REBUILDING LIVES: ARCHITECTURE TO SOLVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CRISIS

Abstract

Homelessness and affordable housing are critical issues that require urgent attention due to their deep connections with economic, social, and policy factors. In Norfolk, Virginia, the lack of affordable housing has contributed to a rise in homelessness, with 20.1% of the population facing severe housing challenges in 2023. Areas like Ghent once considered “slums, have experienced gentrification, leading to increased rents and a shortage of affordable options. The pandemic has worsened this crisis, highlighting the need to explore the relationship between affordable housing and homelessness. By studying Norfolk’s cultural history, we can inform effective solutions, such as revising policies to encourage affordable housing development and exploring homelessness housing options. Addressing these interconnected social and economic problems is vital to developing solutions, including temporary solutions like tent cities and more transitional solutions such as prefabricated modular housing systems to be used to develop supportive housing. These approaches can help create opportunities to encourage a more equitable society where everyone has the chance to thrive, which is a step to a more inclusive and resilient society.