Category Archives: Housing

Housing, Post #4: Housing Reflections

Depolarizing Cities

Before I start writing about the present condition of public housing and ways of its improvement in the future, I’d like to go over the history of public housing system in the Unites States.

US Public Housing system was created as part of the New Deal, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s economic recovery plan carried out between 1933 and 1936 in an attempt to restart the US economy after the disastrous effects of the Great Depression. The National Housing Act of 1934, also known as the Capehart Act, led to the creation of the Federal Housing Administration which  sets standards for construction and underwriting and insures loans made by banks and other private lenders for home building. The National Housing Act gave people an opportunity of a fresh start by providing affordable housing as they tried to escape poverty brought around by the economic recession.

The purpose of the housing bill was to provide low-cost housing for struggling citizens; however, as some people got richer than others, they started moving away from the neighborhoods associated with poverty and dirt. At about the same time banks realized that they could make money off urban migration and this brings us to 1960s.

Gentrification, one of the most important events in the history of urban studies, started in 1960s, the term itself was coined in 1964 by British sociologist Ruth Glass to describe the process of poorer residents being displaced by wealthier newcomers. Urban migration based exclusively on economic status resulted in redlining, a practice  followed by banks for categorizing neighborhoods. Gentrification and redlining resulted in the deterioration of disinvested neighborhoods, entire districts starting falling apart causing the decrease of property value. Banks would later acquire this property, fix it and raise the rental price – first, they would pocket the money that should have gone to repairs and upkeep; second, having effectively destroyed the building and established a rent gap, they have produced for themselves the conditions and opportunity for a whole new round of capital reinvestment.[1] People who lived there before were no longer able to afford the rent and they had to move. These processes caused widespread and drastic repolarization of the city along political, economic, cultural and geographic lines since the 1970s.[2]

I have mentioned in my previous posts that smart city is not just a city stuffed with sensors and CCTV cameras; smart city is smart because it approaches issues in novel, smarter ways. Desiree Fields and Sabina Uffer describe the strategies used by investors for promoting turnover rates that include harassing tenants, ignoring their requests and etc. I think that the first thing that needs to be changed is policy. Banks and large corporations should no longer be able to manipulate property prices; cities need policies that will provide tighter control over large property sales and regulate rent. Fields and Uffer describe the  principle of common public interest in their paper – under the principle of the ‘common public interest’ companies limited their profit orientation in exchange for tax exemption, which meant that units were often offered at below marker levels.[3] I think this is something that Portland could benefit from. Implementing this approach will contribute to the promotion of the common good by encouraging private companies to build more housing while keeping it affordable. In this way, we will create “nice” neighborhoods without weeding tenants out and building the frontier myth.

As property ownership transferred from local landlords to globalized investors, the issue of accountability emerged. It is much harder to hold distant investor-landlords socially, legally and politically accountable at the local level.[4] The lack of communication between tenants and people responsible for property maintenance causes the deterioration of existing housing which in turn creates basis for turnover of units and deregulation of rent-stabilised apartments.[5]

Accountability problem can be solved by a creating an open platform where citizens will be able to report issues to globalized investor-landlords. Requests will have to be routed through appropriate government agencies that will ensure their completion by private owners. Policies obliging private companies to complete the requests should also be created; this will add another layer of security for tenants and decrease the chance of real estate market manipulations.

We need to create public housing that will be affordable and secure.  This can be done by creating policies and fostering communication between single tenants and entities responsible for housing. Cities should no longer be artificially polarized, but should act as communities united under the goal of common good to create decent living conditions for every citizen.

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Citations

1. Smith, Neil. The People, Place, and Space Reader. Taylor & Francis, 2014. 317. Print.

2.  Smith, Neil. The People, Place, and Space Reader. Taylor & Francis, 2014. 315. Print.

3. Fields, Desiree, and Sabina Uffer. The Financialisation of Rental Housing: A Comparative Analysis of New York City and Berlin. Urban Studies, July. 3. Print.

4. Fields, Desiree, and Sabina Uffer. The Financialisation of Rental Housing: A Comparative Analysis of New York City and Berlin. Urban Studies, July. 4. Print.

5. Fields, Desiree, and Sabina Uffer. The Financialisation of Rental Housing: A Comparative Analysis of New York City and Berlin. Urban Studies, July. 13. Print.

