New Updates on The Edge

Message from PD&R Leadership:
Community Gardens Can Help Increase Food Security
In the leadership message, director of PD&R’s International and Philanthropic Affairs Division Cynthia Campbell discusses the role that community gardens can play in combatting food insecurity, a problem that is on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. In her discussion, Campbell highlights several innovative food access programs involving community and home gardens, distribution of or collection from fruit trees, and other direct-production methods of generating fresh food.

Trending:
COVID-19 Risk Factors Among HUD-Assisted Renters
In the trending article, Janet Li of PD&R’s Public Finance and Regulatory Analysis Division discusses HUD-assisted tenants and this population’s risk of contracting or becoming seriously ill from COVID-19. Using data from HUD’s Picture of Subsidized Households and the American Housing Survey, Li examines how HUD-assisted renters compare to the general population in terms of the prevalence of health risk factors such as advanced age. Li concludes that HUD-assisted tenants, and those eligible for but not receiving assistance, are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 risks.

In Practice:
The Watson’s Mixed-Income Approach Provides Workforce Housing in Quincy, Massachusetts
Opened in 2019, the Watson is a 140-unit, $44 million apartment building serving tenants with a mixed range of incomes in Quincy, Massachusetts. The four-story project, which offers market-rate, low-income, and moderate-income workforce units, was developed in partnership by WinnCompanies and NeighborWorks Housing Solutions with funding from a range of sources, including the state’s Workforce Housing Initiative. The Watson features ample outdoor space and is located close to an MBTA red line station.

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