tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53453033750976856172024-03-13T12:05:25.442-07:00The Citizen ArchitectThe Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-77421183290754023022012-12-30T21:41:00.003-08:002012-12-30T21:41:41.864-08:00When Fair isn’t Fair: Questioning HUD’s New Approach to Fair Housing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The goal of <a href="http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/FHLaws">US
Fair Housing Law</a> is noble:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to create
diverse, vibrant cities, free from divisions based on race and ethnicity; to
allow every American to live in the best possible housing that they can afford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Landlords are prohibited from discriminating
against tenants based on race, ethnicity, religion, family status, or
disability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Realtors are prohibited from
engaging in practices like block-busting and racial steering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cities are supposed to use municipal policy
to fight segregation. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The laws have worked remarkably well since they were written
in 1968.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neighborhoods that were almost
completely white are now diverse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Houston’s Sharpstown was developed in the 1950s as a white suburb; today
it has a wonderful mix of Hispanic, Black, White, and Asian residents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Urban neighborhoods are no longer ghettos
where minorities live in squalor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until
recently, the Washington Avenue Corridor east of downtown Houston was a
slum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it’s a hotbed of dining and
nightlife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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For the most part this was done without strong enforcement
from HUD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that’s changing now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HUD is on the offensive against cities and towns
– using lawsuits and the threat of withholding funds against those that oppose
public and low-income housing projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.propublica.org/series/living-apart">ProPublica wrote about HUD’s
involvement in a long, bruising fight over public housing in New York’s
Westchester County</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(A fight that
ended in settlement.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saint Bernard Parish Louisiana, too, has
fallen prey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HUD rushed to support a
developer’s plans to build low-income housing, despite strong neighborhood
opposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The case is still in court.</div>
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Closest to home, and perhaps worst of all, is <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2012/08/20/galveston-still-holding-out-in-public-housing-fight/">what
HUD threatened to do to Galveston</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hurricane Ike severely damaged Galveston’s already deteriorated public
housing projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Local officials
demolished the housing soon after the storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rather than rebuilding the projects, Galveston’s government wanted to
use Housing Choice Vouchers to accommodate the island’s poor throughout the
island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea would have been more in
keeping with the tenets of Fair Housing, but HUD said ‘no.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
threatened to withhold <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> of Galveston’s
rebuilding funds, unless the City put back its old public housing projects.</div>
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While HUD forces new public and low-income housing projects
on cities and towns, Serious problems persist in existing housing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>crime; rodent and bug infestations; structural
problems; sewage back ups; electrical fires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I was President of the Braeburn Super Neighborhood, I and my
colleagues worked to address these sorts of problems at three apartment
complexes, totaling about 1,000 units, near Sharpstown High School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a decade-long battle, only one of the
complexes has been addressed in any meaningful way; and it was the smallest,
least troubled of the three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Our slow progress wasn’t for lack of trying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hammered local officials on the
issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We contacted State
officials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We worked with private
investors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(In fact, were it not for
private investors using tax credits, we wouldn’t have even been able to address
that one complex).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we never got help
from HUD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t even have anyone
to contact about our issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really
felt like they didn’t care about our area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And my old neighborhood is not alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Neighborhoods all over the Country face deteriorating housing stock,
urban blight, and a lack of funds to make repairs – and most get no help from
HUD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The experience was really frustrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ideas behind Fair Housing Law are noble;
but HUD’s new approach is not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re going
to war with cities and towns, while ignoring the call to improve existing housing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not fair.</div>
The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-44853022287027241792012-12-30T21:15:00.000-08:002012-12-30T21:15:25.271-08:00Welcome Back<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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I am back, after a year-long hiatus from this blog.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It has been quite a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My Son was born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have changed
jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have stepped-down from my
position as President of the Braeburn Super Neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been nominated to the Board of the
Brays Oaks Management District.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Most of all, my wife and I have moved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are still in Houston, of course, but now
we are in the neighboring Brays Oaks Super Neighborhood.</div>
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My articles will continue, as time permits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is certainly a lot to write about.</div>
The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-27575782612533928602012-01-28T11:17:00.000-08:002012-01-28T11:18:59.905-08:00What Houston Needs to Look For in a New HDHCD Director<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> 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Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--><a href="http://blog.chron.com/houstonpolitics/2012/01/housing-director-resigns/">Houston Department of Housing and Community Development (HDHCD) Director James Noteware resigned earlier this month to seek employment in the private sector.</a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s very sad to see him go.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mr. Noteware was keenly attuned to Houston’s unique needs when it comes to housing and community development.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He understood that the job is much bigger than just to meet the Department’s primary objective.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>His successor will face a very steep learning curve.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://citizenarchitect.blogspot.com/2011/07/crowdsourced-zoning-uniquely-houstonian.html">Houston is the largest city in the US to lack a traditional, comprehensive zoning ordinance.</a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is good because our neighborhoods have developed organically to be mixed use and mixed income.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But the down side is that neighbors often feel that they lack protection from undesirable development.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Our new HDHCD Director needs to be sensitive to neighborhood concerns; and not simply write them off as NIMBYs.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://citizenarchitect.blogspot.com/2011/03/confusion-on-both-sides.html">This City went through a building boom in the 1950s through 1970s.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Multifamily housing was overbuilt.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></a>Those complexes are now at the end of their useful lives.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whole neighborhoods are dragged down by complexes that were once upscale, but are now dangerous slums.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It behooves the new HDHCD Director to know all about these complexes, and he has to be driven to help the neighborhoods around them.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://citizenarchitect.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-ballgame-for-urban-blight-in-texas.html">The State of Texas has extremely weak laws regarding urban blight and substandard housing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Those laws were made even weaker in 2011.</a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Recent experiments have used low-income housing funds to help mitigate blight, while providing safe, decent housing for the poor.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We need an HDHCD Director who believes in this approach.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The primary function of the <a href="http://www.houstontx.gov/housing/index.html">Houston Department of Housing and Community Development</a> is “to provide decent housing, create a suitable living environment and expand economic opportunities, principally for low and moderate income persons.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But we also need an HDHCD Director who really understands our City, is sensitive to local concerns, and helps neighborhoods solve their problems.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-51794503679658819802012-01-01T14:44:00.001-08:002012-01-01T14:45:29.678-08:00Changing the Culture of Lost Opportunities<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> 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<w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Re-examining Zoned Schools</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Helen Ladd, a professor at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy wrote <a href="http://sanford.duke.edu/research/papers/SAN11-01.pdf">“Education and Poverty – Confronting the Evidence.”</a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Almost on the same day, a <a href="http://blog.chron.com/k12zone/2011/12/whats-the-real-graduation-rate-in-our-schools/">study was published in the Houston Chronicle which gives Sharpstown High School the second worst dropout rate in the City</a>.<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5345303375097685617&postID=5179450367965881980#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;" >[i]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I can’t help but break my rule against writing about education on this Blog.