Evaluation of Low-Income Housing

The objective of this study is to determine how user preferences for outdoor space support or undermine sustainable site design, particularly in evaluation of low-income communities. The study examines how these preferences can inform site planning and offer guidelines for sustainable development. Sustainability, a cultural and ecological process, is advanced through professionally and industry-derived guidelines primarily informed by ecological function. Yet, it is user needs and values that create socially sustainable places. Therefore, to successfully address both ecological and social parameters of sustainability, user preferences need to be understood. Understanding user preferences is particularly important when advancing sustainable design in a non-market-based system like affordable housing. This study focuses on the evaluation of low-income sustainable site design through a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) survey in two affordable homeownership housing developments in Oakland, California.

Sustainable site design aims to create spaces that are both environmentally friendly and socially sustainable. This involves balancing ecological considerations with the social needs and values of users. The evaluation of low-income communities, where resources are often constrained, it is crucial to understand user preferences to ensure that sustainable design solutions are both effective and equitable. The study conducted in Oakland, California, used a POE survey to explore user needs and preferences for private and public outdoor space, including parking, open space, and building typology.

The POE survey included an owner-given tour of private and neighborhood outdoor space, prioritization of the outdoor spaces, and making spatial trade-offs. This approach allowed researchers to gain a comprehensive understanding of user preferences and how they interact with the designed spaces. The survey results provided valuable insights into the specific needs and desires of residents for evaluation of low-income housing developments, which can inform future sustainable site design guidelines.

The survey results showed a strong preference for private yard space, privacy, and boundaries among residents. These preferences need to be reconciled with the communally based approach of sustainable site design. Additionally, users desired more paved surfaces to make spaces usable. However, as spaces are paved over, the volume of runoff increases beyond original design intentions, counter to sustainable goals. This highlights the need for careful consideration of surface materials and drainage systems to balance user preferences with ecological sustainability.

Common areas were highly valued by residents for their large outdoor space, although they were rarely used by adults and often by children. Satisfying the ideals of privacy and boundaries, as well as including suitable amenities, can increase the frequency of use and enhance social sustainability. This suggests that designers and architects should consider both ecological and social factors of sustainable site design more critically, especially in evaluation of low-income housing developments.

This analysis produces an alternative perspective as well as a set of sustainable site design guidelines, which better respond to users’ needs, specifically addressing both green site design and social sustainability. Within this context, designers and architects can consider ecological and social factors of sustainable site design more critically. By doing so, they can create spaces that not only meet environmental goals but also enhance the quality of life for residents in evaluation of low-income communities.

Understanding and incorporating user preferences into sustainable site design is essential for creating socially and ecologically sustainable spaces in evaluation of low-income housing developments. The study in Oakland, California, provides valuable insights into the specific needs and desires of residents, which can inform future sustainable site design guidelines. By balancing ecological considerations with user preferences, designers and architects can create spaces that are both environmentally friendly and socially sustainable.