A drab World War II-era public housing project in Seattle has been replaced with what local officials hope will be an environmentally- and economically-sustainable community.
The Seattle development of High Point is becoming one of the most environmentally friendly neighborhoods in the United States, mainly for its protection of the area's sensitive drainage bed. Constructed partly by the Seattle Housing Authority, the development will include 1,600 houses with energy-conserving design and appliances, and the community's layout encourages street drainage to run into planted soil - a natural pollution filter. Formerly, street runoff was directed into sewers that drained into a nearby creek, which is an important salmon-spawning stream.
"HOPE VI's initial goal was a radical remake, with a mix of incomes and classes, of sites where large-scale public housing had degenerated into appalling concentrations of poverty and crime."
"High Point fulfills that goal. The new homes, mixed subsidized and market rate in each block, have many front porches for 'eyes on the street' and are subtly positioned to create friendly common spaces. In place of the cul-de-sacs and looped roadways of the isolated old public housing project with its limited entryways, the streets have been realigned to reconnect with the West Seattle street grid. With artful selection of building designs and colors, there's no feel of repetitiveness or mass construction."
FULL STORY: High Point: Seattle's green community

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Idaho Data: Unexpected Vehicle Repairs Exacerbate Housing Instability, Eviction Risk
Over 21 percent of clients struggle with transportation barriers.

A Year-Long Investigation On Permanent Supportive Housing
The New York Times reveals what’s working and what’s not in the cornerstone of Housing First.
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