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s tempting to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/05/opinion/why-school-choice-fails.html">blame choice for the failure of schools like Sharpstown High</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The assumption is that if you give kids the chance to leave their local zoned schools, those schools will fail because they’ll lose their best and brightest students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But the assumption is overly simplistic and very dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It helps cause the failure of zoned schools, and it has been proven wrong by Ms. Ladd<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5345303375097685617&postID=5179450367965881980#_edn2" name="_ednref2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;" >[ii]</span></span></span></span></a>.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">When a zoned school starts to lose students to <a href="http://www.houstonisd.org/portal/site/MagnetEnglish/">Magnet</a> and <a href="http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Texas/Houston/Charter-schools.html">Charter Schools</a>, it creates unique opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If the school can keep its teachers, students who stay can benefit from smaller class sizes and one-on-one attention.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Furthermore, the school can focus on the issues facing its remaining students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do most of them have parents who are too busy to help with homework?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>An after-school tutoring program could be established to help fill the gap.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Is teenage pregnancy a problem?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Programs could be set up to address it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Most of all, zoned schools can take stock of the neighborhoods around them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They can work with neighborhood groups, to make their curriculum fit with the needs of the surrounding community.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then they can market that curriculum to parents in the neighborhood, to help stem or reverse the exodus of students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">These opportunities are very often lost; and from what I can tell, part of the reason is that zoned schools are used for political reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Opponents of school choice hold them up and say “I told you so,” instead of seizing on opportunities to improve them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A culture of lost opportunities has been created, and it has been especially damaging to Sharpstown High School.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Two decades of deterioration have left it one of Houston’s worst.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The school has been named to <a href="http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDConnectDS/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=436bcd7298b69210VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD">HISD’s Apollo 20 Program</a>, which offers a glimmer of hope, but which might fail<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5345303375097685617&postID=5179450367965881980#_edn3" name="_ednref3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;" >[iii]</span></span></span></span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s a real shame, because there are beautiful, vibrant neighborhoods around the Sharpstown High School, with parents who are afraid to send their kids to it; and there are students attending the school, who deserve better. <br clear="all"> </p> <div style="mso-element:endnote-list"><hr size="1" width="33%" align="left"> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn1"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5345303375097685617&postID=5179450367965881980#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;" >[i]</span></span></span></span></a> I had initially thought that Sharpstown’s poor graduation rate in the study was the result of faulty methodology on the part of <a href="http://childrenatrisk.org/">Children at Risk</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But in fact their research is sound.</p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn2"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5345303375097685617&postID=5179450367965881980#_ednref2" name="_edn2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;" >[ii]</span></span></span></span></a> Ms. Ladd’s work is important because it throws a wrench in the common wisdom that was behind <a href="http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html">The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No Child Left Behind created a culture of ‘teaching to the test’ and did not address the problems it was supposed to fix.</p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn3"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5345303375097685617&postID=5179450367965881980#_ednref3" name="_edn3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;" >[iii]</span></span></span></span></a> The Apollo 20 program’s goal is to improve student performance with a longer school day, a longer school year, and one-on-one tutoring.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But Apollo 20 labels schools as failing – in turn making it more difficult for them to attract students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The damage done by this label, could far outweigh any benefits from the program.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>To be fair, the schools <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">are</i> failing, but that’s not something that we should continuously remind people of.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’d be better if there were Apollo programs in all HISD schools, to help students who are struggling academically, regardless of what campus they are in.</p> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"> </p> </div> </div>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-65606433540104239032011-11-20T14:06:00.000-08:002011-12-03T15:44:34.769-08:00Don’t Move – Improve: An End to the Urban Cop Out?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> 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unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, there was a concerted effort to help the poor relocate to the suburbs.<span style=""> </span>Subprime mortgages allowed the poor to pursue a mirage of safety and good schools.<span style=""> </span>HUD and state agencies prioritized the construction of low-income housing in the suburbs.<span style=""> </span>This was a reaction to studies on <a href="http://www.brookings.edu/topics/concentrated-poverty.aspx">‘concentrated poverty’</a> from the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s.<span style=""> </span>These studies found that people who live in areas with ‘concentrated poverty’ suffer high rates of joblessness, poor education, and high crime.<span style=""> </span>They even suffer high mortality rates, due to the lack of adequate health care in their neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>The belief was that people who live in socio-economically diverse neighborhoods, are less likely to have these problems.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, we’re now seeing mixed results from our efforts to address ‘concentrated poverty’.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/the-new-american-neighborhood/2011/10/27/gIQAuxj5SM_gallery.html">The suburbs are more ethnically and racially diverse than ever before.</a><span style=""> </span>But <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/us/extreme-poverty-is-up-brookings-report-finds.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=deep%20poverty&st=cse">the economic downfall has created areas of ‘concentrated poverty’ in the suburbs.</a><span style=""> </span><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8420293">Suburban Baytown has the highest poverty rate in Harris County.</a><span style=""> </span>And even in suburbs that did not undergo demographic shifts, the benefits to the poor were not as pronounced as expected.<span style=""> </span>HUD’s <a href="http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/pubasst/MTOFHD_summary.html">“<span style="">Moving to Opportunity for Fair Housing Demonstration Program”</span></a><span style=""> </span>found that, while the poor are healthier in the suburbs, they do not have better rates of educational achievement and economic self-sufficiency.<span style=""> </span>Worse, moving to the suburbs does not seem to curb risky and criminal behavior among the poor.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This stands to reason.<span style=""> </span>Suburban schools were not necessarily prepared for the emotional and social baggage of children from broken homes and communities.<span style=""> </span>The problem of educational achievement prevented the very poor from finding employment, which in turn fueled risky and criminal behavior.<span style=""> </span>These problems are also present in impoverished neighborhoods, but instead of studying the problems and using our resources to address them, we simply helped people move away.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s understandable that we took this cop out.<span style=""> </span>It’s very difficult to improve the quality of life in a poor neighborhood.<span style=""> </span>Isolation needs to be overcome with better transit.<span style=""> </span>Commercial space needs to be constructed to attract employers.<span style=""> </span>Schools need to be carefully tailored to the needs of the community.<span style=""> </span>Medical clinics need to open.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/Features/FoodDeserts/">Grocery stores</a> and other retailers need to be lured back.<span style=""> </span>Police officers need to be hired.<span style=""> </span>Parks need to be built.<span style=""> </span>Neighborhoods might even need to be rebranded.<span style=""> </span>And all of this is in addition to the rehabilitation and replacement of substandard housing.<span style=""> </span>It’s a huge endeavor, but well worth it.<span style=""> </span>Just look at neighborhoods where this kind of holistic reinvestment has already happened – <a href="http://www.whatcomcounts.org/whatcom/modules.php?op=modload&name=PromisePractice&file=promisePractice&pid=655">The South Bronx in New York City for example</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some might ask: “if we concentrate on poor neighborhoods in cities, aren’t we turning our backs on fair housing and diversity in the suburbs?”<span style=""> </span>The answer is ‘no.’<span style=""> </span>The suburbs will naturally become more diverse, as attitudes change, and as more minorities reach the middle class.<span style=""> </span>As long as the free market keeps providing us with new suburban housing, there will be no shortage of older housing for the poor.<span style=""> </span>(Taxpayer funding can be used to prevent this older housing becoming slums.)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There’s a saying in the South Bronx:<span style=""> </span>“Don’t Move – Improve.”<span style=""> </span>We owe it to our cities to follow that lead.<span style=""> </span>We must concentrate on identifying the problems in poor neighborhoods and addressing those problems; instead of simply helping people move to the suburbs.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-67303078501977621272011-11-18T23:21:00.001-08:002011-11-18T23:21:53.948-08:00Houston Needs More Public Parking Garages<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.h-gac.com/taq/plan/default.aspx">Houston is expected to grow by 3.5 million people in the next 25 years</a>.<span style=""> </span>As Houston grows in population, most experts agree that our city will become more dense. <span style=""> </span>The logical way to add density is to replace surface parking lots with buildings.<span style=""> </span>This will create problems.<span style=""> </span>Most Houstonians aren’t going to give up their cars in favor of mass-transit, so something has got to give.