How Can Cities More Effectively Accommodate and Fund Affordable Housing Systems like those in NYC
Advisor: Daniel Tejada
My research examines the potential for urban centers, specifically Los Angeles and Detroit, to enhance their affordable housing stock through the establishment of public trust funds. These funds would be initiated and funded by municipal and state governments, supplemented by federal assistance. The study analyzes the structural and financial mechanisms that could underpin such initiatives, exploring their implications for housing equity and urban resilience.
Project Blog
Week 0: Introduction to Project
I wanted to start off by saying how grateful I am to be doing this senior project, as it makes a huge impact on the world and community. I was inspired by my grandmother's struggles to find affordable housing. I hope to find a way to fund new affordable housing. I also plan to begin working with NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) and talk to many senior members of the affordable housing department to better understand their roles in the affordable housing landscape and the unique solutions being thought of every day.
Week 1: Research Papers
In this week's blog, I began to read more research papers that proposed unique solutions to affordable housing in NYC. In addition, I am also keeping up to date with the current NYC affordable housing news, mainly with Mayor Adams' City of Yes plan, which aims to increase access to affordable housing through better funding and environmentally stable and sustainable infrastructure. One of the research paper's I read this weeks details how although the short term electricity costs of "green infrastructure" such as better insulation, gardens, and environmentally friendly water pumps, are higher, they decrease long-term costs for developers since the residents don't have to spend as much on heating because of the better insulation. This type of green infrastructure is only beginning to appear in cities in the U.S and was mainly used in affordable housing in Europe.
Weeks 2-4
In the past few weeks, a lot has been happening with my senior project. Firstly, I have set up a site visit to the newly renovated Chelsey and Elliot Housing complexes in Manhattan. This is the ground-breaking new affordable housing complex that Mayor Adams has spotlighted in his City of Yes program. He plans to demolish many old and falling-apart houses in the housing complex and rebuild them, with environmentally friendly infrastructure, like insulation, and more gardens. Although I have had the pleasure of learning about the changes online, I have yet to speak to a resident of the complex. That is why I have set up the site visit to interview a resident firsthand on their opinions of the renovations and their overall experience in the affordable housing lottery. Secondly, I have interviewed with a close family member who also lives in affordable housing in NYC, in the Purdy Street Apartments (Parkchester Gardens). I will add the key highlights and a few questions I asked to my senior project shortly. In the interview, I talk to the resident about their experience with the affordable housing system, its difficulties, and their lifestyle changes since moving into an affordable apartment. During these past few weeks, I have also looked into more research regarding affordable housing around the world and how cities can raise money for it. There have been many interesting propositions, such as in California, where one individual proposed an investment fund with the government to fund affordable housing, since the main problem is raising funds for affordable housing. I am discovering new research daily, whether on Google Scholar, Jstor, or even the local news.
Week 5
This week was spent reading a report from UVA about the state of affordable housing in Charlottesville. I'll summarize it here:
The Orange Dot Project 4.0 highlights that 17% of Charlottesville-area families can't afford basic needs, and Black families are disproportionately represented. Over 1,000 job-seekers have been connected to good jobs via Network2Work@PVCC, with 85% placed in jobs. Neighborhood connectors, employer partnerships, and supportive services like childcare and transportation support are leveraged in the program. To further reduce poverty, the report recommends local buying, Open Hiring, universal pre-K, housing affordability, access to capital, and more homeownership opportunities to help 4,000 families become self-sufficient by 2026. For reference, the report's name is the Orange Dot Project. It is a prime example of the problem of affordable housing being outside cities and what universities are doing to combat it. This approach could be similar to a proposed solution in NYC, which would help disadvantaged groups such as the African-American community.
Week 6
This week was very focused on the core of my senior project- RAD (Rental Assistance Demonstration). This is an upcoming proposal that helps developers improve their affordable housing projects. With the amount of complexes in the U.S, many have fallen into disrepair. RAD lets housing authorities bring private investment (like loans or tax credits) to pay for renovations. This will have some effects on residents, like having them continue to pay 30% of their income for rent (just like traditional public housing), but the funding source shifts. Their rights are protected — they don’t lose housing and have the right to return after renovations. This new money can be used to repair or even add new space to the existing affordable housing complex. I plan to add more to the PowerPoint about how RAD can be used to repair housing complexes and make more space in the complex for more residents.
Week 7
In this week's senior project, I focused heavily on upcoming solutions and continued putting together my PowerPoint presentation, which I am so excited to be sharing with everyone on how affordable housing can be better managed and run. I have met with several of my father's co-workers at NYCHA and a few officials from HUD to talk about the new proposed solution: RAD. To further prove that this solution could be useful, I have also continued to search for studies about RAD and its effects in more suburban environments (like the ones found in and around Los Angeles).
Outside of my senior project, I have continued helping more people with my organization, Get Home SAFE, and have even helped one get housing! I have also continued updating my blog outside of school (YIMBY Housing) regarding anything interesting I find about affordable housing and any interesting new studies on it, whether it be inside or outside of NYC or the U.S.
Week 8
In this week's senior project, I have continued to hone my skills in PowerPoint and have now read many research papers relating to RAD and how the early stages of testing have already proven effective in solving affordable housing in small communities. In one particular research paper, a small developer in Dallas, Texas, was approved for the HUD program and saw massive increases in funding, thereby leading to more room, modern renovations, and upkeep, as well as increased residential happiness and satisfaction.
While this next study doesn't exactly deal with RAD itself, it does deal with resident happiness and health, which are important factors in considering the design of affordable housing. Studies have shown that residents who live in mixed-income communities generally experience better brain and mental health, which in turn benefits cardiovascular health. This effect is increased by the presence of some kind of outdoor/green space in apartment buildings.
Week 9
In this week's blog post, I will discuss my accomplishments related to my senior project presentation. I am putting the finishing touches on the PowerPoint slide and will have the final draft ready for Mr. Tejada's review, as well as my father's review to double-check all the facts and statistics I have gathered. The finishing touches include font size, selecting images, integrating interviews into my senior project, and a new section I am including, titled "An International Solution to Affordable Housing and Its Funding." I will touch more upon this in the next paragraph. I have also continued to update my personal blog and website, which again, touches on issues of affordable housing in and out of the U.S.
Vienna’s affordable housing system is one of the best in the world. Around 60% of the city’s residents live in subsidized housing, much of it municipally owned or publicly supported through limited-profit housing associations (and about a 1% tax for all residents). The city invests heavily in social housing construction, maintains strict rent controls, and emphasizes architectural quality and social integration. This development occurred during a period of communist mayors in Vienna in the 1950s, who prioritized housing and social services, which continue to be implemented today. Importantly, access is based on income ceilings that include a broad middle class, preventing stigmatization and promoting socioeconomic diversity.
Week 10
In this week's senior project, I have completed the final draft of the project, with the exception of one slide, regarding the City of Vienna housing program. I have run the final presentation by my mother (who frequently works in PowerPoint in her job) and my father (an industry expert who can fact-check/add any final suggestions for the project). I look forward to sharing my research with the rest of the school community, and I hope to pursue a similar study or pursue a career like this in college!