Creating Community Impact with Affordable Housing Design

Right now, the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates that the U.S. is short more than seven million affordable homes for the more than 10 million low-income families across the country.

With housing being a key ingredient in increasing economic mobility and ending intergenerational poverty, Cooper Carry believes that great?affordable housing?design can truly transform our communities for the better. We’ve been fortunate to work with some great clients, as of late, on the design of award-winning community spaces and multifamily projects that are inclusive, accessible, affordable, and aesthetically pleasing.

Affordable Housing Design for Social Equity

Carpenter’s Shelter + The Bloom at Braddock?exemplifies a story of transformation. Carpenter’s Shelter provides support and accommodations to people experiencing homelessness. When their original building, an old DMV facility, was no longer fitting their needs, the shelter began searching for new options and, with the help of the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation, a public-private partnership was formed between the homeless shelter and a new affordable housing community, The Bloom at Braddock. The joining of both groups under one roof will ultimately help individuals who are transitioning from homelessness to a stable living situation. The new facility now occupies 163,000 square feet (SF) in the up-and-coming Braddock Metro neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Affordable housing doesn’t just mean that all housing in one neighborhood is affordable. That is an outdated model and leads to areas with very little investment because the residents don’t have much disposable income, so other community amenities like grocery and retail are not built,” said?Kyle Reis, President and CEO of Cooper Carry.?

Certain steps need to be taken to ensure the integration of affordable housing is met with grace and social equity in mind. The design shouldn’t signal what is affordable housing and what isn’t – this can lead to discomfort and equity issues across the mix of residents.

?? Read more about our award-winning community spaces and multifamily projects that are inclusive, accessible, affordable, and aesthetically pleasing in our latest Cooper Carry Insights article, Creating Community Impact with Affordable Housing Design.