Working to understand the forces that form our built environment in order to improve people’s lives and preserve our planet.

Homelessness in the US

    • Homelessness: The condition of lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

    • Chronic Homelessness: Refers to individuals who have been continuously homeless for a year or more, or have experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the last three years, totaling at least 12 months.

    • Emergency Shelters: Temporary accommodations for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, typically providing short-term housing and basic necessities.

    • Transitional Housing: Time-limited supportive housing designed to bridge the gap between homelessness and permanent housing.

    • Permanent Supportive Housing: Long-term, community-based housing with supportive services for homeless persons with disabilities.

    • Housing First: An approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, without preconditions and barriers to entry.

    • Point-in-Time Count: An unduplicated count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons on a single night in January, conducted annually.

    • Continuum of Care (CoC): A regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals.

    • Rapid Re-Housing: An intervention designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing.

    • Homeless Management Information System (HMIS): A local information technology system used to collect client-level data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and families.

    • Pathways Housing First: Pioneered the Housing First model in New York City, providing immediate access to permanent housing without preconditions.

    • Community Solutions - Built for Zero: A national initiative helping communities achieve measurable reductions in homelessness through data-driven, collaborative strategies.

    • Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA): A joint powers authority coordinating and managing over $300 million annually in federal, state, county, and city funds for programs providing shelter, housing, and services.

    • National Alliance to End Homelessness: A nonprofit, non-partisan organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States through policy analysis, research, and public education.

    • Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH): A national nonprofit that helps communities create permanent housing with services to prevent and end homelessness.

    • Homebase: San Francisco-based nonprofit providing homelessness prevention services, including rental assistance and case management.

    • Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH): A collaborative program between HUD and VA combining Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with case management and clinical services.

    • Breaking Ground: New York's largest supportive housing provider, operating nearly 4,000 units of housing across New York City, upstate New York, and Connecticut.

    • Destination: Home: A public-private partnership serving as the backbone organization for collective impact strategies to end homelessness in Santa Clara County, California.

    • Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC): Seattle-based organization providing integrated services including housing, emergency shelter, crisis intervention and healthcare to homeless adults.

    • Homeboy Industries: Los Angeles-based organization providing training and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated individuals, many of whom have experienced homelessness.

    • The Doe Fund: New York-based organization providing paid work, housing, and comprehensive support services to individuals with histories of homelessness, incarceration, and substance abuse.

    • Coalition for the Homeless: New York-based advocacy and direct service organization focused on winning affordable housing support for homeless individuals and families.

    • Covenant House: International organization providing housing and support services to youth facing homelessness in 31 cities across 6 countries.

    • Project HOME: Philadelphia-based organization providing a continuum of care including housing, opportunities for employment, medical care, and education to individuals experiencing homelessness.

    • The Bowery Mission: New York City-based organization providing meals, shelter, and comprehensive services to New Yorkers experiencing homelessness and hunger.

    • Larkin Street Youth Services: San Francisco-based organization providing housing, education, employment, and health services to youth experiencing homelessness.

    • Pine Street Inn: Boston's largest homeless services provider, offering permanent supportive housing, job training and placement, emergency shelter, and street outreach.

    • Chrysalis: Los Angeles-based organization focused on helping individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty become self-sufficient through employment opportunities.

    • Common Ground: Michigan-based organization providing a comprehensive range of services including housing, job placement, and mental health support to end homelessness and promote well-being.

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Policy: Leveraging Regulations and Incentives

    • Zoning Code: Municipal or local laws that regulate how land can be used and what can be built in specific areas.

    • Building Code: A set of rules that specify the standards for constructed objects such as buildings and non-building structures.

    • Upzoning: The process of changing the zoning of a particular area to allow for higher-density development. This often involves permitting taller buildings, multi-family housing in previously single-family areas, or mixed-use developments. Upzoning is a tool used to increase housing supply in desirable locations.

    • Form-based codes: A type of zoning regulation that focuses on the physical form of buildings, rather than separation of uses. These codes emphasize the relationship between building facades and public spaces, the form and mass of buildings in relation to one another, and the scale and types of streets and blocks. The goal is to create more predictable built results and a high-quality public realm.

    • Inclusionary zoning: A policy that requires or incentivizes new residential developments to make a certain percentage of units affordable to lower or moderate-income households. This approach aims to create mixed-income communities and increase the supply of affordable housing without direct public subsidies.

    • By-right development: Projects that comply with all applicable zoning regulations and do not require any discretionary action by the city or town. These developments can be approved administratively, without public hearings or votes by elected officials, which can significantly speed up the development process.

    • Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs): Secondary housing units on single-family residential lots. These can be attached to the main house (like a basement apartment), or detached (like a backyard cottage). ADUs are a way to add density to existing neighborhoods without changing their character dramatically.

