I was able to get a good interview with David La Fontaine, Program Director at Community Ventures. They are a non-profit developer in in Philadelphia, working mainly on revitalization and development projects. He talked about their mission to partner with neighborhood organizations to best focus their efforts, how they operate, where they find financial assistance, and what it's like working with builders and architects.
Then I outlined a project proposal for a vacant lot in Renovo, did some quick designs for modest single-bedroom homes, and considered all of the materials and costs to build. The goal was to minimize building costs through simpler methods and efficient materials. After a pricing breakdown, I came to the conclusion that some form of assistance or subsidy is necessary to provide these at the price that they could sell at.This was both fun and challenging paper, so if you have the time, give it a read and let me know what you think. Download paper
