Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The housing crisis, skills shortages and a lack of affordable homes continue to plague the UK. While both housebuilders and policymakers grapple with solutions to build new homes quickly, modular construction has been hailed by many in the industry as a possible answer to solve some of these challenges.

Modular construction is a process which involves constructing elements of a building offsite in a factory-controlled setting before being transported to site for assembly.

The process uses the same materials, standards and codes as conventionally built facilities and is undertaken under controlled plant conditions, but the process is completed in around half the time.

The buildings are produced in modules that are put together on site.

There are two types of modular constructions; permanent modular constructions and relocatable buildings.

Client: Housing 21

Construction firm: M-AR Off-Site LtdandHenry Riley LLP

Location:Richard Onslow Court and Ward Court Shrewsbury and Brighouse

The two modular developments include one-bedroom apartments and bungalows specifically for people over the age of 55.

The homes are complete with kitchens and shower rooms and were transported by road, before being lifted into position where external finish and roof construction took place. The Shrewsbury part of the project was delivered on-time, on-budget, without defects and within 26 weeks.

Client: Livin

Construction firm: Tolent, manufactured by ilke Homes

Location: Newton Aycliffe, Durham

In one day, two modularhomes were delivered and assembled on site

Six modular homes made up of the ground floor, first floor and roof sections were delivered to the site and installed into position to create a pair of two-bedroom homes.

Not only did the process speed up the delivery of the homes, but they also boast a greater energy efficiency rating. As a result, tenants of the modular homes in Newton Aycliffe could save up to 20% on their utility bills compared to new build homes built traditionally.

Client: Homes England

Construction firm: Urban Splash

Location: Northstowe, South Cambridgeshire

81 of the 406 modular homes onthe Northstowe development are set to be council homes. The homes are being created as part ofHomes Englandsfirst neighbourhood at Northstowe.

All of the 81 modular homes will be either one or two-bed properties and will be available at an affordable rent, including 60 that will be age-exclusive apartments for the over 55s.

The successful bid for the 81 modular homes will enableSouth Cambridgeshire District Councilto deliver its objectives to double the number of energy-efficient council homes it builds annually and to provide homes that are affordable to live in.

It is anticipated that work will begin on the Urban Splash homes in spring 2020.

Client: London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Construction firm: Swan Housing Association

Location: Watts Grove, London

The first of the Swan Housing Associations modular homes have already been delivered to theLondon Borough of Tower Hamlets making Watts Grove the UKs first mid-rise Cross Laminated Timber(CLT) modular scheme.

Watts Grove will deliver 45 much needed one, two and three-bedroomed shared ownership apartments in Bow, alongside the provision of affordable and social rented units. The scheme is a car-free development within walking distance of the DLR and underground lines, set around landscaped courtyard gardens which will open up the connection between Gale Street and Watts Grove for the wider community.

The homes will be built in Swan Housings offsite modular housing factory, using Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and then delivered and assembled on site. This will reduce the build time and the environmental impact on the area. Work started on site in June 2018.

Client: Bristol City Council

Construction firm: BoKlok (IKEA & Skanska)

Location: Bristol

BoKlok UK Ltd has announced plans to develop 200 modular homes in south Bristol with Bristol City Council.

The proposed offsite housing development will be the firstBoKlokcommunity in Bristol. Around 140 of the homes will be for market sale under the BoKlok brand. The remaining homes will be for social rent and shared ownership.

Subject to planning permission, construction of the offsite housing is expected to start in autumn 2020.

Client: Southwark Council

Construction firm: Not yet confirmed

Location: Southwark

Southwark Council has agreed a programme to deliver modular, upward extensions on existing housing blocks in the borough.

To minimise opposition from people living in affected blocks, the authority has put together a set of rooftop development principles. It will crane in the offsite built homes to keep the development process as short as possible and give first refusal on the new units to tenants living directly below them.

The council will also deliver improvements to the existing blocks without charging leaseholders for new roofing, lifts or landscaping. Leaseholders will also be offered the opportunity to obtain a share in one of the new homes, with no rent paid on the part they do not own.

The council are set to start exploring which of its blocks could be suitable for upward extensions, whilst also developing a rooftop design guide.

Client: Magna Housing

Construction firm: Rollalong

Location: Dorset and Somerset

Housing association, Magna Housing, announced plans to build more affordable homes in Dorset and Somerset for people to rent and buy and is taking a modular, offsite approach to deliver this.

