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Message from PD&R Leadership:
Five Things I have learned from a year in Government
For the past year, Richard Green has served as the Senior Advisor on Housing Finance in HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research. In this column, Green reflects on his experiences working within HUD and presents his insights on what works and what could work better.

In Practice:
Bennington Area Habitat for Humanity Builds Affordable, Energy-Efficient Homes in Manchester, Vermont
In 2011, the Bennington Area Habitat for Humanity (BAHH) purchased an 11.4-acre tract on Manchester's Jennifer Lane. The large land purchase, unprecedented for BAHH, allowed the organization to subdivide the tract, sell 11 lots to a local developer for market-rate housing, and keep the remaining lots to build 11 homes for low-income families. As of May 2016, BAHH has installed infrastructure and completed 7 of the 11 homes for families who would otherwise not have access to homeownership.

Trending:
Southwest Border Colonias: Housing and Sustainable Development in the 21st Century
In June 2016, housing advocates; nonprofit developers; and representatives from academia, local and state governments, HUD, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas gathered for the Southwest Border Regional Conference, the last of five U.S. convenings held in preparation for Habitat III. Residents of area colonias, unincorporated settlements located along the U.S. border with Mexico, attended the conference and provided perspective on the housing and community development issues colonias face.

Policy Update:
Increasing Access to Sustainable Mortgages for Low-Income Borrowers
Homeownership is an important avenue for building wealth in the United States, particularly among low-income and minority households. Since the foreclosure crisis, traditional lenders have tightened lending standards and restricted credit access for lower-income borrowers with less–than–pristine credit. This article examines three organizations — Homewise, Self– Help, and MassHousing — that expand access to safe and affordable credit and sustainable homeownership for low-income and minority households.