1. ulx ron nyren
Living in the Mix
Strong design is a crucial numerous public housing projects have found ways to enliven mixed-
Ten recent housing developments factor in the success of mixed- from the 1940s—deteriorated, insti- income housing developments
for residents at a variety of income income housing. It is essential to tutional in appearance, and often with such elements as sculptural
make units attractive to people at crime-ridden—into mixed-income building forms, vibrant colors that
levels employ contemporary a variety of income levels, to pro- communities that are integrated distinguish individual units, public
vide lower-income residents with into their neighborhoods. In Europe, art, shared open space as well
design approaches to blend dwellings that are indistinguish- where higher rates of immigration as private outdoor spaces, and
affordability with quality. able from the higher-priced ones, have stimulated the demand for sustainable strategies for better
to promote social harmony and less costly housing, residential air quality, daylight-filled interiors,
a sense of dignity, and to create projects for people with a range and lower energy costs.
shared spaces to build community. of incomes take different forms
In the United States, the Depart- depending on the goals and nature Ron nyRen is a freelance architecture and urban
design writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
ment of Housing and Urban Devel- of local government programs.
opment’s HOPE VI program has Even with sometimes restrictive
enabled the redevelopment of budgets, architects and planners

2. 1. Blue Vista
Longmont, CoLoraDo
Located across from a bus stop and linked to
nearby shops by bicycle and walking paths, the
homes at Blue Vista in Longmont, Colorado, have
traditional front porches and employ modern green
construction strategies. Designed by Wolff Lyon
Architects for the nonprofit organization Thistle
Community Housing, both based in Boulder, Colo-
rado, the units range in size from one-bedroom
condominiums to four-bedroom townhouses. Of
the 198 homes, 94 are targeted for those earning
up to 50 to 60 percent of the area median income
(AMI) and six for those earning up to 68 percent of
AMI. Thistle’s community land trust owns the land
the affordable houses occupy, granting buyers a
Boulder Creek life and Home
99-year renewable land lease; owners agree on a
formula-based price limit when they sell. Affordable
and market-rate homes are virtually identical and
intermixed. Sustainable strategies include energy-
saving heating systems, water fixtures, and appli-
ances; high-performance insulation; and on-site
recycling of construction waste. So far, 33 homes
have been sold—19 affordable and 14 market rate;
the rest are expected to be built within three years.

3. ulx ron nyren
Living in the Mix
Strong design is a crucial numerous public housing projects have found ways to enliven mixed-
Ten recent housing developments factor in the success of mixed- from the 1940s—deteriorated, insti- income housing developments
for residents at a variety of income income housing. It is essential to tutional in appearance, and often with such elements as sculptural
make units attractive to people at crime-ridden—into mixed-income building forms, vibrant colors that
levels employ contemporary a variety of income levels, to pro- communities that are integrated distinguish individual units, public
vide lower-income residents with into their neighborhoods. In Europe, art, shared open space as well
design approaches to blend dwellings that are indistinguish- where higher rates of immigration as private outdoor spaces, and
affordability with quality. able from the higher-priced ones, have stimulated the demand for sustainable strategies for better
to promote social harmony and less costly housing, residential air quality, daylight-filled interiors,
a sense of dignity, and to create projects for people with a range and lower energy costs.
shared spaces to build community. of incomes take different forms
In the United States, the Depart- depending on the goals and nature Ron nyRen is a freelance architecture and urban
design writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
ment of Housing and Urban Devel- of local government programs.
opment’s HOPE VI program has Even with sometimes restrictive
enabled the redevelopment of budgets, architects and planners
1. Blue Vista
Longmont, CoLoraDo
Located across from a bus stop and linked to
nearby shops by bicycle and walking paths, the
homes at Blue Vista in Longmont, Colorado, have
traditional front porches and employ modern green
construction strategies. Designed by Wolff Lyon
Architects for the nonprofit organization Thistle
Community Housing, both based in Boulder, Colo-
rado, the units range in size from one-bedroom
condominiums to four-bedroom townhouses. Of
the 198 homes, 94 are targeted for those earning
up to 50 to 60 percent of the area median income
(AMI) and six for those earning up to 68 percent of
AMI. Thistle’s community land trust owns the land
the affordable houses occupy, granting buyers a
Boulder Creek life and Home
99-year renewable land lease; owners agree on a
formula-based price limit when they sell. Affordable
and market-rate homes are virtually identical and
intermixed. Sustainable strategies include energy-
saving heating systems, water fixtures, and appli-
ances; high-performance insulation; and on-site
recycling of construction waste. So far, 33 homes
have been sold—19 affordable and 14 market rate;
the rest are expected to be built within three years.
40 U r b a n La n D m a r c h 2 0 0 9

