LID Design Competition Sparks Development Changes in Memphis, Shelby County

Update: Water Environment Federation Stormwater Report highlights LID Design Competition, see link below.

In early March 2014, the Memphis-Shelby County Office of Sustainability put out a call for developers interested in participating in their Low Impact Development (LID) Design Competition. Phase 2 of United Housing’s Wolf River Bluffs Development was chosen as the competition site because of the organization’s interest in eco-friendly design. Once the competition was complete, United Housing would have the opportunity to look over all entered submissions and privately contract with whichever firm or team they chose to implement the development, which would feature 40 senior living townhomes.

LID is characterized by methods to treat stormwater runoff in a way that mimics the natural hydrology of the site, through natural infiltration instead of the traditional method of piping the water directly off the site. Because United Housing and the Memphis-Shelby County Office of Sustainability share a similar vision of implementing energy efficient technologies to sustain affordable green communities, United Housing gladly accepted this opportunity for Phase 2 of its development.

The competition design site was located on 12.5 acres of United Housing’s Wolf River Bluffs Development near the intersection of McLean Boulevard and James Road in Frayser. Teams were responsible for developing a plan for a gated senior living community that featured 40 townhomes, interspersed parking, an amenity center for seniors to gather and a cluster design intended to preserve as much vegetation as possible.

A total of 28 architecture, engineering and landscape architect firms represented the 11 teams registered for the competition. Participating teams included:

• A2H, Inc. / Precision Forestry
• Allen & Hoshall, Inc. / Site Solutions, Inc.
• Blair Parker Design / Civil Engineering Solutions, LLC
• Dalhoff Thomas design | studio / The Corradino Group
• Fisher & Arnold, Inc.
• Gresham Smith and Partners / Black & Veatch / Allworld Project Management, LLC / Richie Smith Associates /     University of Memphis students
• Barbara Keathley Associates, Inc. / Roger Dale Skaggs, ASLA / Pickering Firm, Inc. / archimania
• Looney Ricks Kiss / ARUP
• Malasri-Gallo-Lawrence (JT Malasri / Corey Gallo, ASLA / Thomas B. Lawrence, PE)
• Schnadelbach and Associates / The Ibert Group, Limited
• SSR Inc. / Self+Tucker Architects / JPA, Inc.

Round one of judging took place in Houston, Texas, where the first LID competition was launched in 2010. Teams received 80% of their score from LID experts during this round, and the top three teams advanced to the final round in Memphis. The top three teams included Dalhoff Thomas design | studio and The Corradino Group, Blair Parker Design and Civil Engineering Solutions, LLC and Malasri-Gallo-Lawrence. 

The final round was judged by a local jury of 17 civic leaders, design professionals, developers and other decision makers, including United Housing Executive Director Tim Bolding and Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell. After the three teams presented their projects to the jury and audience, it was announced that Dalhoff Thomas design | studio and The Corradino Group was the $15,000 winner. United Housing has the option to pursue future contract negotiations with one or more of the participating firms in order to create a compelling design and attract funding for Phase 2 of Wolf River Bluffs Development. The teams’ design boards will travel the state to be displayed at various conferences in Chattanooga, Henry Horton State Park in Chapel Hill and Murfreesboro over the next few weeks.

Anna Gattuso, Amy Schaftlein and Tim Bolding from United Housing with Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell

United Housing with members from the winning team, Dalhoff Thomas design | studio and The Corradino Group

LID Design Competition Coverage:
The Stormwater Report, a Water Environment Federation news service dedicated exclusively to stormwater news, from green infrastructure to wet weather issues: http://bit.ly/1DW0NpL

Memphis Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1teon8B

WKNO's The Family Plot: http://bit.ly/1yy2CsL

United Housing Partners with University of Memphis to Develop Demonstration Garden

Nonprofit utilizes a Capacity Building Grant from the Strengthening Communities Initiative

 

United Housing, Inc. is excited to share that it is partnering with the University of Memphis Architecture Department to create a NeighborScape Demonstration Garden! The garden was made possible by an $18,000 Capacity Building Grant from the University of Memphis Strengthening Communities Initiative. United Housing received $11,750 and the Architecture and Interior Design Studio, part of the University’s Architecture Department, received $6,250.

“We are excited to partner with the University of Memphis to develop our demonstration garden,” said Tim Bolding, Executive Director at United Housing. “This project has been in the works for some time, and we cannot wait to see it come to fruition in the spring.”

