New Updates on The Edge

Message from PD&R Leadership:
Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings
In the leadership message, director of PD&R's Office for International and Philanthropic Innovation Cynthia Campbell examines the adaptive reuse of historic buildings, using the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy, as an example. Campbell describes the history of the Embassy, which is located on a site that was in use as a residence as early as the first century A.D., and relays some of the considerations required to render the property suitable for modern use. Nearly all of the properties owned or leased by the State Department around the world were built for other purposes and later adapted.

Trending:
Summary of U.S. Housing Market Conditions: 1Q2018
Each quarter, PD&R produces a report that highlights key statistics and trends in the housing market. In the first quarter of 2018, apartment market conditions were balanced, and the home sales market ranged from balanced to tight in much of the country. The overall unemployment rate was down slightly in comparison the first quarter of 2017, and the national foreclosure rate continued to decline. To create the quarterly report, PD&R analyzes data from sources including HUD, the Census Bureau, the National Association of Realtors^®, and more.

In Practice:
New Austin Studio Apartments House Musicians and Vulnerable Populations
Bluebonnet Studios, a $20 million development that opened in late 2016, provides services and 107 affordable units in the rapidly gentrifying South Lamar neighborhood of Austin, Texas. The project serves low-income musicians, individuals experiencing homelessness, veterans, and young adults who have aged out of foster care. Local nonprofit Foundation Communities is the developer, owner, operator, and primary service provider.

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