4. 2. Chimney Pot Park
SaLforD, U.K.
In the neighborhood of Seedley and Langworthy in Salford, U.K., terraced housing—
known as rowhouses in the United States—dating to the 1910s had deteriorated signif-
icantly. Developer Urban Splash of Manchester and Liverpool-based architecture firm
shedkm partnered with the Salford Council and other public sector funders to trans-
form the two-story houses into contemporary living spaces. The architects restored
the brick facades while inserting new interiors: bedrooms occupy the ground floor,
and second-floor living spaces link to new rear garden decks that extend over parking
spaces. Light wells and a substantial amount of glazing bring in natural light. To date,
©riCHard Cooper/pHotoflex
257 homes have been completed of a total 318 expected to be finished by this spring.
To encourage homeownership, Urban Splash offered 91 of the houses through the First
Time Buyers’ Initiative, which gives preference to local residents and key workers such
as nurses, teachers, and police officers who are unable to afford a suitable nearby new
home without assistance. In this program, the U.K. government contributes up to half
the purchase price, which the homebuyer can repay at any time; after three years, a
fee kicks in until the contribution is fully repaid.

5. ulx
5. Kalahari Condominiums
HarLem, new yorK
Named for the sub-Saharan desert, the Kalahari honors Har-
lem’s African American roots with a patterned facade inspired
by the designs of the Ndebele people of South Africa. The
off-the-shelf bricks in four colors were laid by hand. With 129
market-rate residences and 120 units priced for buyers with
incomes between $44,000 and $152,000 (both types of hous-
ing occupy every floor), the 425,000-square-foot (39,500-sq-m)
residential co-op building also includes an after-school squash
facility, a cinema and performance art space, shops, a daycare
center, and outdoor recreation areas. The building, completed
last year, was designed by New York City–based firms Schwartz
Architects and GF55 Architects for New York City–based devel-
oper Full Spectrum and Larchmont, New York–based L+M Equity
Participants Ltd. It incorporates 25,000 square feet (2,300 sq m)
of vegetated roof, alternative energy sources, a high-efficiency
frederiC sCHWartz arCHiteCts
building envelope, and car-share vehicles in the garage. Because
childhood asthma rates are high in Harlem, the building includes
low-toxicity materials and high-efficiency air filters.
6. New Columbia
PortLanD, oregon
Built in the 1940s, Columbia Villa consisted of 462 rental
units of barracks-style public housing with little connection
to the surrounding community. Over the decades, crime and
physical deterioration took their toll. With a HOPE VI grant,
the Housing Authority of Portland redeveloped the 82-acre
(33-ha) site, reconnecting streets to the neighborhood, adding
parks, and replacing barracks with apartments, townhouses,
single-family houses, duplexes, and triplexes. The housing
authority was responsible for 556 rental units for households
earning up to 60 percent of AMI. Completed in 2006 and
designed by Seattle-based Mithun and Portland-based Rob-
ertson Merryman Barnes, these dwellings are oriented toward
the street and incorporate energy-efficient windows, lighting,
and water heaters. Other sustainable features include use
of rapidly renewable and reclaimed wood and a stormwater
management system that retains virtually all stormwater
on site. In 2007, the Milwaukie, Oregon–based nonprofit
organization Northwest Housing Alternatives completed a
66-unit apartment project at the site, designed by Michael
Willis Architects of Portland, for seniors with incomes up to
50 percent of AMI, and private developers completed 232 for-
roBertson merryman Barnes
sale homes, of which 177 sold at market rates and 55 sold to
households earning up to 60 percent of AMI.
42 U r b a n La n D m a r c h 2 0 0 9

