What is Affordable Housing?

This module of the Envisioning Development Toolkit breaks down one of the most commonly invoked but least understood aspects of urban policy. “What is affordable housing?” comprises a book, a felt poster, and flash site. The core of the project is an exercise in demographic analysis that helps everyday people compare incomes and rent in NYC neighborhoods and fosters discussions about the term “affordable.” The core interaction takes advantage of the material and psychological affordances of felt (friendly, slightly adhesive!) to facilitate group explorations of demographics and housing policy.

The Affordable Housing Tool was produced by myself and John Mangin from the Center for Urban Pedagogy, with a dream-team of support including Glen Cummings of MTWTF, Sha Hwang, Margot Walker, and Dave Powell of the Fifth Avenue Committee.