Pandemic aside, projects funded through Small Change have been steadily progressing towards completion all over the country. In Los Angeles, Bungalow Gardens, the iconic homeless housing project, is under construction and 30% complete, with most of the walls and roofs framed up. Agreements have been executed for the rental subsidies and a social services provider is in place. And the icing on the cake for this special little project is their winning status in an L.A. county housing innovation challenge (for crowdfunding!). In Chicago, Innovation Houses are rapidly building a presence and a community. They have purchased two more houses with the funds raised on Small Change, helping them to leverage CDFI loans. One house is currently being rehabbed while another is in the permitting process. More importantly than the houses they are acquiring, they now have 25 Community Building Fellows committed across all four houses they own, and all committed to volunteer work in Englewood.
On the east coast, in upstate New York, all of the energy-efficient, modular homes in the Brooklyn Heights Farm project have sold or are pending sale. Construction on the first of the five houses is almost complete, with two more just about to break ground. A little further south, in Philadelphia (where it is always sunny), the gut rehab of Golaski Labs is well underway. The site is prepped for both the existing buildings and new construction, including environmental remediation, utility connections, laying the foundation for the new building and running sprinkler lines and ductwork in the old warehouse. Next up, the first modular boxes will be installed on the prepped land. In Washington D.C., the 3451 Benning food hall is getting ready to start construction, with existing structures demo’d and foundation poured. They’ve locked down two major grants to support the project as well. And even further south, in New Orleans, the second of two Starter Homes is now sold.
Stay tuned. There’ll be more next month for sure. Or check out the next round of projects we’re raising funds for.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons, courtesy of Department of the Interior (public domain) (modified for use)