6. 7. Performing Arts Lodge Vancouver
VanCoUVer, britiSH CoLUmbia
In Vancouver, performing arts professionals over 65 earn half the
average income of their counterparts outside the field. A local
chapter of the nonprofit organization Performing Arts Lodge (PAL)
Canada Foundation was formed in 2001 to offer affordable hous-
ing for low-income seniors who are working or have worked in the
performing arts. Designed by local firm DA Architects + Planners, the
lodge opened in 2006 near downtown. Of the 111 units, 99 are one-
bedroom rental suites made affordable through varying amounts of
support from PAL Vancouver; rental costs for these range from $450
to $1,100 per month, depending on the person’s income. The city
of Vancouver provided grants and a 60-year land lease at nominal
cost, the province of Vancouver provided grants and assistance, and
da arCHiteCts + planners
the federal government also contributed funds. To further reduce
rental costs, PAL Vancouver undertook a fundraising campaign and
sold 12 top-floor two-bedroom suites at market rates on a life lease
basis: units revert to PAL Vancouver after the owner dies. The lodge
also includes a rooftop garden and a performance space available
for rent to local arts groups; lodge residents get priority booking.
©2006 allard van der Hoek
8. The Salamander
ZaanDam, tHe netHerLanDS
The Salamander earned its name from its yellow-green paneling and sinu-
ous shape. The moss-covered roofline slopes from one story to four as
the building spirals around the site’s irregular perimeter and encloses a
garden courtyard. Designed by Amsterdam-based firms Loos Architects
©2006 allard van der Hoek
and De Architectengroep, and completed in 2006, the building’s vary-
ing height enables it to avoid shadowing the small rowhouses on one
side, while blending in with taller multifamily housing on the other. It
also allows for great variety in units, some of which have roof patios or
extra-high ceilings. Of the 79 rental units, Zaandam housing corporation
Parteon was the client for 41 market-rate apartments and 21 units of social
housing for low-income tenants, spread evenly throughout the building. tered together but indistinguishable on the outside from the other units.
The Odion Foundation, a Purmerend, Netherlands–based support organi- A freestanding wall of black bricks buffers the single-loaded access cor-
zation for adults and children with mental or physical limitations, was the ridors and colorful panel-clad units from street noise while allowing light
client for 14 service apartments for disabled teenagers, which are clus- to enter through rectangular openings.
43
U r b a n La n D
march 2009