<span style=""> </span>As residential and commercial development become denser –so must parking.<span style=""> </span>Houston will need more public parking garages.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some parts of Houston already have public parking garages: <span style=""> </span>Downtown; The Texas Medical Center.<span style=""> </span>In most cases the garages were developed by the same people who developed the adjacent buildings, and they are run by contracted companies.<span style=""> </span>There appears to be two approaches to parking garages in our City.<span style=""> </span>One: charge a fee to anyone who wants to park there, and let people come and go as they please.<span style=""> </span>Two: allow visitors to park for free, but only while they are doing business at that location.<span style=""> </span>A compromise is pay garages, where adjacent businesses can validate parking stubs.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In the future, <a href="http://ridemetro.org/">Metro</a> and the City might chip in to help build these facilities.<span style=""> </span>In some cases the garages could be linked to <a href="http://citizenarchitect.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-spend-350-million.html">neighborhood transit centers</a> and run by Metro.<span style=""> </span>In others they might be stand-alone garages, run by contracted companies.<span style=""> </span>The garages could be used to alleviate parking on residential streets.<span style=""> </span>And if <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Proposed-parking-changes-worry-Houston-2274467.php">businesses worry that they won’t have enough parking under Houston’s parking ordinance</a>, they could pay a fee and use garage parking to meet the requirements.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Public garages could be a win-win for both homeowners and businesses in up-and-coming parts of town.<span style=""> </span>It would make sense for places like <a href="http://upperkirbydistrict.org/">Upper Kirby</a> and the Washington Avenue Corridor to get the first such publicly funded public parking garages.<span style=""> </span>And that’s just the beginning.<span style=""> </span>As neighborhoods throughout Houston get more dense, they’ll need parking garages.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-10679626623308460962011-11-13T10:58:00.000-08:002011-11-13T20:32:17.222-08:00Welcome to the new Citizen Architect Blog!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> 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name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Note that the Civic Architect Blog will no longer be updated with new content.<span style=""> </span>New posts will be made to the Citizen Architect Blog.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Civic Architect Blog was always really about Citizen-Architecture.<span style=""> </span>From <a href="http://citizenarchitect.blogspot.com/2011/03/confusion-on-both-sides.html">discussions of affordable housing</a> and <a href="http://citizenarchitect.blogspot.com/2011/07/crowdsourced-zoning-uniquely-houstonian.html">Houston’s ugly land-use battles</a>; to a talk about <a href="http://citizenarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/01/case-for-bikeability-in-houston-why-it.html">bicycles</a>, the Civic Architect Blog sought to bridge the gap between developers and citizens.<span style=""> </span>The goal was to try to explain to average citizens, why urbanists do what they do.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Citizen-Architecture is as old as the United States.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson">Thomas Jefferson</a> was at once a statesman, and an architect.<span style=""> </span>He drafted the Declaration of Independence, and he designed numerous buildings.<span style=""> </span>Of course one would be remiss if they did not mention that Thomas Jefferson was also an unrepentant slave owner.<span style=""> </span>But he was truly the first Citizen Architect in our Country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.citizenarchitectfilm.com/">Samuel Mockbee re-envisioned Citizen-Architecture with the Rural Studio</a>.<span style=""> </span>He said, “Architects are by nature and pursuit, leaders and teachers.”<span style=""> </span>The new Citizen Architect Blog, like its predecessor, seeks to educate average Houstonians on urbanism and government.<span style=""> </span>Mockbee brought great architecture to the impoverished residents of rural west Alabama.<span style=""> </span>The Citizen Architect Blog seeks to break architects and urbanists of their habit of concentrating on Houston’s Inner Loop; and bring great design to the whole city.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I hope you enjoy the new Citizen Architect blog.<span style=""> </span>And as always, architects, citizens, and others should feel free to comment!</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-89194517165935482812011-10-29T12:28:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.174-08:00What If You Built a High Rise in Houston– and Nobody Complained?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">It’s all about the site – The Ashby High Rise and the BBVA-Compass Building</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I can see a construction site from my office window.<span style=""> </span>It’s for the <a href="http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2011/04/bbva-to-consolidate-offices-in-new-building-on-post-oak/">BBVA-Compass building</a>, a 22 story high rise going up at 2200 Post Oak Boulevard.<span style=""> </span>The building is similar in height and even bigger than the Ashby High Rise.<span style=""> </span>But nobody’s complaining about it.<span style=""> </span>The BBVA-Compass building’s neighbors are other high-rises and strip centers.<span style=""> </span>Post Oak Boulevard is a major thoroughfare that can easily accommodate more traffic.<span style=""> </span>It’s in the heart of Uptown, which is home to our City’s third-tallest building (The Williams Tower.)<span style=""> </span>Simply put, Post Oak Boulevard is the right place to build a 22 story tower.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The <a href="http://ashby-tower.houstonluxuryhighrises.com/">Ashby High Rise</a> is a better building than the BBVA Compass Building.<span style=""> </span>It’s certainly got better massing.<span style=""> </span>The BBVA-Compass building is an articulated box, with a parking garage to one side.<span style=""> </span>The Ashby High Rise has a series of carefully designed setbacks that add visual interest.<span style=""> </span>The BBVA-Compass building has no street-façade to speak of.<span style=""> </span>The Ashby High Rise offers a wide sidewalk, and shops at ground level.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Nonetheless, the <a href="http://www.stopashbyhighrise.org/">Ashby High Rise is a point of contention citywide</a>, and that’s thanks to its site at 1717 Bissonnet.<span style=""> </span>The building will loom above single-family houses on quiet residential streets.<span style=""> </span>Bissonnet is only two lanes at that location; Ashby Street is even narrower.<span style=""> </span>They cannot accommodate more traffic. <span style=""> </span>The shops at ground level will exist as an island; because there are few other stores in the area.<span style=""> </span>The site at the corner of Bissonnet and Ashby could not be a worse place for a 23 story building.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">They could solve these problems by choosing a different site for the Ashby High Rise.<span style=""> </span>There’s a big, empty field on the northeast corner of Greenbriar and Highway 59; bisected by Lexington Street.<span style=""> </span>At that location, the building would loom above a few small businesses and the highway.<span style=""> </span>There are already tall buildings on the other side of Greenbriar, so it’s not a big stretch to add another.<span style=""> </span>Access to Highway 59 would alleviate many of the traffic concerns.<span style=""> </span>The neighborhood has a great restaurant scene, with Star Pizza, a 59 Diner, Freebird’s, and other eateries within blocks of each other. <span style=""> </span>The site is close enough to 1717 Bissonnet that they could still go after the same clientele.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I should close by stating that I don’t know the owners of the site at Greenbriar and 59.<span style=""> </span>I’m certainly not working for them.<span style=""> </span>There might be more that meets the eye about that site.<span style=""> </span>I’m just an architect, dreaming as architects do.<span style=""> </span>But this could be a win-win-win for the developers, the neighbors, and the City at large.<span style=""> </span>The developers can build their building.<span style=""> </span>The neighbors can protect their homes.<span style=""> </span>The City can grow in population and density Inside the Loop.<span style=""> </span>The best part: it would put a residential high-rise on a site that seems to be screaming “build it here!”</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-28545130473734920792011-09-30T19:28:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.192-08:00An Alternative to a Really Bad Idea<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> 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<w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Just when I thought I'd heard it all, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/09/27/expand-the-use-of-food-stamps?ref=opinion">the USDA is considering allowing the use of food stamps to buy fast food</a>.<span style=""> </span>This is something we should all fight.<span style=""> </span>There are much better ways to reach the same goals.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The argument in favor of food stamps at fast food restaurants is this:<span style=""> </span>Many poor neighborhoods are "food deserts" - places where fresh produce and other healthy foods are not readily available.<span style=""> </span>While they lack healthy foods, "food deserts" are often well-served by fast food chains.<span style=""> </span>So if we allow food stamps to be used in fast food restaurants, the program has a better chance of reaching the people who need it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It seems to make sense, but it’s fraught with dangers.<span style=""> </span>If we allow food stamps to be used in fast food restaurants, it will cause all sorts of health problems among our nation's poor.<span style=""> </span>(Remember, these are the people who are least likely to have access to quality health care).<span style=""> </span>It’s also a bad idea from an urban standpoint.<span style=""> </span>It’s a stop-gap measure that fails to address the bigger problem of food deserts.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Instead of allowing food stamps to be used in fast food restaurants, we could use tax credits to lure grocers to food deserts.<span style=""> </span>The tax credits could help grocers make a profit in underserved neighborhoods, where they would lose money otherwise.<span style=""> </span>To get the tax credits, they could have to open a store that’s a certain size, and in a neighborhood that’s been identified as a food desert.<span style=""> </span>To keep the tax credits, they could have to continue to sell fresh produce, and accept food stamps.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>It’s not without precedent. <span style=""> </span>We already have <a href="http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/atgnmtc.pdf">New Market Tax Credits (NMTC), </a>and those are sometimes used to build grocery stores.<span style=""> </span>We have Section 42 <a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2011/03/confusion-on-both-sides.html">Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)</a> that are used by developers to build low-income housing.<span style=""> </span>The tax credits that I’m suggesting could be similar, but specifically designed to help grocery stores locate to food deserts.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We could pay for the grocery tax credits with money from the LIHTC program, along USD food stamp money.