    • Transit-Oriented Development (TOD): The creation of compact, walkable, mixed-use communities centered around high-quality public transportation systems. TOD typically features higher-density development within a 5-10 minute walk of a transit station, with progressively lower-density development spreading outward.

    • Density bonus: An incentive-based tool that permits developers to increase the maximum allowable development on a property in exchange for helping the community achieve public policy goals, such as the provision of affordable housing.

    • Parking minimums: Zoning requirements that stipulate a minimum number of off-street parking spaces that must be provided for a new development. Reducing or eliminating these requirements can lower construction costs and allow for more housing units to be built.

    • Adaptive reuse: The process of repurposing buildings for uses other than those initially intended. This concept is particularly relevant for converting old commercial or industrial buildings into residential spaces, which often requires changes to zoning and building codes.

    • Missing middle housing: A range of multi-unit or clustered housing types compatible in scale with single-family homes that help meet the growing demand for walkable urban living. This includes duplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, and courtyard buildings, which are often prohibited by exclusive single-family zoning.

    • Minneapolis, Minnesota - Elimination of Single-Family Zoning In 2018, Minneapolis became the first major U.S. city to end single-family zoning. The Minneapolis 2040 plan allows up to three dwelling units on all residential lots, effectively legalizing duplexes and triplexes citywide. This change aims to increase housing supply, affordability, and diversity in all neighborhoods.

    • Portland, Oregon - Residential Infill Project Portland implemented the Residential Infill Project in 2021, allowing up to four homes on nearly any residential lot. The project also legalized more diverse housing types like duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes in areas previously zoned for single-family homes. This initiative is expected to create more affordable housing options and reduce displacement.

    • Seattle, Washington - Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) Seattle's MHA program, fully implemented in 2019, requires new multifamily and commercial developments to include affordable homes or contribute to a city fund for affordable housing. In exchange, the city grants additional development capacity through zoning changes. This inclusionary zoning approach aims to create mixed-income communities throughout the city.

    • Austin, Texas - Relaxed ADU Regulations In 2015, Austin significantly relaxed its regulations on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The changes reduced minimum lot sizes for ADUs, eliminated parking requirements, and streamlined the approval process. This has led to a substantial increase in ADU construction, providing more affordable housing options in established neighborhoods.

    • California - Statewide ADU Laws California passed a series of laws between 2016 and 2019 that dramatically liberalized ADU regulations statewide. These laws require local governments to approve ADUs through a ministerial process, reduce parking requirements, and allow Junior ADUs. This state-level intervention has led to a significant increase in ADU construction across California cities.

    • Tokyo, Japan - Flexible Zoning System While not a U.S. example, Tokyo's approach is worth noting. The city employs a flexible zoning system that allows a mix of uses in most areas and sets few restrictions on height and density. This system, combined with streamlined approval processes, has helped Tokyo maintain housing affordability despite a growing population.

    • Vancouver, Canada - Laneway Housing Program Vancouver introduced its Laneway Housing Program in 2009, allowing homeowners to build small detached homes on their properties facing the lane. This program has added thousands of new housing units to existing neighborhoods without significantly changing their character.

    • Denver, Colorado - LIVE Denver Program Denver's Lower Income Voucher Equity (LIVE) program is an innovative public-private partnership that connects vacant market-rate apartments with working families and individuals. The program provides temporary rent buy-downs while working with participants to increase income and savings.

    • San Diego, California - Complete Communities Housing Solutions Implemented in 2020, this initiative provides incentives for developers to build more homes near transit and jobs. It removes height limits for projects that include affordable units, eliminates parking requirements in transit priority areas, and streamlines the approval process for qualifying projects.

    • Boston, Massachusetts - Compact Living Policy Boston's Compact Living Policy, adopted in 2018, allows for the construction of smaller units in exchange for more common spaces and amenities. This policy aims to create more affordable housing options and promote efficient use of space in dense urban areas.

  • AI Revolution in Housing Development: Streamlining the Review Process

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Construction Technology

Urban Acupuncture

    • Urban Acupuncture

      • A socio-environmental theory that combines contemporary urban design with traditional Chinese acupuncture, focusing on pinpointed small-scale interventions to transform the larger urban context.

    • Catalytic Interventions

      • Small, targeted projects or changes that have the potential to spark wider positive transformations in the urban fabric.

    • Tactical Urbanism

      • A city-making approach that features low-cost, temporary changes to the built environment, intended to improve local neighborhoods and city gathering places.

    • Placemaking

      • A multi-faceted approach to the planning, design, and management of public spaces, capitalizing on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential.

    • Bottom-Up Urbanism

      • An approach to urban development that emphasizes community-led initiatives and grassroots movements, as opposed to top-down planning.

    • Urban Catalyst

      • An urban element or intervention that has the power to spark regeneration and positive change in its surrounding area.

    • Micro-Urbanism

      • The practice of making small-scale interventions in the urban environment to achieve larger city-wide goals.