7. ulx
9. Seola Crossing at Greenbridge
SeattLe, waSHington
The King County Housing Authority is using a HOPE VI grant to create Greenbridge, a mixed-income
community, on the site of public housing originally built for employees of Boeing during World War
II. Planned by Seattle-based GGLO, the new community will comprise 448 rental units and 479 for-
sale units by 2012. The first phase, Seola Crossing at Greenbridge, opened in 2007. Also designed
by GGLO, Seola Crossing includes townhouses and apartments with shared open spaces, dozens
of public artworks, and several parks, including play areas and space for community gardens. Of its
187 rental units, all but 14 are low-income-housing tax-credit units; the rest consist of a mix of public
housing and project-based Section 8 housing for families earning up to 60 percent of AMI. Sus-
tainable strategies include swales to filter stormwater runoff, drought-tolerant native landscaping,
reclaimed building materials, and the recycling of cement and asphalt previously used on site. New
paths and trails provide pedestrian connections to the newly renovated community center and the
neighborhood’s existing commercial core.
steve keatinG pHotoGrapHy
steve keatinG pHotoGrapHy
keitH Baker
10. Valencia Gardens
San franCiSCo, CaLifornia
ted Betz
Replacing blight-stricken, crime-ridden, cinder-block public housing from
the 1940s, Valencia Gardens opened in 2006 as a mixed-income commu-
nity designed to blend into the fabric of the city. With three- and four-story income, while the remaining 52 rent to households with earnings substantially
buildings, the design reintroduces streets to the site, reconnecting it to the above the poverty level but still qualifying as low income. Valencia Gardens
neighborhood. Building entrances, porches, and stoops face the sidewalk also includes a community center, tenants’ association offices, a multipurpose
to enhance security. The 260 units range in size from one to four bedrooms, room, and a learning center for children. It was designed by San Francisco–
including family and townhouse apartments and one-bedroom apartments based Van Meter Williams Pollack Architects for San Francisco nonprofit orga-
for seniors. Of these, the 148 public housing units and 60 units built under nization Mission Housing Development Corporation, in partnership with the
the Section 8 program rent for 30 percent of tenants’ adjusted household San Francisco Housing Authority and Valencia Gardens Resident Council. UL
44 U r b a n La n D m a r c h 2 0 0 9

8. ulx ron nyren
Living in the Mix
Strong design is a crucial numerous public housing projects have found ways to enliven mixed-
Ten recent housing developments factor in the success of mixed- from the 1940s—deteriorated, insti- income housing developments
for residents at a variety of income income housing. It is essential to tutional in appearance, and often with such elements as sculptural
make units attractive to people at crime-ridden—into mixed-income building forms, vibrant colors that
levels employ contemporary a variety of income levels, to pro- communities that are integrated distinguish individual units, public
vide lower-income residents with into their neighborhoods. In Europe, art, shared open space as well
design approaches to blend dwellings that are indistinguish- where higher rates of immigration as private outdoor spaces, and
affordability with quality. able from the higher-priced ones, have stimulated the demand for sustainable strategies for better
to promote social harmony and less costly housing, residential air quality, daylight-filled interiors,
a sense of dignity, and to create projects for people with a range and lower energy costs.
shared spaces to build community. of incomes take different forms
In the United States, the Depart- depending on the goals and nature Ron nyRen is a freelance architecture and urban
design writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
ment of Housing and Urban Devel- of local government programs.
opment’s HOPE VI program has Even with sometimes restrictive
enabled the redevelopment of budgets, architects and planners
1. Blue Vista
Longmont, CoLoraDo
Located across from a bus stop and linked to
nearby shops by bicycle and walking paths, the
homes at Blue Vista in Longmont, Colorado, have
traditional front porches and employ modern green
construction strategies. Designed by Wolff Lyon
Architects for the nonprofit organization Thistle
Community Housing, both based in Boulder, Colo-
rado, the units range in size from one-bedroom
condominiums to four-bedroom townhouses. Of
the 198 homes, 94 are targeted for those earning
up to 50 to 60 percent of the area median income
(AMI) and six for those earning up to 68 percent of
AMI. Thistle’s community land trust owns the land
the affordable houses occupy, granting buyers a
Boulder Creek life and Home
99-year renewable land lease; owners agree on a
formula-based price limit when they sell. Affordable
and market-rate homes are virtually identical and
intermixed. Sustainable strategies include energy-
saving heating systems, water fixtures, and appli-
ances; high-performance insulation; and on-site
recycling of construction waste. So far, 33 homes
have been sold—19 affordable and 14 market rate;
the rest are expected to be built within three years.
40 U r b a n La n D m a r c h 2 0 0 9

