Filed under: Policy
This conversation is dedicated to discussing strategies that will take the Texas Grow Home Disaster Recovery Model to the next stage. We need input on how to responsibly and effectively achieve this goal. We encourage you to post any comments or questions you may have. This Conversation will be held in Austin Wednesday, January 27th at 4pm.
The Texas Grow Home Disaster Recovery Model is: (1) hurricane resistant (2) responsive to local context (3) energy efficient (4) accessible (5) rapidly deployable (6) flexible and (7) affordable. The purpose of the Texas Grow Home Design Competition, held in 2008, was to entice architectural talent to develop innovative design solutions for this Disaster Recovery Model. Now, we must develop a comprehensive set of design guidelines that utilize and build upon the ideas from the design competition. These guidelines will be presented to the Natural Disaster Housing Reconstruction Advisory Committee and, ideally, will be used as a tool to develop a Disaster Housing Design Database of off-the-shelf designs that can be used in the wake of a natural disaster.
The following are questions and issues to consider as we develop design guidelines that define the Texas Grow Home Disaster Recovery Model. The goal of this meeting is not to develop a final product, but to begin a necessary discussion and talk about strategies to perfect the Texas Grow Home Model.
Filed under: Uncategorized
The Texas Grow Home Conversation Series will consist of eight meetings held every third Wednesday from 4pm – 6pm (location to be announced). Each meeting will discuss and develop recommendations for various topics associated with low-income homeowner recovery. Recommendations developed during each meeting will be used to inform the work of the Natural Disaster Housing Reconstruction Advisory Committee. Each topic will be posted on the Texas Grow Home blog one week prior to each meeting. We encourage you to post questions and comments associated with each topic in order to expand and enhance the conversation.
The first of the Texas Grow Home Conversation Series will focus on the topic of Design and will be held, Wednesday, January 27. Attendance is ideal, but the goal of the Conversation Series is to get people thinking about solutions. Stay tuned to the blog and join us in person when you can. (more…)
Filed under: Policy
During the last legislative session, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2450, effective September 2009. H.B. 2450, among other things, called for the creation of a Natural Disaster Housing Reconstruction Advisory Committee. Section 2306.541 states that the director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) shall appoint an advisory committee “composed of representatives from appropriate local, state, and federal entities and organizations and nonprofit organization”. H.B. 2450 is vital to the progression of the Texas Grow Home Project and we ask that TDHCA appoint the committee without delay. (more…)
Visit the new website to learn all about the project.
Visit: www.texasgrowhome.org.
An innovative solution to the post-hurricane housing crisis is soon to be unveiled in Port Arthur. Join us this Friday, November 20 in celebrating the completion of the first two Texas Grow Homes. (more…)
Beginning Friday, Nov 20 this blog will be transformed into a comprehensive web site about the Texas Grow Home Project, complete with virtual open house tours of the completed Texas Grow Homes.
Filed under: Construction
The first two prototypes of the Texas Grow Homes are nearing completion in Port Arthur, TX. We invite you to join us for the two House Blessing Ceremonies on November 20th, where you can learn about our initiative to reform post-disaster housing programs, meet the families, and hear from the people and organizations that partnered to make these homes possible. (more…)
Filed under: Uncategorized
As if Port Arthur does not have enough problems trying to recover from Hurricane Rita and deal with a huge unemployemnt and 25 percent poverty rate the New York Times reports today that a plan s afoot to bring tons of highly toxic PCBs to the city from Mexico for disposal.
The conflict between the aesthetic and functional considerations of design and the realities of living and maintaining a house in a low income neighborhood keeps coming into play. Are large windows, designed for day-lighting and energy efficiency, a security concern when living in a low-income neighborhood? (more…)
We have selected Port Arthur, Texas as a location for building the prototype homes For the Texas Grow Home project. The city, located at the southeastern most part of Texas right on the Gulf of Mexico, was near Ground Zero for Hurricane Rita. (more…)
