Article: It is important that housing development provides affordable housing to meet local need and to contribute to sustainable communities.
(newcastle underlyme) Key areas are covered by the standards: external environment; internal environment; accessibility; safety and security; energy efficiency; environmental sustainability and noise abatement; and maintainability, durability and adaptability. 6. In cases where the developer
Impact on the sus. Community housing
Community gardens bring a range of noticeable changes to a neighborhood. They enhance the physical environment, promote safety and increase residential engagement in the community. 1. Wide raging neighbourhood improvement a. Property value ; By improving a neighborhood's overall appearance and developing a public amenity, a community garden can boost the property values of surrounding buildings. The transformation of a block in Lower Washington Heights illustrates this impact. b. Empowerment : A community garden may serve as a focal point for community revitalization and planning efforts. According to Miller of the Morrisania Revitalization Corporation, the process of developing and establishing a garden provides community residents and associations with a sense of empowerment. c. Safety: Residents at a garden project in San Francisco's Mission District reported a 28 percent drop in crime after the first year of their garden project. "What Good is Community Greening?" 1995. A recent study found that green common spaces enhance inner-city residents' sense of safety by increasing neighborhood social ties. "Fertile Ground for Community: Inner-City Neighborhood Common Spaces," 1998. By cleaning up these lots and creating a community space in their place, residents can significantly improve the safety of their communities. The land is reclaimed for positive and legal uses and the block, and even the neighborhood, can be transformed into a place where the community is watching and has a stake in what happens on its streets. d. Education tool: A community garden can enhance a CBO's ability to deliver educational programs by providing an outdoor space where youth and adults can learn from formal instructors and, informally, from each other. Community garden settings have been used for a wide range of educational activities, from workshops to environmental education to peer tutoring. They are especially beneficial to urban youth, who have few opportunities to experience the natural environment. e. Recreation: Moreover, community gardens tend to be more accessible than public parks because parents and caretakers aren't always able to bring their children to larger parks. Having a garden on the block or in theimmediate neighborhood brings recreation space closer to home. Unlike public parks, community gardens also reflect the communities in which they're located, providing an outlet for community expression. Many community gardens contain murals or amenities designed by local youth and residents. 2. Quality of Life and Sense of Community "The community garden started a chain of community involvement. I got to know our politicians, our community board, and the people who work for the Parks Department and the Department of Sanitation. Without the garden, I would still be a 9-to-5-come-home-and-close-the-door-andthat'sit type of person." Karen Washington, gardener at the Garden of Happiness in the Bronx (Just Food, 2000)
As Briggs and Mueller (1997) write, "Social relationships among residents enrich their psychological sense of connection to others and promote involvement in collective activities." 3.
Economic Development
By growing produce for market, community gardens can provide entrepreneurial opportunities.
Our goal is to improve the quality of life of the neighborhood and community
gardens are a very direct way to do that. They build our relationship with the residents and offer additional open space for community residents to meet and gather, develop leadership skills, or offer more services to kids. It's a win-win situation.
Deb Howard, Pratt Area Community Council By:COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION NEIGHBOURHOOD GREEN
sustainable communities share common themes and concerns: economic security, environmental protection, social justice, and a commitment to the welfare of future generations. Sustainable communities recognize that their economic and social structures and the health of the local environment are intertwined. M.E. Swisher, Sandra Rezola and James Sterns2