9. 3. Garden Crossing
boULDer, CoLoraDo
A former drive-in movie theater site has become a mixed-income community
incorporating sustainable strategies. Boulder’s housing authority worked with
multiple developers and designers to redevelop the 27-acre (11-ha) site into the
new Holiday neighborhood. Among the developments is Garden Crossing, com-
prising 55 for-sale dwellings of which 20 percent are designated as permanently
affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of AMI, 30 percent as afford-
able to households earning up to 80 percent of AMI, and the rest as units for
sale at market rates. Completed in 2005 and designed by local architecture firm
DTJ Design for local developer Peak Properties, the one-bedroom carriage houses
and two- and three-bedroom townhouses use low-cost materials, including cor-
rugated metal siding, concrete block, patterned stucco, and steel canopies and
©laCasse pHotoGrapHy
decks, with a range of colors giving each dwelling its own identity. The units rely
heavily on passive solar heating: extensive glazing brings in natural light, while
overhangs and canopies control heat gain during warmer months. All units have
a deck or balcony, many with views of the mountains.

10. ulx
5. Kalahari Condominiums
HarLem, new yorK
Named for the sub-Saharan desert, the Kalahari honors Har-
lem’s African American roots with a patterned facade inspired
by the designs of the Ndebele people of South Africa. The
off-the-shelf bricks in four colors were laid by hand. With 129
market-rate residences and 120 units priced for buyers with
incomes between $44,000 and $152,000 (both types of hous-
ing occupy every floor), the 425,000-square-foot (39,500-sq-m)
residential co-op building also includes an after-school squash
facility, a cinema and performance art space, shops, a daycare
center, and outdoor recreation areas. The building, completed
last year, was designed by New York City–based firms Schwartz
Architects and GF55 Architects for New York City–based devel-
oper Full Spectrum and Larchmont, New York–based L+M Equity
Participants Ltd. It incorporates 25,000 square feet (2,300 sq m)
of vegetated roof, alternative energy sources, a high-efficiency
frederiC sCHWartz arCHiteCts
building envelope, and car-share vehicles in the garage. Because
childhood asthma rates are high in Harlem, the building includes
low-toxicity materials and high-efficiency air filters.
6. New Columbia
PortLanD, oregon
Built in the 1940s, Columbia Villa consisted of 462 rental
units of barracks-style public housing with little connection
to the surrounding community. Over the decades, crime and
physical deterioration took their toll. With a HOPE VI grant,
the Housing Authority of Portland redeveloped the 82-acre
(33-ha) site, reconnecting streets to the neighborhood, adding
parks, and replacing barracks with apartments, townhouses,
single-family houses, duplexes, and triplexes. The housing
authority was responsible for 556 rental units for households
earning up to 60 percent of AMI. Completed in 2006 and
designed by Seattle-based Mithun and Portland-based Rob-
ertson Merryman Barnes, these dwellings are oriented toward
the street and incorporate energy-efficient windows, lighting,
and water heaters. Other sustainable features include use
of rapidly renewable and reclaimed wood and a stormwater
management system that retains virtually all stormwater
on site. In 2007, the Milwaukie, Oregon–based nonprofit
organization Northwest Housing Alternatives completed a
66-unit apartment project at the site, designed by Michael
Willis Architects of Portland, for seniors with incomes up to
50 percent of AMI, and private developers completed 232 for-
roBertson merryman Barnes
sale homes, of which 177 sold at market rates and 55 sold to
households earning up to 60 percent of AMI.
42 U r b a n La n D m a r c h 2 0 0 9

