RISE Realty’s Post

❗ Here is a blog on engagement from under-40s in the planning process from Bethany Price, our University of Sussex Intern who is looking into how to engage young people in planning. 🚨 Why Under-40s Must Engage with Planning Applications Let's face it: when it comes to planning consultations, we often hear from the same groups of people - typically older age groups and most are already homeowners. The whole point of public consultations is to gather various perspectives from residents, businesses, interest groups, and experts. This diversity should lead to decisions that truly reflect the community's needs and preferences. Unfortunately, we're not quite there yet. One major gap is the lack of input from younger people. This is a huge oversight, considering that new developments will impact them the most. Understanding how young people feel about these changes is crucial as towns and cities grow and change. They'll be the main users of new infrastructure, housing, and amenities, so their input is essential for good long-term planning. Younger generations bring fresh ideas and perspectives that can drive innovation in urban planning. Their involvement can help us break away from outdated approaches and create modern solutions that fit today's lifestyles and technology. For example, young people might raise concerns about increased traffic congestion or environmental impact that older generations might overlook. They also tend to prioritise things like affordable housing, modern public transportation, green spaces, and vibrant community centres. Economic challenges like student debt, job instability, and the need for affordable housing are particularly pressing for younger adults. These issues can be highlighted when they get involved in planning applications, leading to developments that support economic opportunities and affordable living conditions. Getting people under 40 to engage with planning applications isn't just about solving immediate problems—it's about fostering a culture of civic participation. Early involvement can lead to a lifetime of active community engagement, ensuring that future generations continue to have a voice in shaping their surroundings. The final decision gains legitimacy when the public is involved in the decision-making process. This often leads to greater acceptance and voluntary compliance with the approved plans, reducing the likelihood of conflicts and opposition during implementation. So, when young people speak up—whether in support or discontent—it can significantly speed up the process and align new developments with their ideals. In short, we need to hear more from young people in urban planning. Their voices can help us create communities that are innovative, inclusive, and ready for the future. Let's make sure they have a seat at the table. #planning #communityengagement

A great opportunity for Austin's community, utilizing AISD land for affordable housing for AISD teachers, classified employees, and East Austin residents. "Your next apartment could be inside an old school. Why it matters: As developers seek to repurpose empty space — and cities like Austin work to find affordable housing solutions — a mix of building types are on the table. Driving the news: Representatives from Austin ISD and developer NRP Group will go in front of the city's Planning Commission on Tuesday to seek rezoning approvals for the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility in East Austin. Rezoning the former school, which sits on 18 acres and hasn't operated since 2012, would allow the district to transform the site into housing for teachers, staff and the public. What they're saying: "People do not need to be employed by Austin ISD to rent one of the apartments," Jeremy Striffler, the district's director of real estate and asset management, tells Axios. "However, Austin ISD teachers and staff will be given priority when the apartments become available to lease." The district's goal is to develop up to 500 units of multifamily housing at a "range of market prices," superintendent Matias Segura told the Austin Chronicle last week. "It's a blended development, so it could be from 40 percent median family income up to 120 percent," Segura added. "Because we own the land, we can use that to protect affordability and also require the developer to create unit mixes that attract families." Flashback: In a survey last year, 70% of AISD employees reported spending more than 30% of their annual income on housing, which classifies them as "cost-burdened." The big picture: Shuttered schools accounted for 3% of U.S. apartment conversions in 2023, data shared with Axios shows. Former offices and hotels dominate the national conversion trend, comprising 28% and 36% of newly completed projects, according to a RentCafe analysis. Zoom in: The Anita Ferrales Coy Facility is one of six Austin ISD sites that the district has identified for potential repurposing, whether that be for housing, shared work spaces, mixed-use community centers, child care facilities or something else. AISD staff members are working on a recommendation to the Board of Trustees about the future use of the former Rosedale Elementary School in Central Austin, which is currently being used by the Travis County Sheriff's Office and Austin ISD police for mandatory active shooter response training. What's next: If the planning commission approves AISD's rezoning request of the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility, it will go before the full city council on July 18. AISD estimates that construction would start in the summer of 2025, according to Striffler."

