You can easily drive past Elm Brook and miss it. The 13-acre Concord, MA, housing project is tucked along a meandering cul-de-sac. A marshy area, dense with viny growth, encircles most of the development, blocking it from the views of neighbors to the east and west. To the south, Elm Brook abuts undeveloped land.
There are 12 houses: clapboard-clad capes, saltboxes, and two-story colonials, all with less than 180 square meters of living space. They are single-family units on small lots landscaped to conform to the natural environment. Each of these three-bedroom modular houses was crafted to meet exacting energy standards in central New York state and then shipped to Massachusetts for on-site assembly.
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Completed just three years ago, Elm Brook offers no hints of the local resistance that Toby Kramer, SM '91, a Concord real-estate consultant, and Peter Roth, MAR '85, SM '86, developer of the project, encountered in bringing the project to reality. The Elm Brook homes seem, well, commonplace. But in a community where expensive historic properties abound, these houses are an increasingly rare commodity. They are "affordable."
Housing affordability is a complex issue. For many years, conventional wisdom held that a household should not spend more than 30 percent of its income on housing. But that view does little to help policymakers address the region's needs. Much more useful is a clear understanding of a community's proximity to job markets. Affordable housing that is 25 miles from a concentration of employers is not as valuable as housing within 10 miles. States and communities cannot develop appropriate housing policies without a tangible definition of the problem to be solved. And that means understanding just what affordability means. Through its new Housing Affordability Initiative (HAI), MIT's Center for Real Estate is helping the housing industry do that.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Comments
FYI - I spent 20+ years living in SOuthern California, which is no longer the affordable state it was back in the 50s, 60s and to some extent the 70s. I moved because it was impossible to buy anything bigger than a 1100 sqft condo ($140K in 1995 - now selling for over $400K).
11/09/2005
Posts:1
I would find it very interesting to see some in-depth research into what types of home construction are most "affordable" in the long run. My own experience has been that there are alot of contradictory and unfounded beliefs about construction materials and methods that muddy the water significantly. Exactly how well does a wood-framed house compare to a house with metal studs in the long run? From a maintenance standpoint, how do conventional foundations compare to slab foundations?
11/09/2005
Posts:1
This knowledge, in itself, is of great value. Other cities, governments, and corporations could make better decisions with the help of good planning aids.
The big question is will this information be shared?
11/20/2005
Posts:1
And couldnt it be said that by limiting the supply of land, all lot sizes will be less affordable?
I just think the researchers are kind of off in what "low income" is? I finally graduated college and am making slightly less than their "low income" amount and I am feeling rich...but not that rich.
11/25/2005
Posts:1
In todays apartment rent housing, people are probably unhappy with rents, space, roaches, and noise. We might need to find out more knowledge about construction and building techniques for building some of these structures in the future. If we can use technology to combat some of these problems, it will all be better for all of us.
Sincerely,
Lilia Mallik
12/08/2005
Posts:1
We can also consider building housing underground or underwater. We should always think about quality of life issues for people.
12/08/2005
Posts:1
In todays apartment rent housing, people are probably unhappy with rents, space, roaches, and noise. We might need to find out more knowledge about construction and building techniques for building some of these structures in the future. If we can use technology to combat some of these problems, it will all be better for all of us.
Sincerely,
Lilia Mallik
12/08/2005
Posts:1
We can also consider building housing underground or underwater. We should always think about quality of life issues for people.
12/08/2005
Posts:1
But, we need to furthur explore the issues involved with these technolgies to ensure that they are cost effecient, economically benficial and are financially sensible.
These such technologies should ideally really giving a real return to the consumer very quickly. So, people will definitely see the value in their long-term investments in these types of systems.
12/07/2005
Posts:1
12/16/2005
Posts:1
12/31/2005
Posts:1
And couldnt it be said that by limiting the supply of land, all lot sizes will be less affordable?
I just think the researchers are kind of off in what "low income" is? I finally graduated college and am making slightly less than their "low income" amount and I am feeling rich...but not that rich.
11/25/2005
Posts:1
But, we need to furthur explore the issues involved with these technolgies to ensure that they are cost effecient, economically benficial and are financially sensible.
These such technologies should ideally really giving a real return to the consumer very quickly. So, people will definitely see the value in their long-term investments in these types of systems.
12/07/2005
Posts:1
12/16/2005
Posts:1
12/31/2005
Posts:1
FYI - I spent 20+ years living in SOuthern California, which is no longer the affordable state it was back in the 50s, 60s and to some extent the 70s. I moved because it was impossible to buy anything bigger than a 1100 sqft condo ($140K in 1995 - now selling for over $400K).
11/09/2005
Posts:1
I would find it very interesting to see some in-depth research into what types of home construction are most "affordable" in the long run. My own experience has been that there are alot of contradictory and unfounded beliefs about construction materials and methods that muddy the water significantly. Exactly how well does a wood-framed house compare to a house with metal studs in the long run? From a maintenance standpoint, how do conventional foundations compare to slab foundations?
11/09/2005
Posts:1
This knowledge, in itself, is of great value. Other cities, governments, and corporations could make better decisions with the help of good planning aids.
The big question is will this information be shared?
11/20/2005
Posts:1