What is Asset-Based Community Development?

How you view the neighborhood that you live or work in is going to largely influence the way that you act. A neighborhood is often seen from the perspective of its largest problems. “That is a dangerous neighborhood,” “That neighborhood looks trashy,” “There is a lot of poverty in that community.” How many times have you heard one or more of these as the first description of a neighborhood?

We all know about the negative things that are a part of our community, but, on the other side of every deficit is an asset begging for some attention. Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) is focused on identifying the positive, useful, or valuable things, people, or qualities in a community and celebrating what is an asset within that area.

The goal is not to tell you to “fix” neighborhood problems, but to demonstrate how to recognize the assets, and empower communities so that community members can build or rebuild their community and neighborhoods for themselves.

Register for CDFW’s Urban Design Talk: "What's GOOD in your Neighborhood", where we will dive deeper into this topic. Learn more at designfortworth.org/urban-design-talks.

What are Food Deserts?

Food deserts are regions where people have limited access to healthy and affordable food. This may be due to having a low income or having to travel farther to find healthy food options because there are no choices in their neighborhoods. Food deserts are heavy on convenience stores that sell mostly processed foods, high in calories and low in nutrients.

Without access to healthy foods, people living in food deserts may be at higher risk of diet-related conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

The USDA identified around 6,500 food deserts between 2000 and 2006. Experts estimate that around 23.5 million people in the U.S. live in low-income areas that are farther than 1 mile to the nearest large grocery store.

The Hillside neighborhood — within Fort Worth’s 76104 ZIP code, has been identified by the USDA as a food desert. A study by UT Southwestern found that residents of the 76104 ZIP code have the lowest life expectancy in Texas at 66.7 years. Doctors and residents say the lack of affordable healthy food contributes to the area’s poor health.

Interested in learning more about this subject and more? Stay tuned for our upcoming Urban Design Talk topics.

Sources: https://www.star-telegram.com/article244139092.html

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-are-food-deserts

What are Accessory Dwelling Units?

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are additional living quarters on single-family lots that are separate from the primary dwelling unit. The separate living spaces are equipped with a kitchen and bathroom and can be either attached or detached from the main residence.

The development of accessory dwelling units can be traced back to the early twentieth century when they were a common feature in single-family housing. After World War II, increased demand for housing led to a booming suburban population. The rapid growth of suburbs reinforced the high demand for lower-density development and led most local jurisdictions to prohibit ADU construction.

In response to suburban sprawl, increased traffic congestion, restrictive zoning, and the affordable housing shortage, community leaders began advocating a change from the sprawling development pattern of suburban design to a more traditional style of planning.

Urban design movements have emerged with a focus on reforming planning practices to create housing development that is high density, transit-oriented, mixed-use, and mixed-income through redevelopment and infill efforts.

Although a number of communities still restrict the development of accessory dwelling units, there is a growing awareness and acceptance of ADUs as an inexpensive way to increase the affordable housing supply.

A few benefits of ADUs include:

• Increasing the community's housing supply

• Offers an affordable housing option for many low- and moderate-income residents.

• Elderly and/or disabled persons who may want to live close to family members or caregivers, empty nesters, and young adults just entering the workforce find ADUs convenient and affordable

• Can provide homeowners extra income that can assist in mitigating increases in the cost of living

• There is no need to develop new infrastructure since ADUs can be connected to the existing utilities of a primary dwelling.

Allowing ADUs facilitates efficient use of existing housing stock, helps meet the demand for housing and offers an alternative to major zoning changes that can significantly alter neighborhoods.

Sources:

https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/adu.pdf

https://americantinyhouseassociation.org/accessory-dwelling-units-in-dallas-fort-worth-tx/

http://smartcities.org/index.php/how-amazon-could-transform-the-tiny-house-movement/