Over the past several years, a new philosophy has emerged at HUD that recognizes the importance of good design in the development of public housing. In collaboration with the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU), HUD has released Principles for Inner City Neighborhood Design: HOPE VI and the New Urbanism. The report states that simply giving people a roof over their heads is no longer enough. HUD's new philosophy aims to boost community pride and revitalize distressed areas by providing high-quality housing for everyone. HUD's new philosophy also recognizes that involving citizens in decisions that will affect their lives helps build a long-term support structure to maintain the livability of neighborhoods into the future. To help HUD and local housing agencies make the most of their HOPE VI investments, CNU members developed the principles for inner-city neighborhood design: 14 strategies for rebuilding public housing into vital and vibrant neighborhoods. The principles focus primarily on design but should be considered in concert with social, economic, and environmental strategies. The report provides case studies from HOPE VI projects throughout the country to help illustrate how these strategies can be utilized. The 14 principles are intended to serve as a framework for both the design and the process of designing HOPE VI and other urban infill developments. The principles are presented as short summaries of specific projects that include the design concept, the impact of each strategy, and photographs of each project. They include:
These principles have been tested in several HOPE VI projects and are proposed as a set of working principles to be refined further through use. The report states that public agencies and their allies must consider design along with social and economic development in building a community. Too often, according to the study, groups attempt to develop the social, economic, and physical components of a community separately. Experience shows housing developments that consider only social mobility or economic development rarely create lasting positive change in residents' lives. Similarly, projects that are beautifully designed but do not integrate families of diverse incomes often become pockets of wealth or poverty. The study concludes that it is possible for these projects to go wrong. The danger exists that the innovation of HOPE VI could devolve into a new set of stereotypes comparable to some of the old public housing stereotypes. If the projects are poorly administered, buildings could be allowed to deteriorate and public spaces could become neglected. The HOPE VI program allows for the evolution of real communities that can act to preserve their physical and social environment over the long term. The incorporation of these principles is part of HUD's attempt to provide good examples of design that can make a positive difference. Principles for Inner City Neighborhood Design: HOPE VI and the New Urbanism is available free from HUD USER. Use the order form.
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