Grassroots groups becoming a force in housing advocacy

A growing movement of grassroots organizing to support new housing construction is having an impact in city halls across the country.

Fed up with high housing costs and the commonly hostile reception to new housing proposals, advocacy groups have sprung up in many communities to attend public meetings to speak in support of developments. A Boston University housing researcher quoted in a Boston Globe article says these groups are having a notable impact on housing politics in Massachusetts.

The nationwide YIMBY (Yes in My Backyard) movement has helped to prompt zoning changes in many states, both red and blue. While some states including Massachusetts, which recently implemented a rezoning mandate in communities served by the Boston area’s public transportation service, are taking action on the state level; much of the work to spur more housing construction has to be done on the local level.

That’s where these pro-housing groups can have a real impact. If local officials hear positive takes on new development as well as opposing voices, they will be more likely to support new housing construction in their communities.

Lack of housing is an urgent problem in many communities around Boston, the Globe reported. For example, over the last decade, Waltham, a Boston suburb, has added more than 10,000 jobs, but only 1,600 housing units.

A six-acre parcel on the Lower East Side of New York City, vacant since tenements were torn down in 1967, will be the site of the new Essex Crossing mixed-use development. The product of a compromise between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and various interested community groups, the complex will include ~1,000 apartments.

| Sep 20, 2013

August housing starts reveal multifamily still healthy but single-family stagnating

Peter Muoio, Ph.D., senior principal and economist with Auction.com Research, says the Census Bureau's August Housing Starts data released yesterday hints at improvements in the single-family sector with multifamily slowing down.

| Sep 19, 2013

What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings

Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.

| Sep 19, 2013

6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies

Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level.

| Sep 19, 2013

Roof renovation tips: Making the choice between overlayment and tear-off

When embarking upon a roofing renovation project, one of the first decisions for the Building Team is whether to tear off and replace the existing roof or to overlay the new roof right on top of the old one. Roofing experts offer guidance on making this assessment.

| Sep 16, 2013

Study analyzes effectiveness of reflective ceilings

Engineers at Brinjac quantify the illuminance and energy consumption levels achieved by increasing the ceiling’s light reflectance.

Smart Buildings | Sep 13, 2013

Chicago latest U.S. city to mandate building energy benchmarking

The Windy City is the latest U.S. city to enact legislation that mandates building energy benchmarking and disclosure for owners of large commercial and residential buildings.

| Sep 13, 2013

Chicago latest U.S. city to mandate building energy benchmarking

The Windy City is the latest U.S. city to enact legislation that mandates building energy benchmarking and disclosure for owners of large commercial and residential buildings.