By Katherine Allen

UF/IFAS Suwannee County

Extension Director



A lack of affordable housing has become a critical issue in many counties throughout Florida. Interestingly, it is often considered a primarily urban problem. The shortage of quality, affordable housing has also reached a crisis level in small cities and towns.

Builders focus on cost-reduction strategies to build affordable homes like: selecting sites near existing infrastructure, reducing lot sizes, designing efficient streets, building in volume, etc. The problem is that we, as a community, not only need to create affordable housing for working families, but we need to create neighborhoods that would remain attractive, safe and livable over time.

How?

* Improve the character of a street by lining it with trees or incorporating more extensive landscaping.

* Plan for neighborhood amenities like parks and trails. While private yards provide some outdoor space for individual homeowners, parks provide continuous open space for recreation and neighborhood get-togethers.

* Provide sidewalks which are more child-friendly to encourage exploration of the neighborhood.

* Utilize narrower streets. Reduced paving equals reduced costs while helping to decrease runoff and slow traffic speeds.

* Place developments within walkable distances to churches, libraries, parks and schools to connect neighborhoods to activities within our larger community.

This is not merely an exercise in constructing inexpensive housing, but rather defining a vision for the future about Suwannee County’s character and appeal as an attractive place to live. It is housing patterns that can either separate us or draw us together.

Of course it is imperative to keep costs down. But, have you ever seen developments that go downhill after the builders have left? What is it that helps to maintain the value? These areas are more than just geographic locations, they are the places in which we work, live and play.

Some additional things to do:

* Select home plans that include unfinished expansion space. This is something buyers can add on or finish as their needs change and their financial circumstances allow. Reconsider the garage. Some homes are being built with a concrete slab sized for a future garage, making the house significantly more affordable.

* Build simple shapes. They are the easiest and most economical to build.

* Build to dimension of materials. You may think this is a no-brainer, but it rarely happens. For example, pouring the foundation in eight-inch increments reduces the need for cutting blocks in concrete block construction. Check out the dimensions of carpeting, plywood panels, and other materials to reduce the waste.

* Stack plumbing (bathrooms above the other to reduce amount of pipe and water bills in future.)

Construction can be focused on affordability while considering its long-term impacts. For centuries, building has been seen mostly as a way to live apart from the environment, but now there is a rethinking of how building can benefit both human and natural systems. Perceived norms can have a substantial impact upon behavior. If we design communities to promote and communicate accepted behaviors, we can bring up youth who are healthy, safe and experiencing a quality of life that is more than just survival.

For more information on housing related issues, contact Katherine at the UF/IFAS Suwannee County Extension office at 1302 11th St. SW, in Live Oak next to the coliseum or call 386/362-2771.

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