Transformative Housing Strategies for 2024
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KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Data-driven policy recommendations in California
Throughout the year, we’ve been working with CLEE and The Nature Conservancy to analyze whether and how Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) might serve as a climate equity strategy. TDR is an innovative planning tool that allows for the preservation of open space and natural lands while increasing housing density in urban areas.
Using UrbanFootprint, we’ve modeled the impacts of a proposed TDR policy in four different locations across the state to help the California Air Resources Board (CARB) better understand the potential for greenhouse gas reductions and other socioeconomic and ecological benefits resulting from TDR.
IMPACT: Our findings have clearly indicated the potential of TDR to reduce emissions across the state, through decreased driving and lower residential energy demand, plus a host of co-benefits such as household cost savings, open space conservation, and reduced water use. We’ve been working with our team of TDR experts throughout December to put together a suite of policy recommendations to the State in line with our findings, and are looking forward to seeing what positive changes come as a result!
Contact our innovative urban planners to design custom data analysis solutions for your area.
PLACE Community Assessments in Eastern Kentucky
PLACE Initiative, an intersectional climate equity nonprofit led by our Managing Director, Garlynn Woodsong, has had its biggest year yet! Our team at Woodsong Associates has led grant writing efforts throughout the year, resulting in a $50,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to conduct a series of community planning workshops in four coal-impacted communities in Eastern Kentucky.
IMPACT: Our first two PLACE Assessment workshops under the grant were held at the beginning of December for the communities of Floyd County and Grayson, KY. The workshops reviewed the PLACE Principles as a framework for assessing community readiness, and with some light visioning work, unveiled strategies to chart out a new path forward for more equitable, sustainable growth in communities hard-hit by the decline of the coal industry.
Contact us to find out how a PLACE Community Assessment can help your community build readiness to take full advantage of all its unique opportunities.
Building up Small Developers in California
PLACE Initiative is currently underway with some exciting work to bring more training opportunities to emerging small developers in Sacramento and Alameda County, built upon our previous work with Build It Green. In partnership with StopWaste, the City of Sacramento, Build It Green, and the Incremental Development Alliance, this initiative is meant to help establish the base of small developers needed to build the infill housing necessary to solve the climate and housing crises.
IMPACT: These concurrently-running pilot projects include a free introductory lecture, followed by a full day workshop in each of the two locations, aimed at providing newcomers with an intro into the world of property development. We’re continuing to strategize funding sources and program structures to turn this initiative into ongoing programs to enable long-term change.
We’d love to bring this initiative to you! Get in touch to see how we might be able to make it happen.
LOOKING AHEAD
As we move into the new year, we’re looking forward to working with the City of Bethlehem (Pennsylvania) and Lehigh University to help the City develop and adopt Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) zoning regulations. ADUs are a unique housing solution that support generational wealth building, compact, walkable places, and housing affordability, among many things.
Our work will incorporate the unique context of the community and build on the Alley House Program to uncover locally-sensitive best practices that allow residents to take full advantage of the many benefits of ADUs!
IN THE NEWS
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Schedule an introductory meeting today, to learn more about how our visionary team of experts can help solve your city or organization’s complex climate adaptation needs.
We're always open to diversifying our client base and making new connections!