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    FUNHOUSE                            

ARCHITECTURE



Case Study: Affordable Housing

1. High need, activist action/campaign to pressure government
2. Progressive Congress Representative or Mayor elected OR Lobby existing policymakers
3. Policy passed to increase public/affordable housing, zoning, infrastructure 
4. Funding search - taxes, federal grants, state funds, etc -- x amount allocated
5. Master Plan + Research Reports + Recommendations developed by local Housing Department + urban planning experts
6. Funds allocated to private developers, or land acquired by city 
7. RFPs posted for New Construction + Renovation
8. Architects/engineers respond, get contracts, design/build


Question: at what point do you get involved? Urban expertise useless value proposition if you don’t get past Step 4.
Architects are for the most part service-providers, giving form to decisions that have already been made re: budget + sqft.
 

Fields of expertise:
- Architecture
- Urban Design + Planning
- Urban Research (to create reports, GIS, transport. analysis)
- Policymaking
- Community Organizing (protest, fundraising for CLTs, REITs)
- Non-Profit Administration / Finance (Community Development)
- Real Estate (Agents, Firms, Market Analysis)
- Developers (For-profit, Non-profit)
- Law (Anti-eviction advocacy, ex: Charleston Housing Court)


Funds:
- Government Office (ex: Mayor, City Council) - Taxes, fees, federal grants
- Government Agency (ex: Charleston Civic Design Center) - Taxes, fees, federal grants
- Non-Profit Organization (ex: Metanoia, Palmetto Community Land Trust) - Foundation grants, donations
- For-Profit Firm/Developer (ex: Bevan & Liberatos, Westedge) - Services rendered
- Academy (ex: Clemson Design Center) - Tuition, endowment


RESOURCES + CASE STUDIES