11. 7. Performing Arts Lodge Vancouver
VanCoUVer, britiSH CoLUmbia
In Vancouver, performing arts professionals over 65 earn half the
average income of their counterparts outside the field. A local
chapter of the nonprofit organization Performing Arts Lodge (PAL)
Canada Foundation was formed in 2001 to offer affordable hous-
ing for low-income seniors who are working or have worked in the
performing arts. Designed by local firm DA Architects + Planners, the
lodge opened in 2006 near downtown. Of the 111 units, 99 are one-
bedroom rental suites made affordable through varying amounts of
support from PAL Vancouver; rental costs for these range from $450
to $1,100 per month, depending on the person’s income. The city
of Vancouver provided grants and a 60-year land lease at nominal
cost, the province of Vancouver provided grants and assistance, and
da arCHiteCts + planners
the federal government also contributed funds. To further reduce
rental costs, PAL Vancouver undertook a fundraising campaign and
sold 12 top-floor two-bedroom suites at market rates on a life lease
basis: units revert to PAL Vancouver after the owner dies. The lodge
also includes a rooftop garden and a performance space available
for rent to local arts groups; lodge residents get priority booking.
©2006 allard van der Hoek
8. The Salamander
ZaanDam, tHe netHerLanDS
The Salamander earned its name from its yellow-green paneling and sinu-
ous shape. The moss-covered roofline slopes from one story to four as
the building spirals around the site’s irregular perimeter and encloses a
garden courtyard. Designed by Amsterdam-based firms Loos Architects
©2006 allard van der Hoek
and De Architectengroep, and completed in 2006, the building’s vary-
ing height enables it to avoid shadowing the small rowhouses on one
side, while blending in with taller multifamily housing on the other. It
also allows for great variety in units, some of which have roof patios or
extra-high ceilings. Of the 79 rental units, Zaandam housing corporation
Parteon was the client for 41 market-rate apartments and 21 units of social
housing for low-income tenants, spread evenly throughout the building. tered together but indistinguishable on the outside from the other units.
The Odion Foundation, a Purmerend, Netherlands–based support organi- A freestanding wall of black bricks buffers the single-loaded access cor-
zation for adults and children with mental or physical limitations, was the ridors and colorful panel-clad units from street noise while allowing light
client for 14 service apartments for disabled teenagers, which are clus- to enter through rectangular openings.
43
U r b a n La n D
march 2009

12. ulx
9. Seola Crossing at Greenbridge
SeattLe, waSHington
The King County Housing Authority is using a HOPE VI grant to create Greenbridge, a mixed-income
community, on the site of public housing originally built for employees of Boeing during World War
II. Planned by Seattle-based GGLO, the new community will comprise 448 rental units and 479 for-
sale units by 2012. The first phase, Seola Crossing at Greenbridge, opened in 2007. Also designed
by GGLO, Seola Crossing includes townhouses and apartments with shared open spaces, dozens
of public artworks, and several parks, including play areas and space for community gardens. Of its
187 rental units, all but 14 are low-income-housing tax-credit units; the rest consist of a mix of public
housing and project-based Section 8 housing for families earning up to 60 percent of AMI. Sus-
tainable strategies include swales to filter stormwater runoff, drought-tolerant native landscaping,
reclaimed building materials, and the recycling of cement and asphalt previously used on site. New
paths and trails provide pedestrian connections to the newly renovated community center and the
neighborhood’s existing commercial core.
steve keatinG pHotoGrapHy
steve keatinG pHotoGrapHy
keitH Baker
10. Valencia Gardens
San franCiSCo, CaLifornia
ted Betz
Replacing blight-stricken, crime-ridden, cinder-block public housing from
the 1940s, Valencia Gardens opened in 2006 as a mixed-income commu-
nity designed to blend into the fabric of the city. With three- and four-story income, while the remaining 52 rent to households with earnings substantially
buildings, the design reintroduces streets to the site, reconnecting it to the above the poverty level but still qualifying as low income. Valencia Gardens
neighborhood. Building entrances, porches, and stoops face the sidewalk also includes a community center, tenants’ association offices, a multipurpose
to enhance security. The 260 units range in size from one to four bedrooms, room, and a learning center for children. It was designed by San Francisco–
including family and townhouse apartments and one-bedroom apartments based Van Meter Williams Pollack Architects for San Francisco nonprofit orga-
for seniors. Of these, the 148 public housing units and 60 units built under nization Mission Housing Development Corporation, in partnership with the
the Section 8 program rent for 30 percent of tenants’ adjusted household San Francisco Housing Authority and Valencia Gardens Resident Council. UL
44 U r b a n La n D m a r c h 2 0 0 9