Rollalong, an offsite design and build contractors in the south, supported these plans. Their in-house design team developed four housing designs for the initial order of 25 homes that were completed in October 2019, ready for onsite installation.

It is anticipated that the first new homeowners or tenants will take up residency in early 2020.

Client: Cole Waterhouse

Construction firm: Bowmer + Kirkland & Caledonian

Location: First Way Campus in Wembley

Bowmer + Kirklandbegan craning the first of the 438 offsite manufactured modules into a new 54m student accommodation scheme in Londons Wembley, in September.

First Way Campus is a 678-bedroom student accommodation scheme being developed by Cole Waterhouse to provide accommodation for the University College of Football Business (UCFB) and Unite Student Living.

The offsite developed modules, which make up the bedrooms, corridors and kitchens of the project, will continue to be lifted into place at a rate of six per day with the last modules being installed by January 2020.

The modules have been built over the last twelve months by Caledonian in Newark. To prepare for the installation, Bowmer + Kirkland installed 403 continuous flight augering (CFA) piles, installed piles caps and then erected a structural steel core. The steel core has also been fire protected prior to the module installation.

Client: Homes England/Places for People

Construction firm: ilke Homes

Location: Blackburn

73 affordable modular homes are to be created close to Blackburn town centre as part of a deal between Places for People and Homes England.

Funded through Places for Peoples Strategic Partnership with Homes England, the development will bring new timber-framed homes to a site off Alaska Street.

A design and access statement submitted as part of the application reads: The opportunity to introduced quality new social housing on a highly accessible site close to Blackburn town centre and adjacent to Highfield Park.

The development of a mix of good quality of two, three and four-bedroom homes, which will broad the choice of attractive, good quality, modern housing in the area.

These are just a few of the innovative and modern developments sweeping the nation. As the buzz around modular construction builds so too will this list.

Think you know of a modular housing scheme in the UK that we may have missed, email our digital editor Steph at sblundell@pbctoday.co.uk.

The rest is here:

The modular homes leading the way in the UK - Planning, BIM & Construction Today

The Y Lot (Ben Allan Smith | The Ann Arbor News)

Editor's note: This story was updated to include an additional resolution on the agenda.

ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor could move quickly to develop more affordable housing.

City Council will consider seven resolutions Monday, Nov. 18 related to possible affordable housing developments on city-owned plots.

Of 11 potential development locations submitted for review, city staff found sites at 121 E. Catherine St. and 404 N. Ashley St. were immediately ready to be developed as affordable housing, according to an analysis to be presented Monday by the Ann Arbor Housing Commission.

The analysis includes proposed development designs prepared by Carlisle Wortman Associates.

Under one resolution, City Council would direct the housing commission to pursue development at those two spots. Five other resolutions call for development depending on funding, more study or community engagement on a number of other sites. Another resolution calls for 353 S. Main St. to be analyzed for affordable housing possibilities. A separate resolution asks for the privately owned 2857 Packard Street to be similarly evaluated.

City Council in April directed city staff to work with the housing commission and Washtenaw County's Office for Community and Economic Development to evaluate select city-owned properties for possible development of affordable housing.

Ann Arbor adds to list of potential affordable housing sites

Council OKs affordable housing incentives for Ann Arbor developers

Council wants the city maintain ownership of the properties and for developers to accept Housing Choice Vouchers and offer affordable rates for renters making 60 percent of the area median income or less - about $60,720 a year or less for a family of four in Washtenaw County.

Three potential portfolio scenarios for the sites will be presented Monday, according to the resolutions on the council agenda.

They come as the city launches a public engagement process in December on affordable housing and the development of two city-owned vacant lots that were evaluated - 350 S. Fifth Ave., known as the Y Lot, and 425 W. Washington St.

Here's a breakdown of city staff's findings and recommendations so far:

121 E. Catherine St. possible development (Courtesy of Carlisle Wortman Associates)

121 E. Catherine St. and 404 N. Ashley St.

Both 121 E. Catherine St. and 404 N. Ashley St. are ready for development, according to city staff.

They're recommending City Council direct the housing commission to develop the sites, zoned D2 for medium-density mixed residential and commercial development, utilizing a ground lease after the appropriate environmental reviews, site plan approvals and applications for funding are filed.

