CHICAGO THIS WEEKEND.
>> BUT FIRST THERE IS A SHORTAGE
OF AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS AND
AVAILABLE STARTER HOMES ACROSS
MANY CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS YEAR DePAUL'S INSTITUTE
FOR HOUSING STUDIES REPORTED THE
LOSS OF SOME 14,000 UNITS IN TWO
TO FOUR-FLAT BUILDINGS.
LIKEWISE ANALYSTS SAY MIDDLE
INCOME BUYERS FACE HURDLES IN
FINDING A HOME ESPECIALLY A NEW
CONSTRUCTION HOME.
AS "CHICAGO TONIGHT'S" NICK BLUM
BERG REPORTS A DESIGN CHALLENGE
AIMS TO TACKLE THOSE ISSUES WITH
THE CONCEPT ADAPTABLE TO
DIFFERENT USERS IN DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> CONSIDER THE BUNGALOW.
THE MODEST HOME WAS FOR YEARS
THE BACKBONE OF MIDDLE INCOME
SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING STOCK IN
MANY CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THE ORGANIZERS OF THE
DISRUPTIVE DESIGN CHALLENGE USED
IT AS SOMETHING OF AN ORGANIZING
PRINCIPLE.
PUTTING OUT CALLS TO ARCHITECTS
FOR A 21ST CENTURY BUNGALOW.
>> THE COST OF NEW CONSTRUCTION
IS SO HIGH WE ARE NOT SEEING
STARTER HOMES AND AFFORDABLE
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BEING BUILT.
IN CHICAGO WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF
VACANT LOTS OWNED BY THE CITY OF
CHICAGO.
AND IT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
MAKE AN INCENTIVE FOR MIDDLE
INCOME FAMILIES TO STAY HERE IN
THE CHICAGO AND NOT MOVE AWAY
AND MOVE INTO THE SUBURBS.
>> THE ORGANIZERS OF THE DESIGN
COMPETITION REACHED OUT TO THE
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
FOR HELP AND GOT 130 DIFFERENT
ENTRIES.
WHITTLED DOWN TO THE WINNER,
GREG TAMBORINO'S ADAPTABLE
HOUSE.
>> IT CAN ACCOMMODATE A VARIETY
OF USES.
SO IT MIGHT BE A SINGLE PERSON
THAT LIVES ON ONE FLOOR AND
RENTS THE UPSTAIRS.
OR MIGHT BE A SMALL FAMILY THAT
LIVES UPSTAIRS AND RENT OUT THE
LOWER FLOOR.
ACCOMMODATING IN TERMS OF BEING
ABLE TO HOUSE SOMEONE THAT MIGHT
BE WHEELCHAIR BOUND OR ELDERLY
AND AGING IN PLACE.
>> AND THE HOUSE IS NOT JUST
MEANT TO WORK FOR DIFFERENT
KINDS OF OWNERS.
IT IS ADAPTABLE TO NEIGHBORHOOD
LEVEL NEEDS.
TWO VACANT CITY-OWNED PLOTS ARE
SLATED FOR SITES TO BECOME A
REALITY IN WEST HUMBOLDT PARK
LOCAL ALDERMAN HOPES TO BRING IN
MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENTS THAT
WILL ATTRACT NEW BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT.
AND PAT DOWELL'S BRONZEVILLE
IT'S MEANT TO HELP STABILIZE AN
AREA WITH HOUSING PRICES THAT
HAVE BEEN SPIKING.
GEOFF SMITH FOR DePAUL SAYS
IDEAS LIKE THE ADAPTABLE HOUSE
ARE A AVAILABLE STRATEGY TO
ATTACK PART OF CHICAGO'S
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRUNCH.
>> IT IS EXCITE AND AND
INNOVATIVE COMPETITION THAT
HOPEFULLY CAN BE REPLICATED AND
PRODUCE NEW AFFORDABLE FOR SALE
HOUSING FOR MIDDLE INCOME
FAMILIES.
IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE CHALLENGE
OF WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD EARNING LESS THAN
25,000 A YEAR STRUGGLING TO FIND
AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING AND WE
NEED TO ADDRESS IT WITH OTHER
STRATEGIES.
>> AND WITH MORE AND MORE HIGHER
INCOME FAMILIES CHOOSING TO LIVE
AND BUY IN THE CITY, SMITH SAYS
THE SOLUTION CANNOT BE LEFT UP
TO DEVELOPERS.
>> IF YOU LEAVE IT UP TO
DEVELOPERS THEY WILL DEVELOP
EXPENSIVE HOUSING BECAUSE THEY
WANT TO MAKE MONEY.
AND UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT
PROVIDES INCENTIVE THEY WON'T.
>> WHILE YOU MIGHT NOT GET
JAZZED ABOUT ZONING CHANGES,
SMITH SAYS THE VARIED PROBLEMS
IN THE HOUSING AND RENTAL
MARKETS REQUIRE VARIED SOLUTIONS
INCLUDING IDEAS LIKE THE DESIGN
CONCEPT.
>> WE THED TO THINK ABOUT
REPOPULATING CHICAGO'S SOUTH AND
WEST SIDE.
THIS IS NOT THE ONLY WAY BUT
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN DOING IN
A WAY THAT IS RESPECTFUL AND
PLEASING IN A WAY THAT FOLKS CAN
SAY I'M PROUD TO LIVE HERE.
WHERE NEIGHBORS ARE HAPPY TO
LIVE NEXT TO THE COOL DESIGN
THAT IS WHAT MATTERS.
>> ARCHITECTS GOT FEEDBACK AND
GREG TAMBORINO SAYS HIS PLAN IS
MEANT TO BE SUSTAINABLE AND
OFFER A CONNECTION TO THE
OUTDOORS AND AFFORDABLE.
THROUGH AN EFFICIENT FLOOR PLAN
AND HOPEFULLY THROUGH ECONOMY OF
SCALE.
>> HIGHLY REPUBLICABLE DESIGN.
MAYBE PORTIONS THAT COULD BE
MASS PRODUCED.
SO BUILDING TWO HOMES TWO
STARTER HOMES WITH THE IDEA THAT
YOU CAN BUILD THOUSANDS OF THESE
ALL OVER CHICAGO OR IN ANY PLACE
REALLY.
>> THE MAJOR DEVELOPER RELATED
MIDWEST IS COMMITTED TO BUILD
THE FIRST TWO HOUSES ONCE
DISRUPTIVE DESIGNS ORGANIZERS
SECURED THE FUNDING.
>> IT'S ONE THING TO CREATE AN
INNOVATIVE AND BEAUTIFUL DESIGN
WHICH WE HAVE AND WE ARE EXCITED
BUT NOW WE ARE GOING THROUGH
EVERY SINGLE COST IN OUR BUDGET
AND FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN GET
THIS BUILT.
WE'RE CLOSE.
>> THE PLAN IS TO BREAK GROUND
WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.