United Housing’s money will be used for social marketing and outreach, curriculum materials, site surveying and a Landscape Consultant. The University’s Architecture and Interior Design Studio, taught by Assistant Professor Jennifer Thompson, will use the money for a Graduate Assistant stipend, research, supplies and a design competition award.

United Housing will design the garden, which will be on its property, in partnership with University of Memphis Architecture Assistant Professor Jennifer Thompson and nine of her students. Additionally, a Garden Advisory Committee, comprised of United Housing’s Homebuyer Education clients, staff and board members, will provide opinions and ideas on the design of the garden.

The design phase officially began on September 18, 2014, and the building phase will take place during the 2015 summer gardening season. Once completed, the garden will provide United Housing Homebuyer Education clients the opportunity to gain advice on plant and vegetable gardening and lawn maintenance.

Each year, Capacity Building Grants are awarded to teams consisting of a nonprofit community organization and University of Memphis faculty and students, who collaboratively implement innovative neighborhood-based projects that address either economic development, education, health, housing, transportation or safety issues.

About Strengthening Communities Initiative

The Strengthening Communities Initiative is part of the University of Memphis’ School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy and the Institute for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. Furthermore, this initiative is supported by the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, United Way of the Mid-South and the Learning by Giving Foundation.

Tennessee Housing Development Agency Recognizes United Housing for High Rankings

United Housing, Inc. received recognition for high state rankings during the 2014 Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) Homebuyer Education Initiative Peer Session. Specifically, the organization was ranked as a top five agency in three categories for its Homebuyer Education impact.

“The proven success and positive economic impact of homebuyer education, combined with this recent recognition from THDA and NeighborWorks, is extremely encouraging,” said Tim Bolding, Executive Director at United Housing. “Our team continuously works to ensure United Housing’s program is successful for our clients.”

Hosted by THDA and NeighborWorks America in Nashville, Tenn., the Homebuyer Education Initiative (HBEI) Peer Session gathers housing industry leaders from across Tennessee together for two days of training. During the event, THDA and NeighborWorks America recognized Tennessee Community Development Corporations (CDC), including United Housing, in various categories for their homebuyer education accomplishments during fiscal year 2014.

Each category included 32-38 CDCs, and United Housing received the following recognition under THDA’s Homebuyer Education Initiative:

·       Fourth in the state: Total Urban Loan Production

o   72 customers served and $5.96 million total loans funded

·       Fourth in the state: Total Loan Production

o   112 customers served and $10.75 million total loans funded

·       Fifth in the state: Total Rural Loan Production

o   40 customers served and $4.8 million total loans funded

About Tennessee Housing Development Agency

As Tennessee’s housing finance agency, the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) is a self sufficient, independently funded, publicly accountable entity of the State of Tennessee. THDA’s mission is to ensure that every Tennessean has access to safe, sound, affordable housing opportunities. More information about THDA programs can be found online at www.thda.org.

About NeighborWorks® America

For 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $19.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. For more information, visit www.nw.org.

Invest in United Housing’s Homebuyer Education

Did you know individuals enrolled in Homebuyer Education are 30% less likely to foreclose on their home?

The heart of United Housing’s mission is teaching families to become financially stable homeowners and good neighbors. Our Homebuyer Education program helps us accomplish this goal by providing customers with the skills to get approved for a mortgage, work with a realtor, work on their credit score, budget for a new home and more.

With this mentioned, we’d like to introduce our latest sponsorship opportunity, the Invest in Homebuyer Education program. We’ve set a goal to raise $24,000 for our Homebuyer Education program during our fiscal year 2015, and invite you to help us reach that goal at one of two levels:

• Individual level - $500 to sponsor a week
• Corporate/Lender level - $2,000 to sponsor a month

Your investment is a key piece in helping us provide local families with the necessary homeownership skills. Sponsorship recognition is available online, in our newsletters and at our office.

If you have any questions or would like to sponsor our Homebuyer Education program, please contact Amy Schaftlein at (901) 728-6937 or aschaftlein@uhinc.org.

To preview the Homebuyer Education schedule, please visit the link.

United Housing's Sharon Walker Explains the Impact of Homebuyer Education

Did you know people who complete the Homebuyer Education program are 30% less likely to foreclose on their homes? Long term homeownership creates healthy neighborhoods. Watch this video to learn more about the impact of Homebuyer Education from Sharon Walker, Director of Homebuyer Education at United Housing.