An estimated 120 to 170 units combined of affordable housing, targeting those making 60% of the area median income, could be developed, according to the resolution.

An evaluation found both sites have high potential to receive Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and other federal and state funds for affordable housing, according to the resolution. They're also in the Downtown Development Authority district and eligible to receive financial support from the authority.

404 N. Ashley St. possible development (Courtesy of Carlisle Wortman Associates)

"If tax credits are secured for both sites, the sites could be developed with very little local financial support compared to the other sites," according to the resolution.

The location on Catherine Street - currently a parking lot - would take an estimated $15.3 million to develop.

The Ashley Street location - currently under lease by the University of Michigan for its Community Dental Clinic - could take $17.8 million to develop.

2000 S. Industrial Hwy. possible development (Courtesy of Carlisle Wortman Associates)

2000 S. Industrial Hwy.

A four-acre parcel of land, currently zoned as public land, could garner 50 to 165 affordable housing units if sufficient funds are found, the city review found.

The spot on Industrial Highway is currently used for the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, part of the water system, parking and warehouse storage.

Due to its location next to a railroad, the property could not get Low-Income Housing Tax Credits in support of households making 60% of the area median income, according to the analysis.

Still, development could be possible through housing revenue bonds, the sale of other public land - such as the Kline lot - and other local funding sources, according to a memorandum.

2000 S. Industrial Hwy. (Google Maps)

The affordable housing would target households making up to 80% of the area median income, or $80,960 for a family of four.

City Council is asked to direct the housing commission to develop it's office, maintenance facilities and the affordable housing units, dependent on obtaining the funding, conducting environmental reviews and getting site plan approval.

A memorandum for the resolution suggests City Council could, alternatively or in addition to, direct staff to conduct more analysis on possible funding for mixed-income housing and units targeting those making 60% of the area median income.

The estimated cost of development is $37 million.

Kline lot possible development (Courtesy of Carlisle Wortman Associates)

The Kline lot

The Kline lot at Ashley and William streets could garner a whopping 400 to 600 or more housing units, along with retail space, according to city staff analysis.

However, based on the size, it's likely that a private developer's aid or a sale would be necessary to develop the site.

The property, in D1 zoning for high-density mixed use, is about 1.25 acres in size and scored highly competitive for Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, but would be well over the funding cap set by the tax credits.

If the maximum tax credits were obtained, it would allow for 125 tax credit units and 475 market-rate units, according to a memorandum. Otherwise, proceeds from a sale to a private developer could subsidize other development projects that are less competitive for the tax credits.

The Kline lot (Google Maps)

The site would take an estimated $136 million to develop and is appraised at about $13.7 million is sold.

However, the loss of parking from the site could have a large impact on downtown.

City Council has been asked to direct city staff to work with the DDA on community engagement for the development of the Kline lot as well as the nearby lot at First and William streets.

216 W. William St. (Google Maps)

Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

First and William streets

The less-than-an-acre parking lot at First and William streets, zoned D2, is not suitable for housing because it's entirely in a floodway and floodplain, city analysis showed.

However, city staff have offered a resolution on the site, with an eye to its relation to the Kline lot. In short, it could be used to support the parking needs that developing the Kline lot would require.

A parking deck built on the property would cost less than building an underground parking deck at the Kline lot, according to a memorandum. It can be designed to leave room for a greenway along First Street.

City Council has been asked to direct city staff to work with the DDA on community engagement for the Kline lot and the First and William streets lot, combined.

721 N. Main St. (Google Maps)

721 N. Main St.

Only a small portion of the 5.26-acre site, zoned for public land, at 721 N. Main St. is suitable for housing, the city analysis found.

The site is close to a railroad and has a deed restriction prohibiting any development, even a parking lot, on the floodplain and floodway on the site, according to a memorandum. Most the site is floodplain and floodway.

However, 25 to 35 housing units could be developed on the northwest corner of the property, off West Summit Street.

The site of the City of Ann Arbor Fleet Services building, 721 N. Main St. in Ann Arbor Wednesday, March 6 2019. (Jacob Hamilton | MLive)

This site is not eligible for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit or other federal funding, and alternative funds would be needed to develop the land, the analysis found. Otherwise, the property could be leased with an affordable housing requirement or be sold to subsidize other affordable housing projects.

