We are hard wired as humans to solve problems. Sometimes we are methodical and devise strategies and other times we just do it because it is simple and needs to be done. As I have worked in government for several years sometimes I find the need for a more methodical way of attacking an issue… Read More Lean in Public Housing: How Do You Solve a Problem?
There are so many dedicated professionals working on the homeless issue around the world that we can sometimes forget to stop and appreciate the hard work and innovation. Below are 5 interesting programs, developments or ideas that have been implemented around the world. Hyper Aggressive Housing First in Finland: Finland as a country made housing… Read More 5 Game Changing Homeless Programs and Developments from Around the World
Evan Station Lofts-Denver, Colorado: This is some slick affordable workforce housing at its finest. Located at a transit station and in a mixed income development, this is a spot anyone would want to live at. Evans Station Lofts is a five-story development with 50 residential workforce units and 7,100 square feet of retail and commercial… Read More 5 Awesome Examples of Affordable Housing Architecture in Europe and the USA
Public and affordable housing in the USA is always at risk of budget cuts and over-regulation. Our cries as an industry for more funding and attention are often ignored. Below is a mixture of theoretical high level ideas and concepts to shake up the industry. I do realize these ideas might come off as flippant… Read More 5 Radically Different Ideas to Change Public Housing
How do Social and Public Housing Associations respond to tenant needs? It is hard to imagine a better example of responsiveness to tenant needs than what is taking place in Copenhagen. I recently met Ulia Gregor who works for a large social housing organization called DAB Copenhagen. In fact, her organization has over 50,000 units.… Read More Great Advice from Denmark on Supporting Social Housing Tenant Rights
Housing authorities across the USA are always trying to develop or redevelop new or existing affordable housing. In some cases, these redevelopments are multi-million and even billion dollar real estate deals. In these instances, the redevelopment brings jobs, infrastructure and opportunities to areas that might be economically depressed. Lets examine three of the larger projects… Read More 3 Massive Public Housing Redevelopments Taking Place in the USA
I recently met and heard from Carina Dantas who works with and in the social housing and aging industry within Portugal. She spoke at the International Housing Festival about demographic change within social housing. Mrs. Dantas let us know that the aging population is growing dramatically not only in Portugal but all around the world.… Read More Growing Old in Place: Can Housing Providers Find an Answer?
There are often complaints that the public sector is not innovative enough or is far behind the private sector. While there is truth in that statement, there are still hundreds of housing authorities around the world trying out and experimenting with new ideas to help the citizens and residents of their communities. Here are a… Read More 5 Brilliant Public Housing Innovations
I recently had a chance to meet and hear from Dr. Rudiger Ahrend the head for the Urban Programme in the OECD’s Directorate for Public Governance and Territorial Development. He gave a presentation at Housing Europe’s yearly conference regarding the rise of large cities and the challenges that it presents for housing. Dr. Ahrend… Read More How the National vs. Local Disconnect is Harming Cities
I recently had a chance to meet and hear from Dr. Rudiger Ahrend the head for the Urban Programme in the OECD’s Directorate for Public Governance and Territorial Development. He gave a presentation at Housing Europe’s yearly conference regarding the rise of large cities and the challenges that it presents for housing. Dr. Ahrend… Read More Housing Policy: How the National vs. Local Disconnect is Harming Cities
Housing Futures 