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Recently Released: ResearchWorks Volume 1, Number 3

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ResearchWorks - the newest periodical from HUD's Office
of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) - brings
housing policy research together with the latest news
from the field.

This issue contains articles on green design practices in
public building construction, HUD's Brownfield Economic
Development Initiative (BEDI), low-impact development
(LID) techniques, PD&R's Regulatory Barriers
Clearinghouse, and the challenges of today's architects.

The cover article profiles an award-winning Colorado
Court building in Santa Monica, California. This 44-unit,
five-story, single room occupancy (SRO) building is a
demonstration project that proves the viability of new
technologies in green design and development. The
building is 100 percent energy neutral. It is designed
not only to reduce energy consumption but also to return
unused power back to the city's electrical grid. In
addition to integrated solar design strategies, the
building collects all of its water from rainwater runoff,
uses a natural gas powered turbine/heat recovery system,
and has linoleum flooring made from natural materials.
The article describes several other environmentally
friendly design technologies used in this development.
Project planners funded the $4.7 million project by
tapping into multiple resources for loans, grants, and
tax credits. Several public and private entities came
together to fund the project.

This issue also showcases the HUD Brownfield Economic
Development Initiative (BEDI). This grant program funds
the redevelopment of vacant and abandoned properties. It
must be used in conjunction with HUD Section 108 loan
guarantee funding. Since 1998, HUD has invested $153
million in BEDI grants. Along with the $727 million in
Section 108-guaranteed loans, BEDI funds have leveraged
an additional $1.1 billion in other public and private
funding. Such an investment in brownfields redevelopment
can serve as a dynamic catalyst for community
revitalization - creating jobs and increasing the tax
base, reducing sprawl, and eliminating hazards.

In an article from the Partnership for Advancing
Technology in Housing (PATH) initiative, we learn about a
new subdivision in Gainesville, Florida that's
demonstrating the viability of low-impact development
practices, energy efficient technologies, environmentally
friendly materials, and a thoughtful approach to
sustainable development. Through a cooperative agreement
between PATH and the University of Florida Energy
Extension Service (FEES), the Madera project utilizes
such PATH technologies as light gauge steel framing and
recycled gypsum. It also employs smart growth principles,
energy efficiency technologies, and open space stormwater
management techniques as part of its overall low impact
development (LID) approach. LID helps conserve and
protect an area's water and natural resources, while
reducing infrastructure costs. More often, it's seen as a
cost-effective approach to developing land that serves
the interests of developers, builders, and homeowners in
an environmentally responsible manner.

In the article on PD&R's Regulatory Barriers
Clearinghouse (RBC), we're reminded of the usefulness of
this congressionally-mandated resource. Available to
planners, community development agencies, state and local
officials, and interested members of the public, the RBC
receives, collects, and disseminates information on laws,
regulations, and policies affecting the development and
availability of affordable housing. In the 20 months that
RBC has been in existence, over 2,300 regulatory barriers
and solutions have been identified. This information is
readily accessible to the public through an electronic
database and a newsletter, and users can have questions
answered via e-mail or telephone.

The final article in ResearchWorks gives insight into the
daily challenges of the architectural profession. It
discusses the challenge architects face in balancing the
practical with the visionary aspects of the field. The
article also discusses the role that architects play in
shaping America's towns and cities.

ResearchWorks is available as a free download from HUD
USER at
https://archives.huduser.gov/periodicals/ResearchWorks/ResearchWorks.html
or in single-issue printed form by calling 1-800-245-
2691. Free subscriptions are available on the HUD USER
Web site at
https://www.huduser.gov/emaillists/subscribe_emails.html
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