Development would cost an estimated $7.6 million, The site's appraised value if sold still needs to be determined, but is estimated at $400,000 to $600,000.

City Council has been asked to direct the city administrator to work with the DDA, the Tree Line Conservancy and others to pursue community engagement on the use of the site.

Platt Road and Springbrook Street possible development (Courtesy of Carlisle Wortman Associates)

Platt Road and Springbrook Street

The four city-owned parcels of land at 3400 block of Platt Road and 3400 block of Springbrook Street could support up to 14 single-family affordable housing units, according to a memorandum.

The parcels, totaling about 1.3 acres, sit across from existing subsidized housing and near single-family homes.

It likely wouldn't get Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and would need significant local subsidy to be developed, city staff found.

3440 Platt Road (Google Maps)

City staff has looked into selling the property to Habitat for Humanity with a resale restriction in favor of long-term affordable housing or developing small, zero-energy modular houses.

The site would cost an estimated $3.1 million to develop and is appraised at $560,000 if sold.

City staff want City Council to direct additional community engagement on the site.

1510 E. Stadium Blvd. possible development (Courtesy of Carlisle Wortman Associates)

1510 E. Stadium Blvd.

A .75-acre plot at 1510 E. Stadium Blvd. isn't a high priority option for affordable housing, according to city staff.

They're eyeing the land, which currently has a former fire station, for temporary or permanent Ann Arbor Housing Commission offices, a maintenance garage or other city offices, as an alternative to the 2000 S. Industrial Hwy.

The location could support eight to 12 affordable housing units but isn't a competitive option for low-income tax credits and would require significant local subsidy for development, according to a memorandum.

Development would cost an estimated $3.1 million.

City Council is asked to direct the housing commission to hire an architect to determine the cost of renovating the existing building and adding an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant addition, then report back.

1320 Baldwin Avenue (Google Maps)

1320 Baldwin Avenue

The current site of the Ann Arbor Senior Center is a no-go for affordable housing, as far as city staff is concerned.

It's park property, would require a ballot approval to change its allowed use and has a Michigan Department of Environment Quality restriction, according to staff analysis. The senior center also would be lost through development.

The Y Lot is at 350 S. Fifth Ave. (Google Maps)

Five, four-hour community discussion sessions are scheduled on the topic of developing 350 S. Fifth Ave. and 415 W. Washington St.

The 2.2-acre property at 415 W. Washington St., zoned D2, includes a floodplain and floodway, according to the county's Office of Community and Economic Development. It also has a blighted building, is in a historic district, could qualify as a brownfield site and has a railroad noise hazard.

City staff previously recommended a public-private partnership to develop the long-debated 0.8-acre parcel known as the Y Lot at 350 S. Fifth Ave. They called for the city, Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, the Ann Arbor District Library and the DDA to create 100 to 200 units of affordable housing and space for community events and meetings.

Ann Arbor OKs contracts for community-driven Y Lot concepts

The development would include the Y Lot, the library's property at 343 S. Fifth Ave. and the Blake Transit Center on South Fifth Avenue.

The DDA pledged $745,000 toward the creation of affordable housing on the property, zoned D1, and the City Council in July agreed to hire local consultant SmithGroup Inc. to develop concepts for the lot.

The city agreed to move $75,000 from the general fund to the planning fund for the cause, with the expectation that $50,000 will be paid back by the AAATA and the DDA.

Blighted property at 415 W. Washington St., Ann Arbor, on Oct. 11, 2017. (Ryan Stanton | MLive)

415 W. Washington St. and the Y Lot

The community discussions will take place:

Those unable to attend a discussion can share feedback on the project webpage or send questions to Derek Delacourt, City of Ann Arbor community services administrator, at

.

353 S. Main St. (Google Maps)

If City Council approves a resolution Monday, the city-owned parking lot at 353 S. Main St. will be evaluated for possible affordable housing.

2857 Packard Street (Google Maps)

If City Council approves a resolution Monday, the privately owned property at 2857 Packard St. will be evaluated for possible affordable housing.

Read the original here:

Ann Arbor could develop 2 affordable housing sites ASAP, analysis finds - MLive.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --Family Promise, national non-profit, and Clayton, one of the nation's off-site and on-site home builders, have announced their partnership called A Future Begins at Home. This partnership represents a robust and innovative initiative to create a prevention and stabilization housing program, which Family Promise affiliates can use nationwide when assisting local families in need.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8481356-clayton-homes-and-family-promise-announce-partnership-2019/

Both organizations believe that by addressing the underlying causes of homelessness and the affordable housing crisis together, communities take one step toward becoming a nation in which every family has a home, a livelihood and the chance to build a better future.

