New Updates on The Edge on 03/25/2014

New on The Edge

Message from PD&R Senior Leadership:
CDBG Turns 40
In August of this year, HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Program will mark its 40-year anniversary. Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary Todd M. Richardson introduces a series of articles assembled in a special edition of Housing Policy Debate that explore the program’s history along with emerging issues.

Research:
Promoting Accessibility in Disaster Relief Housing
For individuals with mobility limitations, natural disasters can prevent unique challenges if their temporary housing does not meet their mobility needs. A new PD&R report, “Design Details for Accessible Disaster Relief Housing,” describes design considerations that enable accessibility for disaster survivors living in temporary housing.

In Practice:
Public-Private Partnership Funds Affordable Housing near Transit
A new development in Mountain View, California is expanding affordable housing opportunities for very low-income households in the heart of Silicon Valley. The Franklin Street Family Apartments includes 51 units of affordable housing in the city’s downtown, providing families with access to transportation, services, and other amenities.

Policy Update:
Vacant and Abandoned Properties: Turning Liabilities into Assets
Vacant and abandoned properties present tremendous challenges in neighborhoods across the country. Increasingly, cities and communities are using data to inform the use of limited resources and are deploying a variety of strategies that fit with local conditions. As practitioners experiment with creative new uses of formerly vacant and abandoned properties, researchers will need to identify cost-effective, sustainable strategies for reuse.