Shelterforce - National Housing Institute

current issue Fall 2012

Where Community Is at Work Making Itself

Creating and proctecting third places in low-income communities. A conversation with May Louie, Neeraj Mehta, Ken Reardon, and Chuck Wolfe.

An Island Where There Is a Standard

Like so many of its counterparts across the country, Brick’s is more than just a barbershop in Albany, N.Y. It’s a haven in a troubled neighborhood. · By David King
Get Out of the Way

To create a great third place, one of the most important principles is to let users make it their own. · By Brendan Crain
Saving The Village Pub

When a small U.K. village’s pub closed, a group that had formed to create affordable housing found itself launching a campaign to form a community-owned business and save a community gathering space as well. · By David Graham
Flowers Follow

Sometimes all a vacant lot needs to become a community hub is for someone to know who owns it and who can turn over the keys. · By Paula Segal
Hanging on to the Land

Community gardens and urban agriculture are crucial gathering places—and revitalizing forces—in neighborhoods with lots of vacancy and low values. But what happens to them when the market turns around? · By Jeffrey Yuen and Greg Rosenberg
Claiming Space

Community-driven art projects are helping to define and reshape neighborhood spaces in Philadelphia. · By Ashley Hahn
The Case of NYCHA’s Disappearing Open Space

What looks to a public housing authority like “unused development rights” often looks to public housing residents like important gathering places. · By Alexis Stephens
A Place in the Heart

We asked some of the people who contributed essays for our feature on community developers under 36…... more
New Territory

How two CDCs added school reform to their agendas. · By Susan Naimark