"Family Promise's holistic approach to the crisis of family homelessness includes three key areas of focus: prevention, shelter and stabilization,"said Claas Ehlers,CEO of Family Promise. "And with this partnership with Clayton, we are moving families from being homeless to homeowners and helping them to create sustainable independence."

The partnership supports Family Promise's approach to not just care for families actively experiencing homelessness, but to also support families facing housing instability. A Future Begins at Homeintegrates:

Another element of the partnership is that Clayton has periodically gifted off-site built homes to formerly homeless Family Promise families as a permanent housing solution. Since the partnership was first announced in 2018, the latest family to receive a home was in October 2019. After leaving a negative relationship, Sara Warren, a Colorado Springs single-mom of two young children struggled to find employment and shelter for her family. With the support of her local Family Promise affiliate, she was able to secure a fulfilling job and provide stability for her kids. She achieved the dream of homeownership when she was gifted a Clayton Built home located in Rocky Mountain Homeowners Co-Op, a resident-owned community, part of the national ROC USA network.

"ROC USA Network and its Colorado affiliate Thistle Communities were thrilled to be able to participate with Family Promise and Clayton in the effort to deliver the Warren family a new home," said Paul Bradley, president of ROC USA. "By joining the Rocky Mountain resident-owned community, Sara and her children are receiving the gift of sustainable homeownership in a supportive community."

"We are so passionate about the mission to end family homelessness, and it's an honor to join Family Promise in this important partnership and further Clayton's commitment to opening doors to a better life through attainable homeownership," said Susan Brown, director of philanthropy for Clayton. "We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve homeownership and have a safe, secure home of their own."

With family homelessness showing no signs of lessening, A Future Begins at Home is critical to Family Promise's next phase of work. Together with Clayton, the organization can reach its goal to serve an additional 10,000 children by 2021, and work toward its aspiration to serve 1 million children by 2030 so that every family has a home, a livelihood and the chance to build a better future.

ABOUT CLAYTONFounded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life and building happyness through homeownership. As a diverse home builder committed to quality and durability, Clayton offers traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing, including modular homes, manufactured homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments. In 2018, Clayton delivered 47,570 homes to families across America. Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

ABOUT FAMILY PROMISEFamily Promise envisions a nation in which every family has a home, a livelihood, and the chance to build a better future. What began as a local initiative in Summit, NJ, has become a national movement that involves 200,000 volunteers and served more than 125,000 family members in 2018. Family Promise will change the future for 1 million children by 2030. For more information about Family Promise, please visit FamilyPromise.org

ABOUT ROC USAROC USA, headquartered in Concord, NH, has a mission of preserving affordable communities by making resident ownership of manufactured home communities (or, "mobile home parks") viable and successful nationwide. ROC USA and its two subsidiaries, ROC USA Network and ROC USA Capital was launched May of 2008 and today serves 248 co-op communities and 17,000 homeowner/Members in 17 states. ROCUSA.org

Media ContactKelly Andrewskelly@hlstrategy.com

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Family Promise and Clayton Announce 'A Future Begins at Home' Partnership to Help Prevent and End Family Homelessness - The Grand Junction Daily...

Earlier this year, the mayors task force on homelessness released a report identifying costs to construct a 15-unit building for permanent supportive housing. Construction costs were estimated at $4.5 million, or $300,000 per unit.

The proposed modular homes on the other hand, are much more affordable. One tiny homes builder in Puslinch priced a fully-furnished 160 sq/ft home at around $26,000 per unit. At this price, the units would be affordable to someone receiving the monthly housing allowance provided by Ontario Works ($390 for one person).

The property staff were asked to investigate as a potential site for the harm reduction housing project.

Bryan McPherson, a homeowner near Beaumont, said he likes the concept of using tiny homes to address homelessness, but just not at this site. In other cities, like Vancouver or in Europe, these projects work well, but the approach is so different, he said.

They integrate containers into mixed-income neighbourhoods with amenities, so it provides them with more of a chance for social cohesion and rehabilitation.

