New Updates on The Edge - 06/03/2014

New on The Edge

Message from Senior Leadership:
Thoughts at the Start
New Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research Katherine O’Regan discusses the work of her predecessors to shape and expand PD&R’s research efforts and shares highlights from her first week with PD&R, including news that the Office will soon be hiring for several positions!

Research:
Understanding Housing Challenges and Supports for Former Foster Youth
Youth aging out of foster care face unique burdens as they transition to adulthood with limited emotional and financial supports. HUD recently published the results of a research study, “Housing for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care,” that reviewed the housing challenges former foster youth face and the programs available to this population.

In Practice:
Wyoming’s First LEED Gold-Certified Affordable Multifamily Housing Development
The redevelopment of a once-dilapidated and condemned apartment complex in Casper, Wyoming is setting a new standard for sustainability in the state. The 44-unit Sunshine Apartments is the first LEED Gold-certified multifamily project in Wyoming, providing affordable housing to very low-income households.

Policy Update:
Targeting Strategies for Neighborhood Development
Determining how best to allocate limited funds in neighborhoods with different distress levels and investment needs is a critical component of efforts to combat vacancy and redevelop cities. Strategies are emerging for evaluating degrees of neighborhood distress and targeting responses that reflect a community’s unique market conditions.