Housing, Post #3: Public Space Reflections

Striking a Balance in Public Space

Public space, a seemingly innocent concept, is one of the most contentious issues in urban planning. Intended as a place for a nice stroll, somewhere to sip your coffee, or an escape from your office cubicle, public space, so we think, is more often than not abused by homeless men, a home for illicit activity, and a playground for angsty teens. In the wake of 9/11, security and safety in public spaces are in a constant battle with how the public can enjoy these spaces and access our rights of public space. As Mitchell succinctly puts it, “public space engenders fears, fears that derive from the sense of public space as uncontrolled space, as a space in which civilization is exceptionally fragile.” [1]

How do we strike a balance between the tamed and the wild, the policed and the terrorized? Although public space in New York City and Portland are vastly different, geographically and demographically, patterns observed in the Big Apple can still be relevant in midcoast Maine. In order to deal with the unruliness that these parks develop, both in terms of landscaping and its inhabitants, many public spaces have become privatized. Through this kind of business, parks receive the money and upkeep that cities often are unable to provide. Bryant Square Park in New York City has used this privatization to increase their “smart” factor, utilizing the space for concerts, movie nights, and skating rinks. However, natural qualities and park autonomy are compromised by advertisements and other marks of the permeating consumerism influence. In New York, such advertisements may not seem out of place, but in a small city such as Portland, it is hard to imagine advertisements lining the quaint parks and quiet, cobblestoned streets.

Privatization and product placement in the park. [2]
Portland’s Lincoln Park has all the potential for a beautiful public space: a central location, plenty of space, greenery, and a fountain that just needs some TLC. This park needs a severe overhaul, however, in order to keep up with its smarter contemporaries and serve its growing population. Although privatizing the park would help fix up its decrepit pathways and lackluster landscaping, I think that smaller scale funding and entrepreneurship could do the park equal justice. By planting one or two food trucks in the park, the space would become more attractive to the public and would also provide some business to local vendors. Some more aesthetic seating and a smaller splash fountain surrounding the larger one would also greatly enhance the park’s seatability and appeal to families with children.

Children playing in Boston's new Greenway.
Children playing in Boston’s new Greenway. [3]

The park could also do away with its abominable fence which closes it off from the surrounding streets and perpetuates “the loss of freedom of movement so characteristic of the American way of life.” [4]

Lincoln Park fence
Lincoln Park, Portland, ME. [5]
While I don’t see surveillance cameras, sensor-activated water fountains, and an interactive energy consumption display necessary in public spaces such as Lincoln Park, intelligent (but not necessarily “smart”) improvements would greatly promote the common good in Portland.

[1] Mitchell, Don. 2014 [2003]. “To Go Again to Hyde Park: Public Space, Rights and Social Justice.” In The People, Place and Space Reader, edited by Jen Jack Gieseking, et al, 192. New York: Routledge, 2014.

[2] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3z51KkF2hGQ/UI3BzbyqcbI/AAAAAAAANQU/8yOZa-ZbhHs/s1600/30_b00be1f06a_o.jpg

[3] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tg9u1b1eNfk/UC5gLQ9rTyI/AAAAAAAAScE/Z62XS7ZDfOM/s1600/Greenway_Fountain_HORIZ.jpg

[4] Low, Setha M. 2002. “Spaces of Reflection, Recovery, and Resistance: Reimagining the Postindustrial Plaza.” In After the World Trade Center: Rethinking New York City, edited by Michael Sorkin and Sharon Zukin, 166. New York: Routledge.

[5] http://mainecampus.bangorpublishing.netdna-cdn.com/files/2011/10/IMG_5563WEB-975×651.jpg

 

Housing, Post #2: From Policy to Recommendation

Housing Development and Rooftop Terraces

5 Comments

Five smart city recommendations for Portland’s revamping housing market are:
1. Rooftop gardens
2. Solar panels
3. Energy consumption monitors/infographs
4. Low-income housing in all new developments
5. Glass design and colorful, energy efficient lighting

While all of the aforementioned recommendations would have a significant impact on the sustainability and appeal of Portland, I am choosing to focus on the implementation of rooftop gardens for their ability to contribute to the communal, sustainable, and aesthetic spheres of Portland. As we observed on our tours of Portland, there is a depressing shortage of greenery, and while many of the parks could be revamped with easy landscaping fixes, I believe that rooftop gardens would be the most efficient and productive solutions. These gardens would provide each apartment or condominium complex with greenery, fresh produce, an outdoor area for kids and pets, and panoramic views of a beautiful port city lacking such vantage points.