The site on Beaumont has no access to medical services, he said. Theres no community kitchen for skills upgrading. There are no grocery stores nearby, or sidewalks for pedestrians. The bus comes every 30 minutes, and there are children in the area that actively use the green space as a park.

He said the focus of this housing project should be integration, not segregation, noting the neighbourhood around Beaumont is already made up of people living in rent-geared-to-income (at 780 York Road) and affordable housing (Habitat for Humanitys Cityview Village).

So youre putting people on the fringe with people on the fringe.

When asked about a better suited site, he suggested the recently completed Market Parkade.

We paid $22 million for a parking garage that is empty If they really want to address this situation now, thats how you do it.

Other nearby residents voiced opposition to the proposal, highlighting concerns of theft and a potential decrease in property values if the project were to go ahead at this site.

This is a peek inside a modular home built at a property in Puslinch. The harm reduction housing team toured the site earlier this fall. | Chris Seto/Torstar

Mayor Cam Guthrie said he plans on proposing some tweaks to the motion that identifies Beaumont as a site to be looked at when the issue comes to council on Monday. Most notably, this would include removing the specificity of naming Beaumont and expand the search to other city-owned properties.

I think my amendments are really needed to be able to broaden the discussion on sites across the city, but also to make sure that the right wraparound social services would be available for wherever this may be, he said.

While this change would only explore city-owned properties, Guthrie said it would also send up the signal to private partners who may want to take part in the project.

The other major change is around timing. The committee resolution requested staff report back by January. Guthries new motion would extend that to the early spring.

Despite the delay, Guthrie said this would be enough time to have the project up and running in time for next winter.

Adrienne Crowder, manager of the Guelph Wellington Drug Strategy, leads the harm reduction housing team. She said the mayors suggestion to seek out other viable properties was welcome the more options for potential sites, the better.

The site at 106 Beaumont was identified because it was the only empty parcel of land found in a recent city report on municipal assets. She said it was regrettable that neighbours had to learn about the city's potential investigation through media reports.

Balancing the needs of communities while finding ways to bring forward new social housing initiatives is part of a national conversation, she said.

The intact community around Beaumont Crescent has needs that would need to be incorporated into how something would move forward.

READ MORE:

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She said the project team is exploring all options to find a site for this project. Its even open to considering other models of harm reduction housing and not using retrofitted shipping containers.

The biggest challenge in Guelph is theres no available housing stock, she said. By turning shipping containers into modular homes, new housing stock is created quickly and at a relatively low cost.

Looking at lines on the municipal budget, the $600,000 requested to build 10 units is relatively small compared to other items, she said. By housing the citys most vulnerable, this may also have an impact on improving community safety.

If community safety is a big concern for our community, this is a way that tries to get to some of the root causes of what is creating the lack of safety.

The issue will be discussed at the city council meeting on Monday Nov. 25 and anyone is welcome to attend.

To register as a delegate for this meeting, contact the city clerks office no later that 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 by going online to guelph.ca/delegate, calling the clerks office at 519-837-5603, TTY at 519-826-9771, or sending an email to clerks@guelph.ca.

with files from Graeme McNaughton

See original here:

East Guelph residents push back against proposed harm reduction housing site - GuelphMercury.com

WITH RENTS AND HOUSE prices still climbing, Irelands housing crisis isnt going away anytime soon. To find some answers, the country might need some new perspectives.

We believe that there is a tendency to assume that everybodys ideal house is a three-bedroom semi (detached) with a front garden and back garden. Where actually preferences and demographics are shifting to the point where people want very different things, Stephen Bell, the chief executive of development financing firm Cullaun Capital, said.

Bell spoke to Fora as his firm released a report with recommendations made by panellists at a conference held by Cullaun and highlighted a need to change policy to create a variety of accommodation options.

We wanted to open up a dialogue where people talk about those different things, whether that be co-living, private rented sector, nursing homes and all sorts of different things that still constitutes a place that somebody might call home, he said.

Recommendations

Mike Flannery, chief executive of Bartra Capital, said that new categories of houses were needed on the market to accommodate a younger generation that lives on their own into their thirties and can fit into smaller spaces with better facilities.

Both Flannery andArthur OBrien, the managing director at C+W OBrien Architects, noted that new housing configurations are badly needed to meet changing demographic needs.

According to the panel, younger people dont want a long commute to work in urban centres, for both personal and environmental reasons, and also dont necessarily buy into the culture of ownership that once dominated Ireland.