“Efforts by the Austin Independent School District to repurpose one of its large land holdings for affordable housing development are moving forward, with a rezoning case for a nearly 20-acre AISD property in the Govalle neighborhood of East Austin known as the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility at 4900 Gonzales Street securing the approval of Austin’s Planning Commission earlier this week. The rezoning, would grant the property a vertical mixed-use designation under the city’s DB90 density bonus program, allowing the district’s contracted developer the NRP Group to pursue the construction of up to 700 units of multifamily workforce housing focused on the needs of AISD employees, including teachers, librarians, support staff, and maintenance workers. During the Planning Commission’s discussion of the rezoning at its meeting Tuesday, AISD director of real estate Jeremy Striffler explained that more than two-thirds of the school district’s approximately 10,000 employees describe themselves as cost-burdened by Austin housing prices, finding it increasingly difficult to afford living in the communities they serve. The district’s plan for the Anita Coy Facility’s redevelopment would provide residences suitable for AISD employees by offering 350 of its homes at income-restricted rates under the terms of the city’s SMART Housing program, with the developers committing 40% of the total units at rates affordable at individuals or families earning no more than 80% of the regional median family income, and 10% of units affordable for earners at 60% MFI or less. Although under Fair Housing law the new residences at the Anita Coy site would be available to everyone, the developers will work with AISD to emphasize leasing units to its rent-burdened employees. AISD is committed to maintaining ownership of the land and will enter into a long-term ground lease with the developers. Under this model, neither AISD nor its taxpayers incur any cost, expense, or increased taxes as a result of the redevelopment of the non-school facilities since the developers will be solely responsible for all costs of constructing, managing, and operating the housing, commercial, and associated amenities. Further, the multifamily housing portion of the development will be created under a public facility corporation model in order to ensure that a significant number of the housing units will be affordable. Alongside new housing, the redevelopment of the property would provide public outdoor recreational space, a number of community commercial uses, and a new facility for the district’s Alternative Learning Center, which currently occupies a building at the site. With the rezoning of the property expected for approval at City Council next week, the district could potentially see a groundbreaking at the property by 2025.” https://lnkd.in/gdhchnJx

Plans are being progressed to convert what was once Monifieth Public School into 20 council homes. The development of Invertay House will create good quality, affordable housing that can improve the quality of life for residents by offering an environment that has positive benefits for health, financial stability and security. Originally built in 1878 as Monifieth Public School, Invertay House provided education for both primary and secondary pupils up until 1966 and then primary education alone until its closure in 1985. More recently the building was used as office space until it was closed in 2016. The Council has now submitted planning and listed building consent applications for social housing at the Maule Street site. Communities vice-Convener Kenny Braes said: “The Invertay House site holds a lot of history, and this new development will add to this even more by bringing a valuable new asset into the community by way of high-quality affordable homes. “Enabling the creation of much-needed new properties for social rent helps us to deliver our ambitious affordable housing targets." The conversion and development of Invertay House gives a new lease of life to a prominent and well-liked building in the heart of Monifieth and provides much needed affordable accommodation. The proposals incorporate a diverse mix of private, semi-private and public open green space to aid biodiversity, forms an attractive usable environment for the community and visitors and creates an enhanced landscape setting for the former school building. A new public garden is proposed at the North of the site next to Maule Street. As high-quality new homes, they will contribute to the Local Housing Strategy 2023-28 target of 76 new affordable homes each year in Angus by the Council and its Housing Association partners. The development currently sits within the latest Strategic Housing Investment Plan, which sets out the affordable housing investment priorities for the next five years in Angus. The planning application is now live. Anyone wishing to make comments can do so by going to Angus Council’s planning portal (https://bit.ly/47lWK8A) and planning officers will be contacting near neighbours of the proposed development shortly.

As far as I can tell, lack of affordable housing is a self-inflicted wound. Exhibit A: My time as a college student in Bloomington, Indiana. It’s a quintessential blue college town, known for its progressive values and culture. Despite the reputation, we were struggling with affordable housing, and I witnessed firsthand how the very policy-makers who intended to protect the community were causing harm. Moving in, I found the town charming. Tree-lined streets, historic buildings, and an eclectic mix of coffee shops and bookstores give it a special feel. However, I soon realized finding a place to live was a different story. Housing was scarce and expensive, and many of my fellow students were crammed into overpriced apartments (or basements!) or forced to commute long distances. It seemed that a new luxury apartment complex was being built on every corner. The town had ample materials and a skilled labor force ready to build. The real culprit was something less visible: restrictive zoning laws. These regulations dictated what could be built and where, effectively stifling the development of new, affordable housing. I could taste the irony. There’s a neighborhood of single-family homes just west of campus, many professors live there. A proposal to convert portions of this neighborhood to mixed use (i.e. denser & more affordable housing) was struck down. Despite the compelling arguments for the project, the opposition was fierce and well-organized. I must have received half a dozen flyers in the mail claiming this zoning change would be the end of the neighborhood (and property values). Over time, I learned more about the history of zoning laws. Originally, these regulations were meant to separate residential areas from industrial ones for safety and health reasons. However, they had evolved into tools that maintained exclusivity and limited growth. Single-family zoning, in particular, was a major barrier. It restricted large parts of the town to low-density housing, preventing the construction of apartments and other multi-family units that could help address the housing shortage. Does this story sound familiar?