    • Social Capital

      • The networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively.

    • Urban Fabric

      • The physical form of towns and cities, including the pattern of their development and spatial organization.

    • Guerrilla Urbanism

      • Unauthorized, often anonymous interventions aimed at improving urban spaces without official permission.

    • Adaptive Reuse

      • The process of reusing an existing building or site for a purpose other than which it was originally built or designed for.

    • Urban Voids

      • Unused or underutilized spaces within the city that have the potential for transformation and revitalization.

    • Participatory Planning

      • An urban planning approach that emphasizes involving the entire community in the strategic and management processes of urban planning.

    • Urban Acupuncturist

      • A practitioner who identifies and implements small-scale urban interventions to address specific urban issues and catalyze broader positive changes.

    • Ripple Effect

      • The notion that small interventions can create a chain reaction of improvements across a wider urban area.

  • 1. Paley Park, New York City

    A 1/10th acre "pocket park" in Midtown Manhattan, created in 1967. Features a waterfall, movable chairs, and trees, providing a peaceful oasis in the busy city.

    2. PARK(ing) Day, San Francisco

    Started in 2005 by Rebar art studio. Temporarily transforms parking spaces into public parks. Now a global event, inspiring the creation of more permanent "parklets."

    3. Escaleras Eléctricas, Medellín, Colombia

    Outdoor escalators installed in the Comuna 13 district to improve mobility for residents in this hilly area. Significantly reduced travel times and improved quality of life.

    4. Superkilen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    An urban park spanning about 1 km, divided into three color-coded zones. Incorporates objects from 60 different nationalities represented in the local community.

    5. The High Line, New York City

    Transformed an abandoned elevated railway into a linear park, revitalizing the surrounding neighborhood.

    6. Luchtsingel Pedestrian Bridge, Rotterdam, Netherlands

    A crowdfunded wooden pedestrian bridge connecting three previously isolated areas of the city.

    7. Urban Repair Squad, Toronto, Canada

    A group engaging in guerrilla urbanism, creating unauthorized bike lanes and other cycling infrastructure to promote cycling safety and advocate for official improvements.

    8. The 606, Chicago, USA

    Converted an abandoned rail line into an elevated park and trail system, connecting four neighborhoods.

    9. Laneways Project, Melbourne, Australia

    An ongoing initiative transforming the city's narrow alleyways into vibrant public spaces with cafes, street art, and boutiques.

    10. Eixample green corridors, Barcelona, Spain

    A plan to create "superblocks" and green corridors in the grid-like Eixample district, reducing car traffic and creating more pedestrian-friendly spaces.

  • The term "urban acupuncture" has a fascinating history, blending influences from traditional medicine, architecture, and urban planning:

    • Origins and Popularization:

      • The term is widely attributed to Spanish architect and urbanist Manuel de Solà-Morales, who used it in his writings in the late 20th century to describe small-scale interventions with a large impact on the urban fabric.  

      • The concept was further popularized by Jaime Lerner, former mayor of Curitiba, Brazil, known for his innovative urban planning strategies. His book "Urban Acupuncture" cemented the term's place in discussions of urban revitalization.  

    • Core Idea:

      • It draws a parallel between the practice of acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine, where needles are strategically placed to stimulate healing and balance in the body, and urban interventions aimed at revitalizing specific areas and improving the overall health of the city.  

    • Key Figures & Projects:

      • Besides Solà-Morales and Lerner, other key figures associated with urban acupuncture include Finnish architect Marco Casagrande, who emphasizes the importance of temporary and spontaneous interventions.  

      • Examples of urban acupuncture projects include the revitalization of Times Square in New York City, the High Line park built on an abandoned railway in New York City, and numerous small-scale community-led initiatives in cities worldwide.

    • Evolution and Current Use:

      • The concept has evolved to encompass various strategies like tactical urbanism, placemaking, and guerrilla gardening, all focused on using small, often low-cost interventions to create significant positive change.

      • It is now widely used by architects, urban planners, and community activists to address challenges like urban decay, social inequality, and lack of public space.  

    In essence, "urban acupuncture" captures the idea that strategic, targeted interventions can have a ripple effect, transforming not just a specific location but also the surrounding community and the city as a whole. It emphasizes the importance of bottom-up approaches, community engagement, and creative solutions to revitalize urban spaces and promote a sense of belonging.

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References

  • Urban Acupuncture by Jaime Lerner

    “In Urban Acupuncture, Lerner celebrates these “pinpricks” of urbanism—projects, people, and initiatives from around the world that ripple through their communities to uplift city life.”

    Island Press

  • Articles

    Interesting and important reads that I've come across. Please use the feedback form below to suggest articles that should be included.

    List of Articles

  • Other Projects and Programs

    What works? In this section we will keep track of interesting ideas that have been implemented. Please use the form below to suggest projects or programs you have seen that make a difference.

    Projects and Programs