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This Seattle Affordable Housing Project Is a Transit Rider's Dream

Josh Cohen

July 23, 2021 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Affordable housing a stone’s throw from accessible public transportation is the dream. It’s now becoming a reality for some lucky residents in Seattle.

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The problem fueling the essential housing crisis and how to fix it

Jamie Boll Jessica Dyer

June 25, 2021 |

WBTV-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte's tight housing market can prove unaffordable to young professionals, with high rents equal to half a person's income. The "essential housing" niche, a middle ground between luxury homes and lower-cost "affordable" housing, provides an opportunity to economize on construction costs and pass those savings on to renters. Fewer apartment floor plan options and fancy amenities can translate into rents up to $700 less, a marketing strategy that has given the developer a strong rental business – and its younger customers a relative bargain in an expensive market.

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As Paradise Rebuilds, It's Also Preparing for the Next Fire

Colleen Hagerty

May 04, 2021 |

Sierra Club |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Paradise, California

After the 2018 Camp Fire that tore through the town of Paradise, California, local residents are starting to rebuild. As of April, the town issued nearly 1,500 building permits. They’re also implementing a plan to remove trees that pose a safety concern for residents, which has been an extensive coordination effort between federal, state, and local government officials. Housing prices in the area have increased significantly making it difficult for some people to rebuild, but some organizations are working to help those that want to return to the area.

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Housing nonprofit provides essential home repairs to Cuyahoga County residents

Collin Cunningham

April 26, 2021 |

The Land |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cleveland, Ohio

A housing nonprofit connects contractors with homeowners in need of urgent repairs. Tax-funded grant dollars are used for crucial projects that affect a resident’s health and safety so that people are not displaced. The initiative prevents homeowners on a fixed income from losing their homes due to unexpected expenses.

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Crypto power: Can solar boost cheap, green homes in S.Africa?

Kim Harrisberg

April 22, 2021 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: South Africa, Cape Town

Watergate Estate is working on two issues in South Africa: affordable housing and renewable energy. The housing development is installing solar panels for its residents that are being bought by people all over the world using cash or bitcoin as a way to offset their own carbon costs. Not everyone agrees that gated communities like this are helping to fight social inequalities, crime, and unemployment, but about 470 people bought solar cells for the apartment complex and some residents say they feel safer in their community.

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Energiesprong wants every home to be net-zero

Willem Marx

April 20, 2021 |

Hothouse Solutions |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: France, Hem

Inspired by the Dutch concept of “Energiesprong,” or “energy jump,” a developer in France retrofitted a group of townhouses for social housing to be more environmentally friendly. They installed polyurethane facades to avoid heat loss and solar panels on the roof. Upgrading the units to be more green cost more than a conventional retrofit, but over time, energy bills were cut in half. These green retrofits are being implemented in towns around the world and could be a model for developers that want to reduce their carbon footprints.

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The Hottest Amenity From Developers? A Power Plant Made of Batteries.

Patrick Sisson

March 03, 2021 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Salt Lake City, Utah

An apartment complex in Utah includes a solar battery in every apartment allowing the resident, power utility, and building developer to save costs for generating electricity. Through a unique partnership, the power systems can provide 12.6 megawatts of power for the building, which translates into residents saving up to 40 percent on the energy bills. This setup might not be easy to scale, but the developer plans to expand the model in other states.

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Wales's "One Planet" Policy Is Transforming Rural Life

Oliver Gordon

February 12, 2021 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Wales, Pembrokeshire

Wales’ One Planet Development Policy allows people to live a more sustainable lifestyle by using only the resources on the land where they reside. For one family, they get their electricity from their own solar array, heat from firewood, and food from their gardens and livestock. Each year, they must prove that they are using only their “global fair share” of resources. So far, 46 farms have signed on to the program and the lessons learned from the experiment are helping to inform the government’s actions on other policies like housing.

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Health Care Institutions Invest in Tenant Protections for Community Health

Alex Williamson

February 12, 2021 |

Shelterforce |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Hospitals and other health care institutions across the United States are investing funds into surrounding communities to tackle issues that directly impact them: Housing stability. They’re funding campaigns that strengthen tenant protections due to the direct link between health outcomes and housing stability.

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The country rejecting throwaway culture

Peter Yeung

January 28, 2021 |

BBC |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: France, Paris

Paris hosts a dozen "repair cafes," which are free, monthly events where residents can fix household objects and electronics with the help and advice of volunteers. The events usually have about 25 attendees who seek to limit the vast amounts of household waste, particularly E-waste, by repairing broken electronics and appliances. France's National Assembly also introduced an index of "repairability" ratings for appliances such as washing machines, lawnmowers, televisions and smartphones, in hopes of increasing the percentage of electronics that are repaired rather than discarded.

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