Transforming Modular Classrooms into Affordable Homes: A Sandhills Real Estate Holdings Initiative In an era where affordable housing remains a critical concern across our community, innovative solutions are not just welcomed; they are necessary. At Sandhills Real Estate Holdings, our commitment to addressing this issue head-on has led us to a unique and inspiring project in (local) Harnett County, North Carolina. We're taking a step beyond traditional land acquisition and development to repurpose modular classrooms into affordable housing units. The Genesis of an Idea The story begins with a local school in need of additional space to accommodate its growing student population. The solution? Modular classrooms, stick-built on-site, measuring 24’ x 32’. While these structures served their educational purpose admirably, they were no longer needed. Recognizing the opportunity to breathe new life into these structures, we envisioned them not as temporary educational spaces, but as permanent homes. With infill lots already available just 3 miles from the school site, the logistics aligned perfectly with our vision. The Journey to Repurposing Embracing the concept of repurposing non-traditional buildings is more than an exercise in creativity; it's a testament to our dedication to community enhancement and sustainable development. The initial step in this journey involved extensive dialogue with the County planning department. Their response was not only encouraging, but also enlightening. The buildings, affectionately referred to as "HUTs" by the school district, are apparently well-known by County officials. With the green light from the County, and a shared enthusiasm for the project, we embark on the process of retrofitting these HUTs into something equally impactful to their original intended use. Why This Matters The repurposing of modular classrooms into affordable housing is a step towards closing the affordable housing gap. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the United States faces a shortage of 7 million affordable rental homes for extremely low-income renters. Projects like ours not only contribute to mitigating this shortage, but also demonstrate the viability of innovative and sustainable housing solutions. Looking Forward As we proceed with the transformation of these two modular classrooms into affordable homes, we invite the community and our stakeholders to follow along. This journey is an opportunity to set a precedent for affordable housing solutions in North Carolina. Stay tuned as we share updates, insights, and lessons learned!

Navigating Off-Campus Housing? Here's What to Consider! Student housing at the University of Delaware has been a topic of interest for Newark officials for quite some time. Back in 2014, the city conducted a rental needs study, revealing a growing demand for approximately 50 additional apartment units annually to meet the needs of the community. With the University's student population steadily rising and on-campus housing options dwindling, private off-campus developers have stepped in to bridge the gap.   While this shift necessitates additional research and planning from students and their families, resources like the University of Delaware Housing, Sublets & Roommates Facebook page exemplify the supportive nature of the UD community in navigating this aspect of the college experience.   Venturing into the realm of off-campus housing can feel like diving into the unknown, but fear not! Let Lang break it down and make it a bit less daunting. Here's a comprehensive look at the key factors to consider as you embark on your housing hunt:   Group Size: Before diving headfirst  into your search, take stock of how many roommates you'll be living with. This crucial piece of information will help narrow down your options and ensure you're considering properties that comfortably accommodate your group. Number of Bedrooms/Bathrooms: Once you’ve got your group size confirmed, it’s time to think about your living preferences. Does everyone in your group desire their own private bedroom, or are you open to sharing? Some .... For complete article, click https://lnkd.in/eFaadxrP  

As cities nationwide grapple with the growing crisis of affordable housing, the need for innovative solutions is urgent. Particularly in cities hosting higher education institutions, fostering city-university partnerships emerges as a critical avenue to align housing goals to meet the local housing needs of students, staff and faculty residents, and long-term residents alike. https://lnkd.in/eg9Y-jZa

This article covers so many concepts my head was spinning...affordable housing, cooperation between many local entities to get it up and running, equity building for cottage residents, truly affordable apartment rent, Ignite students involved in the construction, special allocation for Bentonville school employees, the list goes on and on. This will be interesting to watch evolve. #tobuyorsellcallmichelle

Housing is the key to revitalize downtown areas, big or small. This is something I've seen firsthand in every city I've visited over the past year. However, I'm starting to hear more about higher-ed strategies, even in my own hometown of South Bend, Indiana. #RevitalizationStrategies #DowntownDevelopment #TownAndGown