<span style=""> </span>It’d help ensure that the poor can use food stamps in their own neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>Instead of just compensating for food deserts, this program would help solve food deserts.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-37236240725329696642011-08-28T21:38:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.209-08:00A New Ballgame for Urban Blight in Texas<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> 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</w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Some of our biggest Super Neighborhood meetings in Braeburn are on the topic of urban blight.<span style=""> </span>It’s the same in neighborhoods throughout Houston, and I would imagine in other cities throughout Texas.<span style=""> </span>Neighbors are <i style="">mad</i> about urban blight, and we <i style="">demand </i>that something be done.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was never easy for the City to condemn a blighted building.<span style=""> </span>Owners were protected by strong private property rights laws.<span style=""> </span>It took years of negotiation; letters; inspections; court dates; hearings; and lawsuits before a blighted building could be condemned.<span style=""> </span>Now, <a href="http://www.texaspolicy.com/commentaries_single.php?report_id=3987">a Texas Supreme Court case, and a series of new Texas laws</a> are going to make it even more difficult. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s really a new ballgame for urban blight in Texas.<span style=""> </span>We need to adapt to it, or we risk losing our neighborhoods.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""></span><b style="">1:<span style=""> </span>Recognize real urban blight, and know what our goals are.</b><span style=""> </span>A low-rent apartment complex that’s fully occupied and meets code, isn’t blighted.<span style=""> </span>Even when the property is blighted, it might be possible for it to be rehabilitated rather than condemned.<span style=""> </span>Of course we should always be leery of ‘lipstick on pigs’ (cheap, cosmetic repairs to buildings that need much more.)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">2:<span style=""> </span>Keep calling the City to report blighted (“nuisance”) properties.</b><span style=""> </span>Even if the City faces new hurdles to condemning blighted buildings, it can still issue fines and bring owners to hearings.<span style=""> </span>If the owner faces enough of these hearings and fines, usually they either fix the problems, or sell at their own accord to someone who will.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">3:<span style=""> </span>Lobby private real-estate developers to tear down blighted buildings, like we lobby the City to do it.</b><span style=""> </span>Under the new laws the City can’t force owners of blighted buildings to sell for anything other than public use.<span style=""> </span>But private developers can still buy blighted buildings, demolish them, and build other things on those sites.<span style=""> </span>That’s just standard real-estate practice.<span style=""><br /><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">4:<span style=""> </span>Lobby for Local, State, and Federal incentives to help developers address urban blight.</b> <span style=""> </span>There are millions of dollars available every year for subsidized development.<span style=""> </span>A lot of that money goes to new development on open land; when it could actually be used to help rehabilitate or redevelop blighted buildings.<span style=""> </span>There are also programs that are specifically designed to help seniors and low-income families repair their homes.<span style=""> </span>These programs could be used to help repair blighted houses in our neighborhoods.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Even before the new laws, my neighbors would get frustrated with the City for not working fast enough to condemn blighted buildings. Now it’s going to be even slower (if they can do it at all).<span style=""> </span>It’s a new ballgame, and we need to adapt to it; or watch as urban blight kills our neighborhoods.</p> The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-46768780324879271792011-08-26T19:23:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.224-08:00How Houston Could Get Two Shuttles, And Save the Astrodome<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> 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mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Like most Houstonians, <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/article/NASA-fails-to-calm-Houston-anger-over-lost-shuttle-2141180.php">I’m angry that Houston did not get a Space Shuttle</a>.<span style=""> </span>We could debate the reasons.<span style=""> </span>I think it was monument snobbery: the view that the Shuttles just <i style="">have</i> to be in our Nation’s signature cities, and that Houston simply won’t do.<span style=""> </span>NASA’s official reason for denying us a Shuttle – that we allegedly don’t get enough international visitors – could be seen as a veiled admission of it. But instead of lamenting our loss, we should come together in search of another option.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">What if Houston was home to a large monument and museum commemorating the <a href="http://history.nasa.gov/sts51l.html">Challenger</a> and <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/columbia/home/">Columbia</a> Shuttles?<span style=""> </span>We’ve got the perfect building to use for it: the Astrodome.<span style=""> </span>The Astrodome is big enough to house the museum, monument, and also replicas of the Shuttles.<span style=""> </span>Imagine two Shuttles, suspended in the Dome – with glass walkways leading up to them so that visitors can peer in.<span style=""> </span>None of the other Shuttle museums will have anything like it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The replicas of the Challenger and Columbia could be accurate to the condition the Shuttles were in before they were lost.<span style=""> </span>Visitors could see how technology advanced between 1986 and 2003.<span style=""> </span>The Saturn 5 Rocket and other exhibits from the Johnson Space Center could also be relocated to the Astrodome.<span style=""> </span>There could be an I-Max Theater, along with new exhibits and memorials commemorating the crews of the two lost Shuttle missions.<span style=""> </span>One exhibit could be devoted to the Astrodome and all of the other Houston institutions that owe their names to our Space Program.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Houston has bigger ties to our National Space Program than any other City.<span style=""> </span>It is ridiculous that we didn’t get a Shuttle.<span style=""> </span>But we shouldn’t be bitter about it.<span style=""> </span>We should look for another option.<span style=""> </span>The Eighth Wonder of the World would be a fitting monument to the Challenger and Columbia Shuttles.</p> The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-60792819275292297372011-07-29T18:47:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.237-08:00Crowdsourced Zoning - A Uniquely Houstonian Alternative to a Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> 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mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Houston is the biggest city in the US to be without a comprehensive zoning ordinance.<span style=""> </span>For the most part, it has been to our benefit.<span style=""> </span>Other cities have to change their zoning ordinances to allow for mixed-use development.<span style=""> </span>We’ve developed that way naturally.<span style=""> </span>Other cities struggle with a lack of affordable housing.<span style=""> </span>Not Houston.<span style=""> </span>In fact, we were ranked <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/05/the-worlds-26-best-cities-for-business-life-and-innovation/238436/#slide16">the eleventh most successful city in the world</a> by Atlantic Monthly Magazine, thanks in part to our low cost of living.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Of course there is a down-side to Houston’s lack of zoning.<span style=""> </span>Ugly land-use battles.<span style=""> </span>Developers run rough-shod over the concerns of neighbors.<span style=""> </span>Neighbors rush to oppose unwanted development. City government denies building permits. <span style=""> </span>Developers take the City to court.<span style=""> </span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Houstonians look at these fights and say “if we had zoning this wouldn’t happen," but we don’t need a comprehensive zoning ordinance to solve Houston’s ugly land-use battles.<span style=""> </span>We could use “crowdsourced zoning.”<span style=""> </span>Instead of putting <span style="">land use controls in the hands of City government, we could create a system for development that encourages<span style=""> </span></span><a href="http://www.cooltownstudios.com/2008/02/08/what-is-crowdsourced-placemaking-why-how">“crowdsourced placemaking”</a> and <a href="http://www.planetizen.com/node/43496">“crowdsourcing planning”</a>.<span style=""> </span>The system would <span style="">give average Houstonians a bigger say in what gets built in their neighborhoods, while making things more predictable for developers.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""></span>Houston already has elements of crowdsourced zoning in how it <a href="http://www.houstontx.gov/legal/deed.html">enforces deed restrictions</a>.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Nonetheless, crowdsourced zoning will require some adjustments on the part of developers, Houstonians, and City Government.<span style=""></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <b style=""><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Developers must conquer their fear of NIMBYs, and Reach Out to Neighbors</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/01/nimbys-and-hypocrites-magnolia-glen-and.html">“NIMBY” (Not In My Back Yard)</a> protests are constantly in the back of developers’ minds in Houston.<span style=""> </span>Will a bunch of irate neighbors come out at the last minute to derail a project?<span style=""> </span>Will the City listen to the irate neighbors?<span style=""> </span>Is this going to be another <a href="http://www.stopashbyhighrise.org/">Ashby High Rise</a>?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">To protect themselves, developers often play their cards close to the vest.<span style=""> </span>But for crowdsourced zoning to work, they need to take the opposite approach.<span style=""> </span>A dialogue should be opened with the neighbors.<span style=""> </span>And for best results, the dialogue should start at the point where developers would normally conduct a zoning study.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <b style=""><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Neighbors must go from NIMBY to BTIMBY</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My biggest complaint about neighborhood groups in Houston (including my own), is that we aren’t more proactive about development.<span style=""> </span>We sit around and do nothing, until a developer proposes something we don’t like.<span style=""> </span>Then we mobilize and try to kill the project.<span style=""> </span>It’s classic NIMBYism, and even though it’s not always our fault, it needs to be reversed.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Instead of “Not In My Back Yard,” we should say “Build This In My Back Yard.”<span style=""> </span>We need to decide how we want our neighborhoods developed, and we need to express those ideas in a consistent way.<span style=""> </span>We need to do our own, grass roots urban planning.<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"> <a style="" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7580245864411420661&postID=815338641371693273#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span style=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" >[i]</span></span></span></a></span><span style=""> </span>Our plans will help developers understand our concerns.