Many apartments and condos already have private decks and outdoor spaces, but the addition of rooftop terraces would provide residents with a communal space that seems to be lacking throughout much of the city. One of Greenfield’s criticism of smart cities is that overspecification “segregates work…from residential clusters and both of these from a designated cultural complex”[1]. In such complexes, however, there would be no divide between residential and cultural complexes. An ideal terrace space would have a space for kids, dogs, and small vegetable gardens. Strategically placed terraces would also be optimal locations for solar panels, which would be ideal for residential sustainability.

In the minutes from Portland City Council’s Meeting last week, a set of guidelines proposed a little over two years ago delineates a series of requirements for features of residential construction. These guidelines say that “rooftop terraces are encouraged to take advantage of views,”[2] and continue to suggest that “from afar, a variable skyline of roof edges, vertical shafts, and signage create interest.”[3] Many of these guidelines focus on the visible appeal of Portland, a city mostly void of a skyline. High rise or multi-story buildings have the capability of adding to these sky lines, especially if they incorporate modern, glass architecture or elements of historic Portland architectural motifs, as the guidelines also suggest. Rooftop gardens add color to the skyline, and stringing lights on trees or having multicolored lighting can greatly improve the ambiance and aesthetic not only on the terrace but of the whole skyline as well.

[1] Adam Greenfield, Against the Smart City (Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader)

[2] Portland Regular City Council Meeting, September 15, 2014, page 190, http://portlandmaine.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/09152014-605

[3] Portland Regular City Council Meeting, September 15, 2014, page 188, http://portlandmaine.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/09152014-605

Housing, Post #2: From Policy to Recommendation

SMART HOUSING: PORTLAND

7 Comments

My suggestions are a series of five related Website/SmartPhone App initiatives:

  1. PORTLAND HOUSING PROJECT
    1. Users can search options for Portland housing on three tabs: affordable housing, transitional housing and shelters.
    2. Postings are in real-time: shelters, for example, should update number of open beds available for each particular night.
    3. Listings should include address, contact information, and an inlaid Google maps diagram to find housing quickly and easily.
  2. RENT PORTLAND
    1. Landlords can post listings to rent residential units not listed as “affordable housing”; should be aimed at housing rentals for minimum two months.
    2. Includes information about the place, location (with map), information about amenities, and contact information for landlord.
    3. City officials can screen asking price to make sure landlords ask for reasonable rent prices (?)
    4. Similar to other rental platforms such as airbnb.com, renters can write reviews and post praises/complaints for landlords and vise versa. (Reviews should only be posted once the lease contract has been terminated.)
  3. ENSURE QUALITY OF LIFE
    1. Involves the production and distribution of free home sensors to monitor air and water quality in your home.
    2. App/website should include:

i.     Information about the importance of clean air and water

ii.     A way to mail-order a free household sensor, and/or information about where to pick one up

iii.     A way to schedule an appointment for a city health official to come in person to evaluate air and water quality in your home, should the sensor indicate an unhealthy environment

  1. GREEN HOUSING
    1. Involves the production and distribution of (a) subsidized home sensors to monitor energy efficiency in your home, and (b) subsidize energy efficient light bulbs, home appliances, products/services for improving insulation, etc.
    2. App/website should include:

i.     Information about the importance of conserving energy, and steps you can take to reduce your own consumption

ii.     A way to mail-order a subsidized household sensor or energy-efficient products, and/or information about where to pick one up

iii.     A way to schedule an appointment to have a city-approved official come to insulate your home

  1. CROWDSOURCING FOR AN INTEGRATED HOUSING SYSTEM
    1. Ask the public to contribute to city initiatives to design affordable housing units and to plan their neighborhood location so as to best integrate them into the rest of the Portland community.
    2. Create a website with:

i.     A place to submit your design

ii.     A place to see other people’s submissions and comment on them

iii.     Forums for discussion

In his book Against the Smart City, Adam Greenfield reminds us that smart cities assume an objectivity and unity that is impossible in a real city. He argues that smart cities do not support diversity, but instead assume a singular definition of what is “good.”1 In accordance with his ideas, I propose that Portland move towards a Smart City model that does not reduce the number of choices people have, but instead enhances their ability to access these choices. The best Smart City technology will therefore provide people access to more autonomy and human support, rather than replace social interactions with detached digital ones. Greenfield also points out that technical systems are destined to break, and that no algorithm will ever allow a city to run perfectly. The best Smart City technology will therefore facilitate a checks-and-balances system where human users can continuously assess and adjust city systems.

