Tax Credit Advisor Article Archives

Bright-colored images stenciled on walls await as you enter the Genesis community, a new affordable housing development in Washington, DC. These images exemplify what residents of the 27 affordable housing units define as community. Butterflies, birds, leaves, trees, stars and flowers—chosen to represent values like safety, trust, openness and togetherness— are interspersed with smiling images of the residents themselves.

Have you ever considered spending your later years living amongst people with whom you shared a profession? Think of the great stories you can tell over dinner to sincerely interested listeners. After all, nostalgia is a favorite pastime.

You know that old trees just grow stronger/ And old rivers grow wilder every day
Old people just grow lonesome/ Waiting for someone to say, “Hello in there, hello”
– John Prine, 1971

“All our arts colonies,” says Kasey Burke, President of Meta, “integrate into affordable housing ongoing professional scale arts classes and amenities, which are completely free to residents. Programs are built for professional working artists, as well as nonprofessional artists who enjoy the ability to be creative and expressive.”

“Our mantra is: We don’t build housing;
we build communities.”
—Geoffrey C. Brown, President and CEO, USA Properties Fund, Inc.

In the time it takes to read this sentence you will age. Sorry to have to report that. But it’s true.

Three deals over four decades have gradually transformed the historic Westward Ho Hotel complex in Phoenix, Arizona.

The English royals seem to have succession down pat. It’s based on birthright, everyone knows who’s in line and the citizenry seems to respect it. And despite occasional disruption from wars and marriages, it seems to have worked pretty well for hundreds of years.

As the economy continues recovering from the Great Recession, the number of families and individuals who rent their homes instead of buying is growing.

Artspace is not the only organization dedicated to providing affordable living and working opportunities for artists.

When the subject of workforce housing is invoked in any discussion, we tend to think of police officers, firefighters, teachers and other municipal employees. But there is a national nonprofit organization with an ever-expanding footprint and sphere of influence that is enlarging that definition to another cohort its leaders consider critical to a healthy and complete urban environment: Artists.

Massachusetts has improved and expanded access to affordable housing over the past quarter century – and become an innovative public policy leader – in part, through the efforts of Aaron Gornstein.