New Updates on PD&R Edge

INTERNATIONAL & PHILANTHROPIC SPOTLIGHT

Global Cities and Affordable Housing: Buenos Aires
As with many global cities, affordable housing is a pressing challenge for residents of Buenos Aires, made worse for renters by the 2023 devaluation of the peso. A range of programs are working toward improving affordability, such as the Procrear II program, which supports the creation of new public spaces and infrastructure and complements the National Urban Land Plan, which makes land available for housing construction. Another program, the Self-Managed Housing Program, is a unique government initiative that empowers low-income residents to work as a community, organize to acquire land, access comprehensive technical support for architectural and construction planning, and receive substantial financial aid to purchase building materials.

IN PRACTICE

Adaptive Reuse Creates Affordable Housing for Grandparents and Grandchildren
Mill Street Square in Paterson, New Jersey, addresses the city’s urgent need for affordable family housing, particularly for households with grandparents raising grandchildren. The project transformed a vacant textile warehouse into 74 affordable rental units, with additional support services for custodial grandparents. The development blends historic preservation (consulting with a historian at Public Archaeology Laboratory) with modern building standards (including energy-efficient components and solar panels), incorporating the former mill building and two historic houses into the design.