My first two suggestions involve the creation of linked website/apps to allow people to more easily find housing options in Portland. The first app would be aimed at low-income users looking for shelters or affordable or transitional housing; the second would be aimed at newcomers looking to settle in Portland who do not need subsidized housing. It was evident during our field trip that Portland is an up-and-coming city; places to live are in high demand. It is important to protect both low-income residents and newcomers, as these social groups are likely the most vulnerable to be taken advantage of by dishonest or irresponsible landlords. These apps/websites will allow users to access more housing choices, and the public nature of the information will ensure that the landlord-renter relationship is maintained in a fair and professional way.

Low-income housing is critical for any diverse and vibrant city. According to the India Street Sustainable Neighborhood Plan (Order 43-14/15),2 reviewed by the Portland City Council on September 3, 2014, housing diversity is crucial to maintaining the population diversity that it so prides itself on. The Plan states, “The India Street neighborhood has always hosted a diverse resident population. The neighborhood plan should encourage and maintain that diversity of residents (age, race, ethnicity, gender, family size, income, etc) [19].” As the city contemplates the construction of new affordable housing units in the area (for example, on the corner of Franklin and Middle Streets), they also consider destroying old ones: “Munjoy South Townhouses is a low-income housing development…[that] may be redeveloped in the future. It is not known whether future development on this site will remain affordable housing and what form and density it will take. [11]” These are decisions that will greatly affect Portland residents; in order to more directly involve the residents, I suggest a Crowdsourcing webpage in which users can discuss the best affordable housing plans and the best way to maintaining a vibrant community through housing diversity.

 

References Cited

1 Greenfield, Adam. 2013. Selections from Against the Smart City. 1.3 edition.

2 Portand City Council. 2014. India Street Sustainable Neighborhood Plan. Final Draft, August 2014. Accessed on Sept 24, 2014 at http://www.portlandmaine.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/6471.

Housing, Post #2: From Policy to Recommendation

Combating Homelessness in the Smart City

5 Comments

Smart City Suggestions

1) Interactive Resource Map app

2) ‘Hack to End Homelessness’ meetup

3) Year-by-year interactive map of real estate prices & building/housing developments, visually demonstrating change over time

4) Preble Street website login accounts

5) Data about heat usage/availability, mapped throughout the city

 

The Portland City Council has an ambitious goal: to “Prevent and end homelessness in the City of Portland by continuing to implement the recommendations of the homelessness task force,” according to Housing Budget Memo B from the March 17, 2013 meeting minutes. [1] The last meeting minutes from this specific task force were posted two years ago, but obviously this problem has not gone away. Portland Homeless shelters often cannot provide for everyone in need of help. According to a 2013 Portland Press Herald article, there were only 272 sleeping spots available for almost double the number that needed them. [2] Allocating funding to these centers is essential, but politically, this might be difficult to achieve. To help remedy this issue, Portland should also look to its own community members and businesses to assist in providing the resources in such dire shortage.

One way to engage the city population in dealing with this issue is a Portland Resource Map application. This map would include the obvious – Portland’s shelters, pantries, resource centers, and libraries – but its primary function would be its interactivity. Individuals, groups and businesses would be able to post particular goods, services or job listings that they are able to offer on the map. Somebody could volunteer to meet at the library and provide help with a resume, assist with basic computer skills or lead a tutoring session. Somebody could post if they are in need of a hand for an odd job – although an irregular source of income, perhaps this would be enough for a meal. Somebody generous could post offering a place to stay for the night.  Businesses could put themselves on the map, perhaps providing free wifi or free food. In light of the Portland’s immigrant population, new to the city and perhaps not proficient in English, this map would provide a greater sense of clarity. This would be a project heavily reliant on the generosity of the citizens of Portland, thus creating a sense of communal care and organization.

Another idea drawing on the city’s community is a ‘Hack to End Homelessness’ meetup, inspired by the event of the same name in Seattle. [3] This group “brings together Seattle’s housing advocacy community and service providers with the best minds in technology and innovation…to design and build solutions to all forms of homelessness.” It would be important to include the perspective and ideas of homeless individuals, adding to the emotional resonance of the event and in the process building a supportive, productive, dedicated community. Portland is becoming increasingly tech-savvy and creative. Harnessing the talents and ideas of this community in pursuit of the City Council’s goal to end homelessness would be a fitting way to give “technical systems…meaning by [situating them] in a specific locale and human context,” (Greenfield). [4]

[1] Portland, ME | Official Website. “Portland Maine City Council Meeting Minutes.” n.d. http://portlandmaine.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/03172014-207.