<span style=""> </span>Their decisions can then be informed by what’s best for the neighborhood. <span style=""> </span>We can help attract the right kind of development to our area, while preventing unwanted development.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><b style="">City Government has to play a different Role</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Even though they won’t have the job of enforcing a comprehensive zoning ordinance, City government plays a huge role in this.<span style=""> </span>They’ll create templates for neighborhood planning efforts, meet with civic leaders, and hold workshops to help neighborhoods create their urban plans.<span style=""> </span>They’ll keep a rolodex of neighborhood contacts, and provide it to developers.<span style=""> </span>They ‘ll also provide developers with clear, concise lists of the many rules that Houston already has to regulate development.<span style=""> </span>For the more contentious types of development – high rises, hazardous occupancies, and large residential developments – City government may conduct <a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/01/why-smart-code-is-no-panacea-for.html">public hearings</a>.<span style=""> </span>In short, City government will act as go-between for neighborhoods and developers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">The pitfalls are actually benefits</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some<span style=""> </span>claim that crowdsourced zoning will make it impossible for developers to build in Houston.<span style=""> </span>They assume that if you give neighbors the chance to fight development, they will.<span style=""> </span>But Houstonians already have the chance to oppose many types of development – and usually they don’t.<span style=""> </span>In fact, crowdsourced zoning will make it easier to predict which projects will face protests.<span style=""> </span>If developers follow neighborhood urban plans, they should be able to avoid NIMBY protests.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Developers may have difficulty finding neighborhoods that will accept the most undesirable forms of development – landfills and halfway houses, for example.<span style=""> </span>But Houston needs an open, honest discussion of where to put these things – and average Houstonians need to be involved.<span style=""> </span>There <i style="">are</i> appropriate sites in our City for unwanted, but necessary development.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Such a discussion might be included in a comprehensive zoning ordinance.<span style=""> </span>But a comprehensive zoning ordinance also includes a lot of other bureaucracy.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/01/learning-from-new-york-posted-on-civic.html">New York’s zoning ordinance is 3,000 pages long</a>.<span style=""> </span>Crowdsourced zoning could solve Houston’s ugly land-use battles, without going to such lengths.<span style=""> </span>And besides, we’d have something uniquely Houstonian.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <div style=""><hr width="33%" align="left" size="1"> <div style="" id="edn1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><a style="" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7580245864411420661&postID=815338641371693273#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" >[i]</span></span></span></span></a> The size of the urban plans might vary.<span style=""> </span>They should be larger than a single subdivision, because individual subdivisions already usually have urban plans.<span style=""> </span>They could be the size of a Super Neighborhood, or a Management District, or even a City Council District.</p> </div> </div>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-66877540962567392612011-07-09T16:22:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.253-08:00Silos: Expensive, and 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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I usually don’t write about national issues on my blog.<span style=""> </span>But the more I work in the Super Neighborhood, the more I run into a fundamental flaw with government in the US:<span style=""> </span>they have been much too slow to break down <a href="http://www.governing.com/columns/mgmt-insights/Eliminating-Silos-in-Government.html">“silos”</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">A “silo” is when one team doesn’t cooperate with other teams to reach common goals.<span style=""> </span>Children’s Protective Services may rescue children from unsafe homes.<span style=""> </span>But if they don’t also link families with programs that can help them foster a safe environment – they won’t be as effective.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Silos are expensive because they lead to redundancies.<span style=""> </span>Children’s Protective Services may create their own programs to foster a safe environment for children – without realizing that there are established programs through other branches of government, and non-profits.<span style=""> </span>All CPS really needed to do was link families with those programs.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Silos can also be devastating to families.<span style=""> </span>Last month, <a href="http://www.hc-ps.org/">Children’s Protective Services in Harris County</a> found <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7644302.html"><span style=""> </span>Prince and Charlomane Leonard living with their six children in a storage building</a>.<span style=""> </span>The building was small, but it was safe and structurally sound.<span style=""> </span>It lacked running water, but it had electricity, a fridge, and air conditioning.<span style=""> </span>The children were well cared for, and the family was hoping to move to a more suitable house when they could afford to to so. <span style=""> </span>Nonetheless, CPS took the children from their parents.<span style=""> </span>If CPS weren’t in a silo, they might have made a few calls, and helped the Leonards find a more suitable house.<span style=""> </span>They would have saved a lot of money in legal and foster care costs; and it would have been much better for the Leonards and their kids.<span style=""> </span>But it fell to community activist Quanell X to do it, and it only happened after the kids were taken away.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I usually don’t<span style=""> </span>write about partisan politics either.<span style=""> </span>But you can’t discuss national issues without them.<span style=""> </span>Deficits are out of control at the state and federal level.<span style=""> </span>Austin, and Washington are deadlocked on how to deal with it.<span style=""> </span>Democrats want to raise taxes because they fear cutting social services.<span style=""> </span>Republicans want to cut social services because they fear raising taxes.<span style=""> </span>We might not have to make this choice if we break down silos and address the redundancies they cause.<span style=""> </span>And when you consider the damage that governmental silos can do to families - it should be a no-brainer.<span style=""> </span>Just ask Prince and Charlomane Leonard.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-84339766758607417322011-05-21T09:46:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.268-08:00How to Spend $350 Million<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]-->Forget Roads; Forget Commuter Rail – Let’s Spend it On Buses! <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tx DOT (The Texas Department of Transportation) awarded <a href="http://www.westhouston.org/grand_parkway.htm">$350 million to the construction of the next phase of the Grand Parkway</a>.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://blog.chron.com/thelist/2011/05/how-would-you-spent-350000000/">David Crossley, President of Houston Tomorrow</a>, suggested commuter rail be built along US 290, and challenged Houstonians to <a href="http://www.houstontomorrow.org/initiatives/story/how-would-you-spend-350-million/">come up with other ways to spend the money</a>. There will be a hearing on the plan where we can voice our opinions.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here’s my idea:<span style=""> </span>Build a series of new Transit Centers and Neighborhood Transit Centers; to serve new express bus routes that connect Houstonians to Uptown, the Texas Medical Center, and other commercial centers.<span style=""> </span>We already have plenty of buses going downtown, but if you work Utpown or somewhere else, you’re out of luck.<span style=""> </span>We should fix that.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The new Transit Centers could be modeled on the Downtown Transit Center, and built at Greenway Plaza, the Memorial City Mall, Greenspoint, and other major commercial centers.<span style=""> </span>The flagship in the effort could be a big new Transit Center attached to The Galleria, with escalators leading up to the Mall.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Neighborhood Transit Centers could be built in dense residential neighborhoods and minor commercial centers.<span style=""> </span>Bigger than a bus stop, and smaller than the Transit Centers I talked about above – Neighborhood Transit Centers <span style=""> </span>would all have bike racks, a Metro Police kiosk, and (depending on need) an attached public parking garage.<span style=""> </span>Ideally they should be on major street corners in the middle of neighborhoods; with easy access for the buses and for everyone who lives there. <a style="" href="#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">[i]</span></span></span></span></a> And of course wherever we build a Neighborhood Transit Center, there should be a simultaneous effort to enhance <a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/01/case-for-bikeability-in-houston-why-it.html">walkability and bikeability</a> by upgrading surrounding sidewalks and streets; and linking to hike and bike trails.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We could add suburban Park & Ride facilities, too.<span style=""> </span>These are distinct from Neighborhood Transit Centers, by the way.<span style=""> </span>Neighborhood Transit Centers are for denser neighborhoods, concentrate more on riders who arrive on foot or bicycle, and integrate more into existing neighborhoods.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">These additional Park & Rides, and the new Transit Centers and Neighborhood Transit Centers would be intended to serve a network of fast, express bus routes that connect Houston’s employment and residential centers.<span style=""> </span>For a preview of the buses, you can look at the new Quickline Buses running along Bellaire Boulevard. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">This is no small goal.<span style=""> </span>It’d cost at least $350 million to do it right.<span style=""> </span>But the benefits for our City would far outweigh anything we could get from the Grand Parkway.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <div style=""><br /> <hr width="33%" align="left" size="1"> <div style="" id="edn1"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="" href="#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">[i]</span></span></span></span></a> The double benefit could be to help rehabilitate housing.<span style=""> </span>The Neighborhood Transit Centers could replace portions of the City’s worst apartment complexes.<span style=""> </span>City Hall could encourage developers to rehabilitate surrounding complexes using Section 42 tax credits.</p> </div> </div>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-17124679908587191792011-04-23T09:36:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.283-08:00Another volley in the Zoning Debate<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> 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mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.law.uh.edu/faculty/main.asp?PID=24">UH Law Professor John Mixon</a> had a very well written article in the Spring edition of <a href="http://citemag.org/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cite Magazine</span></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> 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<w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]-->: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Zoning Around," Cite 85, pp. 30-35. </span>Mixon makes some good points in his article. But government power also helps poor and middle class neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>And a comprehensive zoning ordinance is not the only answer to Houston’s ugly land-use battles.