How can housing connect us to our shared humanity?" That's one of the questions posed in an exhibit on innovations in affordable housing and community development on display at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The exhibit highlights the work of six nonprofit organizations who have developed innovations, including two NeighborWorks network organizations. “A Better Way Home” has already seen 13,000 visitors.
The exhibit is the result of the work of Enterprise Community Partners, which, with funding from Wells Fargo, launched a grant competition in 2020. The organization received 900 proposals covering three areas of innovation: Resident services and support, housing finance, and housing construction.
Winning organizations included two network organizations, Gulf Coast Housing Partnership and come dream. come build. (in partnership with buildingcommunityWORKSHOP), along with Preservation of Affordable Housing, Impact Justice, Center for NYC Neighborhoods and Forterra.
Their plans and progress are highlighted throughout the exhibit, along with inspirational quotes, like this one from Linda Maren of cdcd, about the organization's Mi CASitas program: "When we ask why they want a home they say, 'lo quiero para mis hijos' – I want it for my children."
"A Better Way Home" will remain open until Oct. 16.
The exhibit displays information about affordable housing innovations against a backdrop of structures designed to look like homes.
The information in the exhibit lists some of the solutions. It also shows some of the challenges for affordable housing.
MiCASiTA is a program championed by Texas-based NeighborWorks network organization cdcb | come dream. come build., which helps homeowners buy modular homes that can expand as the homeowner’s family, needs and income grow.
A model shows how the homes can be expanded in the MiCASiTA program. Homes are made according to family specifications, and they have choices in style and personalized design options, including colors and façade.
Gulf Coat Housing Partnership, a NeighborWorks network organization based in New Orleans, focuses its efforts on the intersection between health and housing. The program, Health+Housing, creates ways for health insurers to build affordable homes with community health services.
How does housing impact health? In almost every way possible. GCHP is working with Aetna and UnitedHealthcare on a pilot program in New Orleans and in Jackson, Mississippi.
The exhibit ends with a video, a chance for visitors to ask their own questions about affordable housing and community development, and a chance to provide their own thoughts and responses to the exhibit and to challenges facing the nation. The notecards will be sent to Enterprise.
