects of Research, including . . . Read Full Listing

Rental Housing Development Program Manager

The role of this position is to ensure line-of-business activities result in successful projects and support the mission and business objectives of Community Frameworks and our clients, and to actively participate in project development work. The Manager is skilled in real estate/affordable housing development and finance, in leadership . . . Read Full Listing

Community Development Director

The CD Director will prepare assessments and inventories of existing community conditions and resources potentially useful for revitalization and related projects in cooperation with local businesses, community-based groups, individual residents, appropriate city departments and other nonprofit organizations . . . Read Full Listing

Director - Homebuilding & Stabilization

This position requires a breadth and depth of real estate experience, and a genuine commitment to the mission of building and preserving quality housing and transforming communities. Responsible for leading all single-family real estate development activities for the organization, including integration with broader neighborhood stabilization . . . Read Full Listing


Project Manager The Project Manager will work in the Tenant Purchase Program on tenant opportunity to purchase TOPA projects, managing 4-6 projects & overseeing tenant organizing, financing, and renovation of the buildings. Through this program, Mi Casa has prevented the displacement of over 1,000 people, and supported and empowered tenants to . . . Read Full Listing	Associate Director, Affordable Homeownership CFED is a national nonprofit with a mission of empowering low- and moderate-income households to build and preserve assets. We seek a proven leader who combines a depth of affordable housing policy experience and project management know-how, who thrives on collaboration, curiosity, and . . . Read Full Listing