</p> Middle-class Eastwood had their councilman’s help when they fought the Magnolia Glen Homeless Shelter.<span style=""> </span>Sharpstown had the City and State’s help in their fight against the Carnival Night Club.<span style=""> </span>Inwood Forest had help from the Mayor to prevent development on an old golf course.<span style=""> </span>Sunnyside is one of Houston’s poorest neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>City Council actually wrote a special ordinance to help in their fight against a concrete-crushing plant. <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We could fix the bad parts of the “Houston Way” with education, communication, and grass-roots urban planning.<span style=""> </span>The City could educate developers and neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>Developers could be more sensitive to neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>Neighborhoods could decide what they want ahead of time, and communicate in a consistent way.<span style=""> </span>This is already starting to happen. <span style=""> </span>A comprehensive zoning ordinance would only get in the way of it.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-57562491743499987682011-03-27T08:11:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.300-08:00A rebuttal to James AltucherJames Altucher, director of Formula Financial and author of <a href="http://www.jamesaltucher.com/">The Altucher Confidential</a>, <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/why-i-am-never-going-to-own-a-home-again-536051.html">thinks it's a bad idea to own a house.</a> Each of Altucher's points can, (and should) be rebutted.<br /><br />A) Cash Gone - True you have to pay interest and other fees on a mortgage, and that cash is gone. But it's even worse for renting. Before I bought my home, I rented various apartments for 14 years. Over those 14 years, I paid a total of $100,000 in rent. If those had been mortgage payments, instead of rent checks, I might have built a few thousand dollars in equity. But they were rent checks, and <em class="bbc">all</em> of that money's gone.<br /><br />B) Closing costs - This is the one area where the Altucher has a good point. Closing costs can be onerous - which is why many people advise that if you'll be in a house for less than 5 years, you should rent. (The closing costs are more than the equity you would build over 5 years.)<br /><br />C) Maintenance - OK, it sounds nice to live in an apartment or condo, where theoretically everything's taken care of. But you can't always trust a landlord to fix things right and in a timely fashion. The bathroom vent fan stops working - you call the office - they come by and remove the vent, leaving a gaping hole in your bathroom. Weeks, then months go by, and despite your phone calls, the hole is still there. This happened to me in one of the apartments I rented. It's the old mantra "if you want something done right, do it yourself."<br /><br />D) Taxes - You CAN, in fact, deduct mortgage interest from your federal income taxes. It's not a myth. I do it every year. Furthermore, <em class="bbc">landlords pay local property taxes,</em><em class="bbc"> </em>and they pass those taxes on to tenants as part of their rent.<br /><br />E) You're Trapped - You can't just up and decide to leave one day, because you have to sell the house. Renting isn't the panacea Altucher would have you believe - if you break your lease to leave early, it can be costly. But the real question is: is it really that bad to be locked into a house? If the neighborhood is stable and safe, and you have friends there, why are you so eager to leave? Do you really want to uproot your children and put them in a new school every few years?<br />(And I wonder if Altucher actually studied history before he gave his rant about how big corporations fomented the "myth of homeownership" as a way to keep workers from moving. The 19th century industrial town was built around renting. Factory owners built houses, and <em class="bbc">rented</em> those houses out to workers as a way to take back their wages.)<br /><br />F) Ugly - As in, ugly investment. Maybe houses are really ugly investments. But a house is much more than just an investment. It's a home. It is a reflection your personality and lifestyle choices. It's yours to personalize. Whether that means painting it your favorite color, or <a href="http://www.beercanhouse.org/" class="bbc_url" title="External link" rel="external">covering it in beer cans</a> - you can't do that to a rental.<br /><br /><br />The decision to buy versus rent is a matter of personal choice. I think Altucher got caught up in the financial aspects of it (he is a financial expert after all) - but there's a lot more to the decision. It's up to each of us to educate ourselves, and make our own decisions.The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-44375786590644815552011-03-26T07:32:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.314-08:00Why Am I the Only Person Who’s Bothered by This?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> 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mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> </a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Private Universities have a State Granted Exemption to Houston’s Drainage Fee.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://offthekuff.com/wp/?p=35765">Houston Mayor Annise Parker <span style=""> </span>is now saying that churches and schools should be exempt from the City’s new drainage fees</a>.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>What nobody’s talking about, is that <i style=""><a href="http://www.khou.com/news/Universities-exempted-from-Houston-drainage-fee-driving-up-homeowner-costs-112349109.html">private universities are already exempt from the drainage fee under state law.</a></i><span style=""> </span>We will all have to pay $5 a month (more if we own businesses), but Rice University, the Baylor College of Medicine, the University of St. Thomas, and Houston Baptist University won’t have to pay a cent!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">These are wealthy universities.<span style=""> </span>Rice has an endowment of over $4 billion; the Baylor College of Medicine has almost $1.5 billion in endowment.<span style=""> </span>HBU has $85 million.<span style=""> </span>The University of St. Thomas has over $50 million in endowment, and it gets the backing of the Catholic Church.<span style=""> </span>None of us has that kind of money, but we’ll have to pay the drainage fee and they won’t.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Endowments aren’t the whole story.<span style=""> </span>Rice’s campus is 300 acres.<span style=""> </span>HBU has 100 acres.<span style=""> </span>The University of St. Thomas covers 19 city blocks.<span style=""> </span>The Baylor College of Medicine covers a sizable portion of the Texas Medical Center.<span style=""> </span>These are big pieces of land.<span style=""> </span>They get rain.<span style=""> </span>They use the City’s storm sewers and other infrastructure – but they won’t have to pay for it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Remember, these are <i style="">private</i> universities.<span style=""> </span>They don’t receive direct tax subsidies.<span style=""> </span>They’re not like public universities or schools, where paying the drainage fee would amount to double taxation (Negligible amounts of double taxation, perhaps, but double taxation nonetheless.)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This strikes me as terribly unfair.<span style=""> </span>We really should eliminate the private university exemption.<span style=""> </span>If that doesn’t happen, then maybe City Hall could convince the leaders of these institutions to voluntarily pay the fees.<span style=""> </span>I’m shocked that nobody else seems to be as bothered by it as I am.<span style=""> </span></p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-5491065969617239532011-03-13T13:17:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.330-08:00Confusion on Both Sides<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> 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unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]-->Why there are such bad fights over Low Income Housing in Houston <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Last year, when a developer from North Carolina tried to build Tax Credit housing in Katy, <a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/03/lets-fix-what-weve-got-right-answer-to.html">I wrote about the need to use tax credits to fix existing housing rather than build new.</a><span style=""> </span>It’s something I stand by, and we’re starting to see some movement in using tax credits to fix bad apartments here in Braeburn.<span style=""> </span>But <a href="http://katytimes.com/articles/2011/03/13/news/doc4d77c3c2a279e505612811.txt">they’re at it again out in Katy</a>.<span style=""> </span>This time the company is from Indiana, but their proposal is basically the same as the one last year.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">It can be really confusing for neighbors to understand what developers are doing.<span style=""> </span>There are many different programs and types of housing for the poor. Usually termed "affordable housing," this can include:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="">Public housing</b>, which is owned and run by local governments with federal and sometimes state subsidies.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="">Slums</b>, which are privately owned and don’t benefit from tax subsidies or oversight, other than local building codes.<span style=""> </span>These actually represent most of the affordable housing here in Houston.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="">Tax Credit housing</b>, (also known as “<i style="">Low Income Housing.”) </i>built by private developers using tax credits authorized by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC) from 1986.<span style=""> </span>(This is also sometimes known as “Section 42 Housing.”)<span style=""> </span>Basically, developers get breaks on their taxes if they set aside a certain number of apartments at below market rates, expressly for people making less than the area median income.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">(You’ll notice I didn’t include “Section 8 housing”.<span style=""> </span>Section 8 is a federal voucher program that fills the gap between local market rents, and what poor people can afford.<span style=""> </span>It’s not actually a type of housing.)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Developers are confused too.<span style=""> </span>When we neighbors fight their proposals, they get frustrated and call us names.<span style=""> </span>But Houstonians aren’t racists.<span style=""> </span>We don’t hate poor people.<span style=""> </span>Our “<a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/01/nimbys-and-hypocrites-magnolia-glen-and.html">NIMBYism</a>” comes from the fact that we’ve borne the brunt of bad development for the past 40 years.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The problem started in the 1970s.<span style=""> </span>Lots of people got very rich in that decade, developing apartments in Houston’s suburbs.<span style=""> </span>Neighborhoods were fundamentally changed - at first <span style=""> </span>for the better.<span style=""> </span>Young professionals moved into the apartments, enjoying tennis courts, swimming pools, gyms, even night clubs and movie theaters.<span style=""> </span>Crime rates remained steady.<span style=""> </span>Real estate prices in neighborhoods near apartments actually went up in the 1970s.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then came the oil-bust of the 1980s.<span style=""> </span>Houston’s economy was hit especially hard.<span style=""> </span>The apartment bubble of the 1970s, burst.