13. 4. Im Raiser
StUttgart, germany
On the outskirts of Stuttgart, the municipality purchased the site of a former
U.S. military base from the federal government and transformed it into a new
community providing housing for families. Completed in 2006, Im Raiser
includes 28 subsidized rental units, 147 subsidized for-sale units, and 64
market-rate for-sale units in a mixture of detached housing, semidetached
housing, rowhouses, and four-story apartment blocks. Local architecture firm
Kohlmayer Oberst master planned the site and was one of several firms to
design housing, creating 37 rowhouses and 12 apartments for Stuttgart Hous-
ing and Development Company. Modular construction helped lower costs: half
these units were sold at market rates and the other half under the city’s sup-
port programs for young low-income families, which subsidizes the land costs.
Subsidies vary depending on household income and number of dependent
riCHard Günter Wett
children. To make the streets safe for children, on-site traffic is limited, with
houses linked by footpaths; half the site’s parking is in underground spaces.

14. 5. Kalahari Condominiums
HarLem, new yorK
Named for the sub-Saharan desert, the Kalahari honors Har-
lem’s African American roots with a patterned facade inspired
by the designs of the Ndebele people of South Africa. The
off-the-shelf bricks in four colors were laid by hand. With 129
market-rate residences and 120 units priced for buyers with
incomes between $44,000 and $152,000 (both types of hous-
ing occupy every floor), the 425,000-square-foot (39,500-sq-m)
residential co-op building also includes an after-school squash
facility, a cinema and performance art space, shops, a daycare
center, and outdoor recreation areas. The building, completed
last year, was designed by New York City–based firms Schwartz
Architects and GF55 Architects for New York City–based devel-
oper Full Spectrum and Larchmont, New York–based L+M Equity
Participants Ltd. It incorporates 25,000 square feet (2,300 sq m)
of vegetated roof, alternative energy sources, a high-efficiency
frederiC sCHWartz arCHiteCts
building envelope, and car-share vehicles in the garage. Because
childhood asthma rates are high in Harlem, the building includes
low-toxicity materials and high-efficiency air filters.

15. 6. New Columbia
PortLanD, oregon
Built in the 1940s, Columbia Villa consisted of 462 rental
units of barracks-style public housing with little connection
to the surrounding community. Over the decades, crime and
physical deterioration took their toll. With a HOPE VI grant,
the Housing Authority of Portland redeveloped the 82-acre
(33-ha) site, reconnecting streets to the neighborhood, adding
parks, and replacing barracks with apartments, townhouses,
single-family houses, duplexes, and triplexes. The housing
authority was responsible for 556 rental units for households
earning up to 60 percent of AMI. Completed in 2006 and
designed by Seattle-based Mithun and Portland-based Rob-
ertson Merryman Barnes, these dwellings are oriented toward
the street and incorporate energy-efficient windows, lighting,
and water heaters. Other sustainable features include use
of rapidly renewable and reclaimed wood and a stormwater
management system that retains virtually all stormwater
on site. In 2007, the Milwaukie, Oregon–based nonprofit
organization Northwest Housing Alternatives completed a
66-unit apartment project at the site, designed by Michael
Willis Architects of Portland, for seniors with incomes up to
50 percent of AMI, and private developers completed 232 for-
roBertson merryman Barnes
sale homes, of which 177 sold at market rates and 55 sold to
households earning up to 60 percent of AMI.

16. 7. Performing Arts Lodge Vancouver
VanCoUVer, britiSH CoLUmbia
In Vancouver, performing arts professionals over 65 earn half the
average income of their counterparts outside the field. A local
chapter of the nonprofit organization Performing Arts Lodge (PAL)
Canada Foundation was formed in 2001 to offer affordable hous-
ing for low-income seniors who are working or have worked in the
performing arts. Designed by local firm DA Architects + Planners, the
lodge opened in 2006 near downtown. Of the 111 units, 99 are one-
bedroom rental suites made affordable through varying amounts of
support from PAL Vancouver; rental costs for these range from $450
to $1,100 per month, depending on the person’s income. The city
of Vancouver provided grants and a 60-year land lease at nominal
cost, the province of Vancouver provided grants and assistance, and
da arCHiteCts + planners
the federal government also contributed funds. To further reduce
rental costs, PAL Vancouver undertook a fundraising campaign and
sold 12 top-floor two-bedroom suites at market rates on a life lease
basis: units revert to PAL Vancouver after the owner dies. The lodge
also includes a rooftop garden and a performance space available
for rent to local arts groups; lodge residents get priority booking.