Visit www.uhinc.org to get our schedule of free Homebuyer Education classes, or contact Amy Schaftlein at aschaftlein@uhinc.org to find out how you can support this much-needed program.

Summer Energy-Saving Tips

As the temperatures continue to rise in Memphis, air conditioners become just about every homeowner’s favorite appliance. Misusing these appliances can result in increased utility costs, many of which can easily be avoided.

When the weather is warm, you work hard to keep your home cool. Below are a few tips to ensure maximum savings while doing so:

• Using a ceiling fan allows you to raise your thermostat by 4°F without a noticeable change. Using fans will give the sensation it is 5 degrees cooler than it is.

• A ceiling fan creates a wind chill effect for people, not the room itself. So remember to turn off the fan when no one is there.

• After showers and baths, turn on your bathroom fan to remove excess heat and humidity. 

• Do not place lamps or televisions near the thermostat. The heat given off causes the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.

• To block heat, keep blinds shut or curtains and drapes pulled closed on the side of the house that receives the most sun.

• Clean or replace air filters once a month. This is important to ensure there is no dust build-up. This restricts airflow and places stress on the system, which leads to unit deterioration and increased operation costs.

• Try to keep your average thermostat temperature set at 78°F. Each degree below that adds 6% to your cooling costs. Keep in mind that the slighter the difference between indoor and outdoor temperature, the less energy your system has to expend.

• Setting the thermostat lower than normal when turning on the air conditioner will not cool your home faster than normal, but it will result in excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.

• Using a microwave or stove as opposed to an oven can help keep your house cooler.

• Try not to turn the AC down so low at night. Instead, sleep with light bedding and a fan or two, if needed.

• Keep the outside portion of your air conditioner clear of mud, grass and debris, as that blocks the air. It’s imperative that the condensing unit is allowed to breathe.

• Place shrubs or bushes around your air conditioning unit to provide shade and reduce your electricity usage by 10%. Just make sure the shrub or bush does not block airflow.

• Seal cracks and openings to reduce warm air entry into your home. For other ways to improve the efficiency of your windows, visit energy.gov.

• For more energy-saving tips, visit Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s Summer Tips page.

Looking for an energy-efficient, cost saving home in Memphis? Check out our Wolf River Bluffs Development: http://www.uhinc.org/14-featured-articles/47-a-testimony-to-homeownership.

United Housing Partners With Grace-St. Luke’s Church To Develop First GraceBuilders House

United Housing, Inc. has partnered with Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church to create the first Grace-St. Luke’s GraceBuilders House. The church’s GraceBuilders volunteers will work with United Housing Construction Manager Mike Brunk to completely rehab a foreclosed house in Northwood Hills for a family in United Housing’s Homebuyer Education program. 

Grace-St. Luke’s Church donated $25,000 to the home renovation project, which United Housing matched with Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) funds obtained through the Federal HOME funds granted to Shelby County.

“We are honored to partner with Grace-St. Luke’s and CHDO, who have generously embraced this great project,” said Tim Bolding, Executive Director of United Housing. “We look forward to working with the GraceBuilders and other community partners to increase homeownership across West Tennessee.”

Over the course of five weekends beginning July 11, volunteers will perform tasks related to demolition, painting, blind installation, deck and fence construction and home landscaping. Volunteer sessions will take place on Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., as noted below. Anyone can sign up to volunteer for one or more days of work by emailing gracebuilders@gracestlukes.org.

·                July 11 and 12: Demolition

·                July 25 and 26: Landscaping

·                August 8 and 9: Construction

·                August 22 and 23: Painting

·                September 12 and 13: Clean-up

Following the renovation, United Housing will sell the house to one of its clients who have completed the organization’s Homebuyer Education program and are in need of assistance. Furthermore, Grace-St. Luke’s Church will purchase and donate appliances to the new homeowner during a special ceremony.

United Housing’s Homebuyer Education program encourages self-empowerment and self-sufficiency, as well as provides the tools for families to become financially stable. Clients who take part in the program must complete the course and one-on-one counseling before earning their Homeownership Diploma. This designation provides participants access to lower mortgage interest rates and down-payment assistance. 

For more on this project, read this feature article in The Commercial Appeal: http://bit.ly/1rbetbY