<span style=""> </span>One-by-one, apartment complexes fell into foreclosure and started to deteriorate.<span style=""> </span>The deterioration continued through the 1980s and 1990s.<span style=""> </span>Crime rates spiraled higher at apartments.<span style=""> </span>Living conditions for tenants got worse.<span style=""> </span>Property values stagnated around apartments.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tropical Storm Allison flooded some apartments in 2001.<span style=""> </span>More apartments were damaged during Hurricane Ike in 2008.<span style=""> </span>The credit crisis made it impossible for landlords to fix their properties, so properties went from economically depressed, to completely derelict.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now, whenever someone proposes affordable housing, we Houstonians immediately think “derelict property.”<span style=""> </span>Of course it's not right to think this way. Low income housing can contribute to our neighborhoods if it is well-designed and well managed; and if it takes the place of slums or derelict property. But it's a hard-sell because of history.<span style=""> </span>I just hope we can move past the confusion, and developers and neighbors can start working together to get the right investment, in the right locations.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-71282281054165556382011-02-26T08:25:00.000-08:002011-11-13T09:57:06.347-08:00Architects need to Tread Lightly on "BIM" - But Defiinitely Go There.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> 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<w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">This is unique to my Civic Architect Blog in that it doesn’t directly affect neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>It is more related to my profession as an architect, and the kind of software that we’re starting to use:<span style=""> </span>“Building Information Modelling” (or “BIM”).<span style=""> </span>This came about because a friend of mine, a civic-minded engineer, co-authored “Visualize, Simulate, Fabricate” in <a href="http://citemag.org/2011/cite-84/">Cite Magazine 87</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’m not a member of the “BIM sucks” school of architects.<span style=""> </span>BIM is more attuned than CAD to how architects should think – in 3 dimensions.<span style=""> </span>BIM links design, visualization, and documentation.<span style=""> </span>It promises to be hugely beneficial to the profession, and besides, it’s <i style="">fun to use</i>.<span style=""> </span>But there are very real risks and concerns that firms must be aware of, before they dive head first into BIM. </p> <ul><li><span style=""><span style=""></span></span>BIM won’t automatically detail everything correctly.<span style=""> </span>Architects still need to review and redline their drawings.<span style=""> </span>In fact, picking up redlines becomes more difficult because you can’t just change a detail to make it right, and coordinate the plans and elevations later.<span style=""> </span>Details, plans, and elevations are interrelated, so it is painfully obvious if something’s not coordinated.</li><li><span style=""><span style=""></span></span>Until BIM becomes the industry wide standard, firms will face a learning curve on it.<span style=""> </span>New employees may not know BIM when they start with the firm.<span style=""> </span>It’s a bad idea to throw someone who doesn’t know BIM into a huge, complex, half-finished project in BIM.<span style=""> </span>It’s not fair to the employee or the others on the team; and more importantly it puts the project at risk.<span style=""> </span>This has to be taken into account in project-staffing decisions.<span style=""> </span></li><li><span style=""><span style=""><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It is of utmost importance to find the right person to manage a firm’s BIM software.<span style=""> </span>BIM software is incredibly complex, and it needs to be set up properly or it won’t work.<span style=""> </span>Small firms need to contract-out with skilled BIM managers.<span style=""> </span>Mid-sized firms need to make sure they always have someone on staff who really knows what they’re doing. Large firms need to establish BIM departments, with two or three people who know the software in-and-out.<br /></li><li><span style=""><span style=""></span></span>BIM is not a panacea.<span style=""> </span>I keep asking “so, will BIM generate boilerplate specifications based on what I put in my model?”<span style=""> </span>The answer I keep getting is ‘ummm, no.’<span style=""> </span>This is a huge part of the contract documents for a project, that BIM doesn’t do.<span style=""> </span>Firms will still need to put together binders of cut-sheets, and write their project manuals in a word-processor.<span style=""> </span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal">Of course there are many virtues to BIM.<span style=""> </span>I don’t think anyone denies those.<span style=""> </span>Firms absolutely should move towards BIM, but I’m getting tired of articles like “Visualize, Simulate, Fabricate” that extol the virtues of BIM, without acknowledging the risks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> In closing I will apologize to my neighbors and friends who aren’t architects, but read this blog.<span style=""> </span>This post is full of shop talk.<span style=""> </span>I’ll make up for it later – I promise.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-79316231104717766462011-01-26T21:23:00.000-08:002011-11-13T09:57:06.361-08:00Budgets and Magnets - My Letter to HISD Board Member Mike Lunceford<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> 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name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Dear Mr. Lunceford:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In my capacity as Braeburn Super Neighborhood President, I attended both the Budget Conversation and the Magnet Discussion at Bellaire High School. I will, of course, write to my State Legislator and Senator to ask them not to cut school funding. But frankly I have much more faith in HISD than I do in anyone up in Austin. That’s why I’m writing to you first.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Allow me to reiterate what I said at the Magnet Discussion. School budgets are not a zero-sum game. Investment in schools pays off in increased property values around those schools. Increased property values mean more tax revenue for those schools. It might be tempting to slash budgets now. We may have no choice. But if it’s done in such a way that kills schools, it will actually mean less revenue in the long run.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">According to the Budget Conversation, magnet funding is only 1% of HISD’s budget. Slashing magnets won’t solve HISD’s budget problems; and could in fact cost more money in the long run. It would be smarter to redouble cuts elsewhere in the budget, and <i>increase</i> funding to the magnets instead of cutting it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Where should HISD cut? How could HISD raise more money? Maybe HISD could after alumni and parent donations, like private schools do. (There is a vast, untapped pool of HISD grads, parents, and concerned Houstonians who can help.) There are surely other, better ideas. Now is the time for creativity, and doing more with less. Our President summed it up best in his State of the Union Address: “we need to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your consideration, and I am very happy that you were at the Magnet Discussion at Bellaire High School. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Kindest regards,</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> The Civic ArchitectThe Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-33326946177794349002011-01-23T08:34:00.000-08:002011-11-13T09:57:06.376-08:00“Housing First” Goes to Los Angeles<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> 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unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">A few months ago <a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/01/housing-first-for-homeless.html">I wrote about the benefits of the “Housing First” concept</a> for providing homeless services.<span style=""> </span>The idea is that housing should be the first step in turning lives around.<span style=""> </span>A stable apartment becomes an anchor that allows the homeless to treat addiction or mental illness, gain skills, and eventually find jobs.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/opinion/23sun2.html?_r=1&hp">Now the method is being used in Los Angeles </a>.<span style=""> </span>The LA program is just for Veterans, but it’s a good place to start.<span style=""> </span>And the numbers show that it’s working, despite critics.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As I pointed out in my original post, the “Housing First” model is not only a better way to provide services to the homeless; it could be hugely beneficial for neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>Rather than taking the homeless in for a few hours and then releasing them back onto the streets; “Housing First” will provide them with long-term homes along with intensive treatment and counseling.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Neighbors can expect fewer problems related to the homeless.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Houston’s charities haven’t quite gotten to this level yet.<span style=""> </span>Christian rapper Tre9 (whose real name is Bobby Herring) runs the <a href="http://www.alleyesonmeinc.com/programs/feed-a-friend/">Feed A Friend</a> ministries in downtown Houston.<span style=""> </span>The effort is all about food and outreach.<span style=""> </span>They don’t do housing.<span style=""> </span>The <a href="http://www.chomhouston.org/default.aspx?name=chom.thebeacon">Beacon</a> provides similar services on a larger scale – but they also do not provide housing.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.houscorp.com/">The Housing Corporation of Houston</a> has the right idea about housing, but they don’t provide the breadth of services that the others do.<span style=""> </span>(They also generally build in poor neighborhoods, and they don’t always reach out to those neighborhoods, but that’s <a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/01/nimbys-and-hypocrites-magnolia-glen-and.html">a different story</a>).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is certainly a need for more housing for the homeless in Houston. <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/falkenberg/7171851.html">Star of Hope’s downtown shelter regularly has people sleeping on the floor in their cafeteria</a>.<span style=""> </span>And housing is integral to the rebuilding of lives.<span style=""> </span>If they can do it in Los Angeles; there’s no reason we can’t do it here in Houston.<span style=""> </span>Hopefully we’ll see Houston’s first “housing first” project soon.</p>The Citizen 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unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">There was a line at the beginning of the movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138704/">Pi</a>:<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">“1. Mathematics is the language of nature. 2. Everything around us can be represented and understood through numbers. 3. If you graph these numbers, patterns emerge. Therefore: There are patterns everywhere in nature.”<span style=""> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/magazine/19Urban_West-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp">The New York Times carried an article</a> about the work of Theoretical Physicist <a href="http://santafe.edu/about/people/profile/Geoffrey%20West">Geoffrey West</a> – who pointed out the mathematical patterns at work in cities.<span style=""> </span>West turned those patterns into a set of equations – a study that he calls Urban Science. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Urban Science is not Urban Theory.<span style=""> </span>Urban Theory is an agglomeration of social theories that relate to cities.<span style=""> </span>Urban Science uses mathematics to find the underlying forces that shape cities. <span style=""> </span>It could become a hugely important field of study.