The Power of Place: Projects Making a Difference

Where We Live: Creating Affordable Housing

A house is the fundamental building block of a neighborhood.  However, there are many neighborhoods throughout the region lacking safe, healthy, and affordable housing for low-income families, the working poor, or seniors.  Fortunately, there are a number of community development corporations and affordable housing providers working diligently to combat this problem - and throughout the years the Neighborhood Design Center has worked with these groups to provide planning and design assistance.  

A recent story is NDC's work with Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity.  In 2005, Chesapeake Habitat purchased twelve vacant properties in Washington Village / Pigtown neighborhood to renovate for first-time home buyers.  This was one of the largest groupings of homes by Chesapeake Habitat in the city, and it overwhelmed their volunteer resources.

The Neighborhood Design Center was asked to help Chesapeake Habitat in developing plans that would be used by Habitat staff and volunteers to renovate the rowhouses.  Bob Cauldwell, from Gensler, volunteered to lead the project with assistance from Olya Karnatova, also from Gensler, and Pam Schwab, of Pam Schwab Architect.

Because several of the rowhouses were of the same size and orientation, a set of typical plans were developed by Bob and Olya that converted a two bedroom house into a three bedroom house with an upgraded kitchen. One house, however, posed a significant challenge. Because of its location on a corner of non-perpendicular streets, the resulting floor plan was an awkward parallelogram. Pam was able to successfully develop plans that met the client's needs.



The houses have since completed renovations and are now occupied by homeowners who would not have had a chance to purchase a house otherwise.  Additionally, several of the houses received funding to incorporate energy conservation features that will save the homeowner money, proving that green building practices can be incorporated into affordable housing.

In 2007, NDC assisted Prince George's County's Habitat for Humanity create conceptual designs for a house in Fairmont Heights.  The challenge of the design centered on the fact that the foundation was already laid down for a ranch style house, placed on a narrow lot, with the short end of the building facing the street.  NDC created facade improvement drawings and interior space plans which reoriented the building towards the street, creating a facade that activates the street and blends into the community. 

Towards the end of the design process, Habitat found out that the Washington Redskins and Bank of America were interested in funding the project!  NDC designs were quickly sent to Habitat's architect to be produced into construction documents so that the County could approve the design changes in time for the football season.  Luckily, everthing moved along smoothly.  Construction on the Habitat House began in November 2007 in the FedExField Parking lot, and then continued in Fairmont Heights.

Over the years, the Neighborhood Design Center has worked with a number of organizations to create affordable housing, including Sandtown Habitat for Humanity, Housing Initiative Partnership, St. Ambrose Housing, New Song Ministries, Project PLASE, Southeast Development, Inc., and Interfaith Housing.  Additionally, in 2005, NDC worked with BRIDGE (Baltimore Regional Initiative Developing Genuine Equality) and the Citizens Planning and Housing Association (CPHA) to develop a presentation of best case examples and design recommendations for an Inclusionary Housing Bill that was introduced (and since passed) in Baltimore City.