17. ©2006 allard van der Hoek
8. The Salamander
ZaanDam, tHe netHerLanDS
The Salamander earned its name from its yellow-green paneling and sinu-
ous shape. The moss-covered roofline slopes from one story to four as
the building spirals around the site’s irregular perimeter and encloses a
garden courtyard. Designed by Amsterdam-based firms Loos Architects
©2006 allard van der Hoek
and De Architectengroep, and completed in 2006, the building’s vary-
ing height enables it to avoid shadowing the small rowhouses on one
side, while blending in with taller multifamily housing on the other. It
also allows for great variety in units, some of which have roof patios or
extra-high ceilings. Of the 79 rental units, Zaandam housing corporation
Parteon was the client for 41 market-rate apartments and 21 units of social
housing for low-income tenants, spread evenly throughout the building. tered together but indistinguishable on the outside from the other units.
The Odion Foundation, a Purmerend, Netherlands–based support organi- A freestanding wall of black bricks buffers the single-loaded access cor-
zation for adults and children with mental or physical limitations, was the ridors and colorful panel-clad units from street noise while allowing light
client for 14 service apartments for disabled teenagers, which are clus- to enter through rectangular openings.

18. 9. Seola Crossing at Greenbridge
SeattLe, waSHington
The King County Housing Authority is using a HOPE VI grant to create Greenbridge, a mixed-income
community, on the site of public housing originally built for employees of Boeing during World War
II. Planned by Seattle-based GGLO, the new community will comprise 448 rental units and 479 for-
sale units by 2012. The first phase, Seola Crossing at Greenbridge, opened in 2007. Also designed
by GGLO, Seola Crossing includes townhouses and apartments with shared open spaces, dozens
of public artworks, and several parks, including play areas and space for community gardens. Of its
187 rental units, all but 14 are low-income-housing tax-credit units; the rest consist of a mix of public
housing and project-based Section 8 housing for families earning up to 60 percent of AMI. Sus-
tainable strategies include swales to filter stormwater runoff, drought-tolerant native landscaping,
reclaimed building materials, and the recycling of cement and asphalt previously used on site. New
paths and trails provide pedestrian connections to the newly renovated community center and the
neighborhood’s existing commercial core.
steve keatinG pHotoGrapHy
steve keatinG pHotoGrapHy

19. keitH Baker
10. Valencia Gardens
San franCiSCo, CaLifornia
ted Betz
Replacing blight-stricken, crime-ridden, cinder-block public housing from
the 1940s, Valencia Gardens opened in 2006 as a mixed-income commu-
nity designed to blend into the fabric of the city. With three- and four-story income, while the remaining 52 rent to households with earnings substantially
buildings, the design reintroduces streets to the site, reconnecting it to the above the poverty level but still qualifying as low income. Valencia Gardens
neighborhood. Building entrances, porches, and stoops face the sidewalk also includes a community center, tenants’ association offices, a multipurpose
to enhance security. The 260 units range in size from one to four bedrooms, room, and a learning center for children. It was designed by San Francisco–
including family and townhouse apartments and one-bedroom apartments based Van Meter Williams Pollack Architects for San Francisco nonprofit orga-
for seniors. Of these, the 148 public housing units and 60 units built under nization Mission Housing Development Corporation, in partnership with the
the Section 8 program rent for 30 percent of tenants’ adjusted household San Francisco Housing Authority and Valencia Gardens Resident Council. UL