<span style=""> </span>These are the forces that we work with (or against) when we’re trying to improve cities and neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>We may use the tools and lessons we’ve learned from Urban Theory , but if we don’t understand the underlying forces, we’re shooting in the dark.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">If there’s any doubt that we’ve been shooting in the dark: one has only to look at utopias gone terribly wrong.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.bvblackspin.com/2010/12/10/last-tenant-moves-out-of-cabrini-green-projects-in-chicago/">Cabrini Green</a> and the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-chicagodays-roberttaylor-story%2C0%2C4036277.story">Robert Taylor Homes</a> in Chicago.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.soc.iastate.edu/sapp/PruittIgoe.html">Pruitt-Igoe in Saint Louis</a>.<span style=""> </span>These projects were based on cutting edge social theories of their time.<span style=""> </span>But they were built without an understanding of the forces behind the problems they were meant to fix.<span style=""> </span>As a result they became urban nightmares.<span style=""> </span>One can’t help but wonder – will the <a href="http://www.cnu.org/">New Urbanism</a> suffer the same fate?<span style=""> </span>It, too, was based in Urban Theory rather than Urban Science.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">As an architect I may be the last one you’d expect to follow Geoffrey West.<span style=""> </span>According to the New York Times, he has “little patience for the unconstrained speculations of architects.”<span style=""> </span>But I’ve worked with neighborhoods.<span style=""> </span>People know when there’s something wrong in their neighborhood – but they usually can’t put their fingers on why.<span style=""> </span>Urban Science can give us answers.<span style=""> </span>More importantly, once we’ve analyzed the underlying forces that shape cities – we can fix urban problems and <i style="">know that we’re getting it right</i>.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-85413385445804705852010-12-04T21:21:00.000-08:002011-11-13T09:57:06.408-08:00Down With HOAs – Long Live Civic Associations<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> 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Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]-->Homeowners Associations need to be taken down a notch in Texas.<span style=""> </span>As a Civic Association officer, I might be the last one you’d expect to say it, but I am a homeowner, too.<span style=""> </span>And I’m as angry as the next guy at some of the things HOAs do. <span style=""> </span><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7785416">A woman in Northwest Houston bought her home at auction, only to face eviction</a> when it was found that the <a href="http://www.stonecreekcommunity.org/">Stone Creek Homeowners Association</a> had <i style="">wrongly foreclosed on the house</i>.<span style=""> </span>And we all know <a href="http://www.ahrc.com/new/index.php/src/news/sub/article/action/ShowMedia/id/121">the story of Weinonah Blevins</a>: the 80 year old widow who lost her home because she missed $800 in HOA fees; and wound up fighting a two-year legal battle to get it back. <p class="MsoNormal">Texas Law § 204.004 lumps them together, but in practice Homeowners Associations and Civic Associations are two totally different things.<span style=""> </span>HOAs are often in newer suburbs.<span style=""> </span>Civic Associations tend to be in older developments.<span style=""> </span>HOAs have mandatory fees and membership, and they can levy fines and foreclose on your house if you don’t pay.<span style=""> </span>Civic Association fees and membership are often voluntary, and we usually do not have the power to levy fines or foreclose on your house.<span style=""> </span>HOAs often govern with an iron-fist, dictating things like the color of your garage doors.<span style=""> </span>Civic Associations typically take a much more laissez-faire approach.<span style=""> </span>HOAs hire professional services to maintain streets or even pick up trash.<span style=""> </span>Civic Associations rely on the City or County to do these things – which they’re supposed to do anyway.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The <a href="http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/investigates/101203-hoa-reform-rally">HOA Reform Coalition held a rally in Houston, Texas</a>.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://hoareformcoalition.org/">You can read their platform here.</a> <span style=""> </span>The Texas <a href="http://www.texashoareform.org/">Homeowners for HOA Reform</a> also has a set of goals.<span style=""> </span>If they got their wishes, HOAs would start to look and act a lot like Civic Associations.<span style=""> </span>That would be to everyone’s benefit, and I support both of them.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-78995382390542239302010-12-01T18:48:00.000-08:002011-11-13T09:57:06.424-08:00A Follow Up on Crime in the Urban Discourse<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> 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Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]-->A few months ago, I wrote about how <a href="http://civcarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/02/crime-has-been-lost-in-urban-discourse.html">crime concerns have been lost in the urban discourse</a>.<span style=""> </span>Urbanists aren’t studying crime and neighborhood safety the way they’re studying things like transit, walkability, and sustainability. <p class="MsoNormal">Relocation.com published <a href="http://www.relocation.com/survey/102010_us_consumer.html">a study that shows just how important neighborhood safety is</a>.<span style=""> </span>They surveyed about 1,500 people.<span style=""> </span>Over half (55%) said that a neighborhood’s safety rating was extremely important in choosing where to live.<span style=""> </span>A whopping 92% put neighborhood safety in the top two concerns; the next closest in this category was proximity to shopping, at 60%.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As I’ve said before, it’s not enough for a neighborhood to <i style="">be</i> safe; it has to <i style="">feel</i> safe.<span style=""> </span>75% of respondents said that they would use a neighborhood’s general appearance to judge how safe it is.<span style=""> </span>75% of respondents also said that they would use word of mouth to judge how safe a neighborhood is.<span style=""> </span>In other words, actual crime rates aren’t as important as the <i style="">perception of crime</i>.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I should thank Chronicle writer Nancy Sarnoff for <a href="http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty/2010/11/post_101.html">bringing up this study in her blog</a>.<span style=""> </span>But she, too, wrote about house sizes rather than neighborhood safety.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Let me once again call on my fellow architects and urbanists to revisit <a href="http://www.huduser.org/publications/pdf/def.pdf">“Defensible Space”</a> and the writings of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs">Jane Jacobs</a>.<span style=""> </span>Let’s give neighborhood safety and crime their fair place in our discussions about cities.</p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345303375097685617.post-1581690766058949342010-10-18T20:22:00.000-07:002011-11-13T09:57:06.439-08:00Debunking the Myths about Proposition 1<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> 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Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">If you live in Houston, you’ve probably heard about Proposition 1 – a piece of Municipal legislation on the November 8 ballot that would create a dedicated fund for the repair of Houston’s infrastructure.<span style=""> </span>I moved here in 1998, and I’ve yet to see a more desperately needed piece of legislation.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, a <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/7251452.html">groundswell of opposition has formed to Proposition 1</a>, and they’re hard at work spreading misinformation about it.<span style=""> </span>As a supporter, I feel it is my duty to correct them.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Myth # 1: Proposition 1 is just about drainage.</i><span style=""> </span>Actually, Proposition 1 is about ALL infrastructure under the City’s control.<span style=""> </span>That includes storm sewers, and ROADS.<span style=""> </span>Our City is riddled with pot holes that do severe damage to vehicles.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ll pause and let the first myth sink in, because it really is the most important – and the one everyone overlooks (including four members of City Council). <span style=""> </span>Whenever you drive over a pot hole or have to replace the shocks in your car, think about Proposition 1 and how nice it’d be if we could FIX HOUSTON’S ROADS.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Myth # 2:<span style=""> </span>Proposition 1 is a tax.</i><span style=""> </span>In fact, Proposition 1 is an assessment on impervious cover.<span style=""> </span>You might own ten acres on the outskirts of Houston, but you’ll only pay for the part that’s paved over.<span style=""> </span>The reason for this is that impervious cover contributes to flooding, and also requires curb-cuts for road access to your property.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Myth # 3:<span style=""> </span>We already pay a tax for the Harris County Flood Control District; we shouldn’t have to pay an assessment for the same thing.</i><span style=""> </span>Harris County Flood Control handles big, regional stormwater detention and drainage facilities.<span style=""> </span>But those big facilities are fed by a network of smaller, City owned storm sewers, open ditches and culverts.<span style=""> </span>The City does an abysmal job at maintaining these facilities – and usually their excuse is that they don’t have the money.<span style=""> </span>Proposition 1 would take away that excuse.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""> </i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Myth # 4:<span style=""> </span>Proposition 1 will place undue burden on the poor.</i><span style=""> </span>The fees are estimated at only $5 per month for an average house.<span style=""> </span>Most of us spend more on coffee in a week.<span style=""> </span>For commercial properties, it’s $92 per acre of impervious cover per month – less than the cost of printing up flyers for advertisement. <span style=""> </span>Bear in mind that most small businesses are on far less than an acre of land.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""> </i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Myth #5:<span style=""> </span>The Mayor is behind Proposition 1.</i><span style=""> </span>Actually Proposition 1 was spearheaded by City Councilman Stephen Costello and a non-profit group called Renew Houston.<span style=""> </span>Our Mayor supports Proposition 1, but it wasn’t her idea.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Myth #6: Renew Houston is just a bunch of engineers who want money.</span> It's true that Renew Houston was formed by engineers, but that's because engineers can see the full extent of the problem. Engineers understand the flood control and transportation needs of our City.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""> </i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I don’t work for Renew Houston or Stephen Costello’s office.<span style=""> </span>I am not being paid at all for writing this.<span style=""> </span>I actually wish Proposition 1 weren’t necessary.<span style=""> </span>But we can’t rely on the general fund to pay for road and drainage repairs. It's too easy for City Hall to raid the general fund for other things. We need a special fund that they can only use for roads and drainage, and that's exactly what Proposition 1 will provide.<br /></p>The Citizen Architecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854420260252371597noreply@blogger.com0