[2] Billings, Randy. “Homelessness Hits Record High in Portland.” Portland Press Herald. http://www.pressherald.com/2013/10/27/homelessness_hits_record_high_in_portland_/ 

[3] Hack to End Homelessness. “Hack to End Homelessness.” http://www.hacktoendhomelessness.com.

[4]  Greenfield, Adam. Against the Smart City. 2013.

Housing, Infrastructure, Public Space

Research Groups: Housing, Infrastructure, Public Space

Our distinct but overlapping research groups allow you to hone your expertise in a certain area while working with others who share a passion for the same topic. Each of you bring different skills to the table. The list below explains who is in which group:

HOUSING
  • Peter
  • Ben
  • Jonah
  • Claudia
  • Hannah
INFRASTRUCTURE A
  • Rachel
  • Kote
  • Mingo
  • Vivian
  • Luis
  • Ezra
  • Ike
INFRASTRUCTURE B
  • Karl
  • Alexi
  • Max
  • Alex
  • Roya
  • James
PUBLIC SPACE
  • Emma
  • Libby
  • Jackie
  • Eva
  • Annie
  • Jenny
Announcements, Housing, Infrastructure, Public Space

Our First Round of Ideas for a Better Portland

The first round of ideas for a better Portland, Maine, gathered on September 22nd, 2014:

  • statuesque icon
  • catwalks
  • tunnel
  • connection between Back Cove and Old Port
  • green roofs
  • urban farming
  • community gardens
  • playgrounds
  • splash fountain
  • alleys
  • more-than-a-plaque plaques
  • public history
  • outdoor performances
  • outdoor performance spaces
  • dog parks
  • festivals
  • more greenery
  • recycling bins
  • less decrepit parks
  • green along waterfronts
  • more food trucks
  • food diversity
  • multi-trick city
  • more sports spaces
  • public sports spaces
  • waterfront access
  • more scenic overlooks
  • more public parking in city center / vertical garages
  • integrated local transport to nearby suburbs
  • street lamps with fire
  • seasonal attractions
  • graffiti
  • bike paths
  • signage
  • obvious transport stops
  • public maps
  • lobster drnes
  • integration
  • murals
  • public art
  • mice lighting
  • bold illumination
  • weather dependent public space
  • winter gathering spaces
  • free public wifi
Assignments, Housing, Infrastructure, Post #2: From Policy to Recommendation, Public Space

Post #2: From Policy to Recommendation

In blog post #2 ( due by Thursday, September 25th, at 8pm for this specific post), you will dive further into the life of the city through various recommendations by examining recent board meeting minutes from the Portland City Council. This group is the lifeblood of public policy in Portland, Maine. They make the decisions that affect our research issues of housing, infrastructure, and public space, among others. These elected officials meet at least once a month for many, many hours to determine the best, next steps for the city.

Given your insights from your 1) first field  trip and 2) Greenfield’s ideas about the smart city, and by looking over 3) any one of the agenda documents from http://portlandmaine.gov/AgendaCenter/City-Council-5, make a list of 5 smart city suggestions that relate to your research group and would be of help to Portland, Maine. Then, in two to three paragraphs and using these documents, reflect on which you think may be the most exciting suggestions among them. Be serious and dig in. Convince me and your other readers that this is the way to go by using evidence from the readings to collaborate your idea(s).

As for your solutions being “smart,” these ideas can take the form of apps, software, hardware, data, algorithms, groups, etc. Here’s thelist of ideas you came up with so that you can build from there if you would like.

As a reminder, make sure to properly reference and cite each of these documents. Points will be lost for lacking proper citation. Also be sure to properly categorize this post not only as BP#2 but also within your research group. Recommendations ahoy!

Comment 1 on Blog Post #2 – due Oct. 15th at 9am (returning to day before deadline)

Given your close examination of issues of public space, housing. and infrastructure in Blog Posts #3-5, return to all of your research group members’ Blog Post #2 posts on their smart city ideas for Portland. In one solid paragraph (or two max) per post, comment on your group members’ ideas. What idea stands out to you as the most exciting and why? How do their ideas change their own? Draw from your ideas in your other blog posts to support your ideas when appropriate.