Core Guidelines and Definitions for Articles Submitted for Publication
Topics open for review include:
- Types of housing,
- Building materials,
- Building techniques,
- Use of applicable technology, and
- The impact of public policy, public programs, and legal and regulatory requirements on the ability to provide low-cost housing.
Homeless: There is no universally accepted definition of who is considered to be homeless. This series of papers will use an expansive definition of homeless to include:
- Those who are unsheltered ("live on the streets")
- Those who live in places not intended or are unfit for human habitation
- Those who live in shelters or other temporary housing
- Those who live in situations where they have no control over the term of their occupancy (e.g., "doubled-up")
Housing status will be the sole determinant for who is considered to be homeless with no minimum time, disability, or health requirements.
Those who live in non-traditional housing, such as recreational vehicles, tiny homes, or single-room occupancy (SRO) units, will not be considered to be homeless, nor will the minimal number of people who have knowingly made a lifestyle choice to live without a traditional home.
Because the most effective and cost-efficient way to address homelessness is to prevent it from happening in the first place, this series will also consider approaches to assisting those who are in imminent danger of losing their housing (e.g., eviction, foreclosure, etc).
Home
This series will require that to be considered a home, a unit must provide living and sleeping space, a kitchen, a bathroom, heating, and air conditioning (as needed), and must be suitable for occupancy on a semi-permanent (six months to one year) or permanent (longer than one year) basis. Except for units in a permanent supportive housing facility, housing units that do not contain a kitchen and a bathroom or that are only suitable for occupancies of six months or less will be considered temporary shelters.
Available Housing Options
The attached table lists housing options that are open for review. In evaluating housing options, suitability, and essential need will be threshold issues to provide basic, no-frills, cost-efficient housing units.
While there are no minimum size requirements for inclusion in the series, it is expected that cost considerations will constrain the size of the units. Housing options suitable for single individuals, two or more unrelated individuals, couples, and families will all be addressed in this series. Units under consideration may be new construction, rehabilitation, or conversion projects. They may be detached or attached and may include single-room occupancy (SRO) units, studio units, and single and multi-bedroom units. In short, all types of housing are open for consideration in this series, with an emphasis on cost-effectiveness and innovation.
Public Policy: Current public housing policy and existing housing programs, including issues related to zoning, density, building codes, fees, tax policy, government subsidies, and the permitting, approval, and inspection processes, are all open for review with an emphasis on lowering costs and expediting the production of an abundant supply of low and moderate priced housing.
Economic Viability: A cost-benefit analysis will be a required element for every article.
Role of Private Sector: Whenever possible, articles should include an analysis of the role the private sector can take in addressing the housing crisis and homelessness.
