Affordable Housing Great Model for Green

The affordable housing industry has been a leader in green in recent years.
More than half of Affordable Housing Finance’s 2009 Readers’ Choice finalists feature green elements, from being transit-oriented and utilizing photovoltaic panels and ground-source heat pumps to installing Energy Star appliances and low-flow shower fixtures. The developers not only are thinking about the health and economic benefits to their residents, but they are thinking about how green building techniques can create savings to allow them to provide more services and to create even more affordable housing.
One of the green finalists, Los Vecinos Apartments in Chula Vista, Calif., has assigned photovoltaic panels to each of their residents so they can potentially pay nothing for their electricity.

“[Los Vecinos Apartments] transformed the way we look at all of our projects. It got our minds working in that direction—what materials are more durable and will work better. And it’s also about making projects more economical. The more economical, the more affordable housing we can create,” says Kenneth L. Sauder, president and CEO of Wakeland Housing & Development Corp.
The developers also want to see the green benefits continue into the future, so they are creating orientations, exhibits, workshops, and handbooks to educate and energize the residents.

Many of these developments should serve as models for others nationwide. Be sure to check out our Readers’ Choice coverage at www.housingfinance.com, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite developments. Click here to vote.

With support from the Obama administration, it’s likely the industry will see even more growth in the green and sustainable arenas in the future. In June, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a partnership with the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency to help American families gain better access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs. The partners would also work to protect the environment, promote equitable development, and help to address the challenges of climate change while meeting their goals.

And then last week, HUD announced that Shelley Poticha, president and CEO of Reconnecting America, has been named senior adviser for sustainable housing and communities. “Her wealth of experience will help move us forward in creating sustainable, greener, and smarter communities,” said Secretary Shaun Donovan.
HUD is working with Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) on legislation that seeks to create the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities at the agency. Poticha will direct the office if the bill becomes law.

With increased government support and the already green-focused developers, the green developments coming online in the future won’t only serve as models other affordable housing developers and owners, but the affordable housing industry will serve as a successful model for other sectors.