Whether housing is affordable is determined by so much more than its purchase price or monthly rent. High energy costs also can be a heavy financial burden on families whose incomes already are stretched. According to the national Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, low-income households typically spend 14 percent of their total income on energy costs, compared with 3.5 percent for other households.
Resources for Residents and Communities (RRC) in Atlanta, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a NeighborWorks network member this year, hopes to help homeowners reduce their costs by incorporating an array of green features in its new single-family development, Legacy Pointe.
Legacy Pointe will be a small subdivision within Atlanta’s Reynoldstown community consisting of eco-friendly, pre-fabricated homes for purchase.
“The uniqueness is the development will be mixed-income,” says Jill Arrington, CEO of RRC. “The [homes] that will be affordable will be held in a community land trust to keep them perpetually affordable.”
To earn its “eco-friendly” label, Legacy Pointe will feature energy-efficient LED lighting in the common areas, pervious concrete (highly porous material that allows precipitation to pass through and re-charge ground water levels) in the parking lot and landscaping that requires very little watering. Each home also will include separate lines for hot and cold water (thus reducing waste) and temperature controls that reduce reliance on the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system.
“We didn’t have to turn on the HVAC unit in our model home at all this summer,” Arrington says. “Even last winter, we never had to turn on the heat.”
With such features, it’s no wonder the Reynoldstown community is already abuzz about the new development. Arrington recounts the day in 2010 that New World Home, a national green home builder and RRC’s partner in this effort, built the first house that inspired the idea of Legacy Pointe.
“They rolled everything in at 7 that morning, [put] the structure in place, and by 5 p.m. that day they locked it with a key,” recalls Arrington with a laugh. Reynoldstown residents were slightly surprised by a house that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. “If you left early that morning, you saw a vacant lot. So when you got home later that night and saw a house sitting there, it would have freaked you out.”
Reynoldstown, which sits less than 10 minutes east of downtown Atlanta, began experiencing growth in its housing market after RRC redeveloped the community in the late 1990s. Mitchell Brown, RRC’s COO, notes that homes in the community are in high demand.
“Reynoldstown is now one of the hottest neighborhoods in Atlanta. The average house is priced at $225,000 to $250,000, but they’re selling for around $300, 000,” he says. “RRC has helped turn the neighborhood around to be a place where people want to live.”
This probably explains why the first model home for Legacy Pointe sold before the actual development is even complete. The lucky homebuyer? A client in RRC’s homebuyer education class.
“The fact that we can provide a quality home for a relatively affordable price to clients in our homebuyer education classes is a win-win,” says Arrington.
As Reynoldstown continues to grow, RRC remains committed to ensuring its residents can stay in the community, in homes that are affordable.
“One of the goals of our founding CEO, Young Hughley Jr., was to provide units of permanent affordability,” explains Arrington. “Legacy Pointe is just one of the projects we have in the works to do this.”
Written by Constance Troutman, public relations specialist for NeighborWorks America.
Legacy Pointe will be a small subdivision within Atlanta’s Reynoldstown community consisting of eco-friendly, pre-fabricated homes for purchase.
“The uniqueness is the development will be mixed-income,” says Jill Arrington, CEO of RRC. “The [homes] that will be affordable will be held in a community land trust to keep them perpetually affordable.”
To earn its “eco-friendly” label, Legacy Pointe will feature energy-efficient LED lighting in the common areas, pervious concrete (highly porous material that allows precipitation to pass through and re-charge ground water levels) in the parking lot and landscaping that requires very little watering. Each home also will include separate lines for hot and cold water (thus reducing waste) and temperature controls that reduce reliance on the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system.
“We didn’t have to turn on the HVAC unit in our model home at all this summer,” Arrington says. “Even last winter, we never had to turn on the heat.”
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| The first model home in Legacy Pointe was assembled so quickly it was like "magic." |
“They rolled everything in at 7 that morning, [put] the structure in place, and by 5 p.m. that day they locked it with a key,” recalls Arrington with a laugh. Reynoldstown residents were slightly surprised by a house that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. “If you left early that morning, you saw a vacant lot. So when you got home later that night and saw a house sitting there, it would have freaked you out.”
Reynoldstown, which sits less than 10 minutes east of downtown Atlanta, began experiencing growth in its housing market after RRC redeveloped the community in the late 1990s. Mitchell Brown, RRC’s COO, notes that homes in the community are in high demand.
“Reynoldstown is now one of the hottest neighborhoods in Atlanta. The average house is priced at $225,000 to $250,000, but they’re selling for around $300, 000,” he says. “RRC has helped turn the neighborhood around to be a place where people want to live.”
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| Zach and Anastasia (shown with their daughter, Penelope) purchased the first model home in Legacy Pointe. |
“The fact that we can provide a quality home for a relatively affordable price to clients in our homebuyer education classes is a win-win,” says Arrington.
As Reynoldstown continues to grow, RRC remains committed to ensuring its residents can stay in the community, in homes that are affordable.
“One of the goals of our founding CEO, Young Hughley Jr., was to provide units of permanent affordability,” explains Arrington. “Legacy Pointe is just one of the projects we have in the works to do this.”
Written by Constance Troutman, public relations specialist for NeighborWorks America.
4 comments:
I like the house featured, but it's not actually in Legacy Point (it is in a nice part of Reynoldstown though), so that's misleading. Also, Legacy Point is really small especially for the number of houses planned, and the houses will be packed in very tightly. Calling it a "sub-division" is certainly a stretch! I'm concerned Legacy Point will bring down home values in the area.
“RRC has helped turn the neighborhood around to be a place where people want to live.”
The narrative that accompanies displacement is often one that tells the story of a neighborhood that's abandoned and devoid of families. The idea that prior to large scale developments and economic revitalization that "people" didn't want to live there.
I felt compelled to respond to this post because Reynoldstown has such a rich history. And prior to the efforts of developers, there were already people there. People who loved their neighbors. People who loved their families. Poor people who did all of the most important things that people who can afford a $225,000 home do. $225,000 isn't affordable for those people. And by erasing them from the narrative of development this article is a push for gentrification and not revitalization.
Atlanta is displacing its poor, black people. We should not pretend otherwise. Green development is excellent. But we must make affordable housing an opportunity for all.
To Brian MindSing: Yes, the house pictured in the article is not located in Legacy Pointe. It served as a model home, to inform the neighborhood and brokers of the features of the homes planned for Legacy Pointe. Legacy Pointe will be a distinct grouping of homes in the neighborhood with common area space, which would categorize it as a sub-division, albeit a small one. We don’t believe home values will decrease from this development given that some of the homes will be market-rate units. We believe this blend of affordable and market-rate houses will protect the integrity of the existing home values, while allowing work-force residents to continue to live in this historic neighborhood.
To FeminineEnergy: RRC would agree that community development comprises a marriage of respecting the existing residents and the history of the neighborhood, while allowing for growth and stability from newer, more affluent residents. We would further agree that affordable housing is needed in Atlanta, and throughout the state. For this reason, some of the units will be affordable units, with price points well below $225,000. RRC welcomes all comments and criticisms, and would welcome your active participation in our efforts to promote affordable housing not only in Reynoldstown, but in other areas of the City. Please feel free to contact us – a strong, supportive voice like yours is an ally in our efforts. There are many worthwhile organizations in the City who would welcome your support.
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