Peak Architects Ltd’s Post

If George Peabody were alive today his housing for the poor would never be built. My first flat was in a Peabody estate, built in Victorian times. It was small and up five flights of stairs. But it was mine. My first step on the ladder of life. You still see those charming blocks around inner London. Simple, yes, but beautiful in their own way. And I can’t help think…. They would never be built today. I’m not talking about space/eco/access standards etc. In mean *in principle* they would never happen. A philanthropic businessperson would never want the hell of the planning system. Planning committees would never approve them on the scale needed thanks to NIMBY pressure. “Rabbit hutches!” “Not compliant!” But I tell you one thing: They would be *off the scale* popular electorally. #housing #planning

Kenny Lyons & Associates, in conjunction with LUC Urban Design  and TOBIN Engineers recently published/ produced a Part 8 Planning proposal for Longford County Council for the Pobal le Cheile Project located in Ballymahon. Longford County Council together with the Ballymahon Town Team, Bridgeways Family Resource Centre, Ballymahon Day Care Centre, and Ballymahon Men’s Shed have been successful in securing funding through the Department of Rural and Community Development, Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) for this project. The scheme involves the re-purposing of a number of existing vacant and partially occupied buildings for active Community use. The project will place these buildings at the heart of the town as they will play a key role in delivery of necessary social services.   Community resources will be consolidated within the Former Convent of Mercy, the Dean Egan Library, and the former Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Colmcille School House, to create a cluster of activity within Ballymahon. Some of these buildings are protected structures. All three buildings are to be refurbished, extended as necessary with the public realm between them enhanced to create a hive of activity and a sense of place within the town. A new community hall on the grounds of the Former Convent of Mercy has also been proposed along with parking and a set-down area. It is hoped the project will cater for the wide range of needs within the community by creating space for the expansion of services while offering opportunities for the provision of new community supports into the future. #planning #community #regeneration

Let’s talk about the responsibilities of an HOA board, how you can benefit, and how you can be an involved resident… Our communities are more than just neighborhoods. In many ways, it’s a lot like being in business. Collectively, your regular annual assessments amount to tens of thousands of dollars that need to be budgeted carefully and spent wisely. And your neighbors who have volunteered and been elected to serve on the association’s board are responsible for making critical decisions—on your behalf—about managing the community and your money. Your board also develops long-range plans—like when the parking lot will need to be repaved and when the elevators will need to be replaced—about the parts of the community that are shared property. The board must set aside funds so that these kinds of projects can be accomplished on schedule or even ahead of schedule in the event there’s an unexpected breakdown. The board also sends out requests for bids and contracts with vendors to do the work necessary to maintain our shared amenities. Board members decide who will do the best job of replacing the roof at the best price or who will be the most reliable company to hire to mow the grass and remove dead tree limbs. The board’s decisions can have a significant impact on the community’s appearance and, consequently, on your property values. Be sure to communicate with the board regularly, observe board meetings, and attend annual meetings to elect responsible board members and to participate in the conversations about significant community issues. #buckscountypa #montgomerycountypa #philadelphiapa #condo #hoa #propertymanagement #homeowner #warminster #newtown #levittown #hatborohorsham #northwales

We’ve always advocated for retrofit first. This article puts that even more starkly in the context of the imperative to not build new. Now Then Magazine - Opus #retrofit #housing #notesfromasmallpractice

Even when people try to do the right thing, NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) gets in the way. ============" In San Jose, Calif., the average cost to build just one unit of low-income housing shot up by 24% in 2022 alone, hitting a new high of $938,700, or roughly what it costs to buy a three-bedroom bungalow there, according to an October report commissioned by the city. San Francisco permitted 856 housing units this year through October. New Braunfels, Texas, which is one-eighth the size of San Francisco by population, permitted 1,940 units in the same period, according to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development." https://lnkd.in/gTMzs_mS

Will this kind of trend, from both public and private funds, be the solution for #housing woes? From inner cities to suburbs, as well as outer ring communities and second home markets - can all-price-point redevelopment drive the biggest economic and social boon in a hundred years? #infill #realestate #newconstruction #zoning #hardassets https://lnkd.in/gXE2f24Y

Will this kind of trend, from both public and private funds, be the solution for #housing woes? From inner cities to suburbs, as well as outer ring communities and second home markets - can all-price-point redevelopment drive the biggest economic and social boon in a hundred years? #infill #realestate #newconstruction #zoning #hardassets

Check out the article Cali Slepin and I wrote about the importance of small building preservation! Preserving small buildings—and keeping them affordable through community or nonprofit ownership—is a cost-effective way to curb displacement and gentrification, support vibrant neighborhoods, and keep residents in their homes. This is part of work the work of the Small Buildings Collaborative to identify and test solutions for preserving small affordable housing properties in Washington, DC. https://lnkd.in/ewQURTn5

Did you know that the Phius Passive Building Standard has targets specific to the tiny home typology that are actually more practical and achievable than the other typologies? I understand there are significant incentives to meet Phius Passive Building Standards in CO...might want to to give this a try 🖕 #phius #tinyhome #phiuscon #passivebuilding #zeroenergy #zerocarbon #climateaction #resilience

Casey Kleinhenz made some very valid points about the success of this project. Affordable housing is not accomplished by building low quality housing. This project was accomplished through a lot of work by community leadership, philanthropy, municipal support. You never see that work, or the capital that is deployed at lower returns to meet the community needs. Affordable housing doesn’t just happen by miracle, a lot of people work on it. I’m seeing that first hand. I’m getting ideas on how the industry can define a process for impacting design and construction costs. Trey Williams leads the Multi Family team at Buffalo Builders, LLC. If you seek to develop a multi family project, talk with him early in the process. He can work with your design team on cost options during design so that budget and materials and methods align from the beginning. Controlling costs flows to lower rents and ROI both or lower rents alone depending on your goals. #affordablehousing #affordability #buffalobuilders #Downtownspringdale #buffalobuilt #GroundworkNWA #workforcehousing #NWArk