Building on the base of information collected in the Fall 2008 Lawrence Practicum, a DUSP graduate student, holly jo Sparks, will work with James H. Barnes, the City’s Director of the Community Development Department (CDD), and former Deputy Regional Director with HUD, to create a plan for the development of affordable housing in the City, with highest priority being an operational plan that addresses the acquisition and reuse of foreclosed properties.
In conjunction with the development of an affordable housing strategic plan, Sparks will assist in a complementary effort aimed at undertaking a housing market survey for Lawrence. This will be a quantitative study, which will answer such questions as: Who are the target populations for new units? What kind of units and how many units can the City absorb and at what rates? What is the local capacity for homeownership? This work is being advised by Prof. Lynn Fisher of MIT’s Center for Real Estate.
