LISC Promotes Elements of Good Housing Design in New Publication

Brochure focuses on value of good design in affordable housing

13 Dec 2004 - New York, NY

LISC, a national non-profit supporter and funder of community economic development initiatives, with financial support from Citigroup, has produced a brochure entitled Good Design: The Best Kept Secret in Community Development.

The publication focuses on the importance of incorporating good design into the building of affordable housing and highlights a new web-based tool, the Affordable Housing Design Advisor, created by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the help of LISC and other community development organizations. Copies of the Good Design publication can be obtained by e-mailing LISC at publications@lisc.org.

Good Design: The Best Kept Secret in Community Development describes what good design is, why it's essential to affordable housing that works, and who's responsible for making it happen. The publication states the goals of good design in affordable housing are:

• To meet the needs of its occupants
• To understand and respond to buildings physical context
• To enhance the neighborhoods in which they are built
• To create developments which are built to last

Good Design dispels the myth that well-designed affordable housing is costly. In fact, with the various restraints that are placed on the development of affordable housing, higher design quality may be the single most cost-effective strategy currently available to improve the quality, asset value, and acceptance of affordable housing.

The publication cites numerous developments across the country, many supported directly by LISC, which have created top-level affordable housing developments by applying good design principles. Projects are located in places including: Los Angeles; Chicago; Brooklyn; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Albany, New York.

About LISC

LISC combines corporate, government and philanthropic resources to help nonprofit community development corporations revitalize underserved neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has raised more than $6 billion to build or rehab nearly 160,000 affordable homes and develop 25 million square feet of retail, community and educational space nationwide.

Article Type: Press Release