Ireland is only at about 60% urbanisation, compared with a likely typical average of 80%elsewhere. We are going to have to change the whole range of typology. It is not possible with all the willin the world to give everyone a front garden, a back garden and three bedrooms, Flannery said.

According to property website Daft.ies latest rental figures, the average monthly rent has risen to 1,403 per month in the third quarter of this year. Figures from the Central Statistics Office indicate house prices have risen nationally by 85.2% and in Dublin by 95% since 2013.

To help alleviate demand, Ireland could copy New Zealand and introduced bonds to incentivise smaller housebuilders, according to Brian McEnery, a partner and head of healthcare at accountancy firm BDO Dublin and a former director at Nama.

Housing is very, very complex. Its behavioural, its economic, its developmental and its governmental. And it takes time. When the pipeline stopped during the crisis, as it did very abruptly, it is slow to rebuild, McEnery said.

In 2018, there were more than18,000 units built in Ireland and around 21,000 are estimated to be completed by the end of the year.

New Zealand has also rezoned land to have seven years of supply in the pipeline, which is similar to Irelands need, he said.

Derek Poppinga, the managing director at real estate investment and development firm Mm Capital, said the cost of inflation was one of the biggest challenges facing the sector and added that modular housing should be a serious consideration.

He said this cant be achieved at the moment because of a skills gap and added that more resources need to go toward training to attract more people and innovation into the industry.

Fidelma McManus, partner at law firm Beauchamps, said there was a need for affordable public rental houses and pointed to Viennas model, where the city keeps rent low by owning 220,000 homes, with a further 200,000 provided by limited-profit housing associations.

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Note: Journal Media Ltd has shareholders in common with Daft.ie publisher Distilled Media Group.

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To solve the housing crisis, Ireland needs to think beyond the three-bedroom house - Fora.ie

A worker measures wood for a house under construction at the KB Home Vineyard Crossing Community in Livermore, California.

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

U.S. homebuilding rebounded in October and permits for future home construction jumped to a more than 12-year high, pointing to strength in the housing market amid lower mortgage rates.

The report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday also showed an increase in home completions and the stock of homes under construction, which could help to ease a supply squeeze that has plagued the housing market.

"This is an important report for future homebuyers since one of the largest deterrents to entering the market right now is the lack of robust housing options," said Bill Banfield, executive vice president of Capital Markets at Quicken Loans in Detroit.

Housing starts increased 3.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.314 million units last month, with single-family construction rising for a fifth straight month and activity in the volatile multi-family sector rebounding solidly.

Data for September was revised to show homebuilding declining to a pace of 1.266 million units, instead of decreasing to a rate of 1.256 million units as previously reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast housing starts increasing to a pace of 1.320 million units in October.

Housing starts advanced 8.5% on a year-on-year basis in October. Building permits surged 5.0% to a rate of 1.461 million units in October, the highest level since May 2007. Permits were driven by the single-family housing segment, which increased 3.2% to the highest level since August 2007.

Building permits in the populous South region scaled their highest level in more than 12-1/2-years last month.

The housing market, the most sensitive sector to interest rates, has perked up in recent months, catching up to the Federal Reserve's easy monetary policy stance, which has pushed down mortgage rates from last year's multi-year highs.

The sector, which accounts for about 3.1% of the economy, however, continues to be hobbled by land and labor shortages.

A survey on Monday showed confidence among homebuilders hovering near a more than 1-1/2-year high in November. Builders, however, complained about "a lack of labor and regulatory constraints," adding that "lot shortages remain a serious problem, particularly among custom builders."

U.S. financial markets were little moved by the data.

Housing starts shot up to a more than 12-year high in August. But momentum could slow, with mortgage rates backing up in the last two months.

The Fed last month cut rates for the third time this year and signaled a pause in the easing cycle that started in July when it reduced borrowing costs for the first time since 2008.

While fears of a recession have ebbed in recent months amid a de-escalation in trade tensions between the United States and China, the economy is still slowing amid a deceleration in consumer spending and persistent weakness in business investment and manufacturing.

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is currently at 3.75%, still below its peak of 4.94% in November 2018, according to data from mortgage finance agency Freddie Mac.

Residential investment rebounded in the third quarter after contracting for six straight quarters, the longest such stretch since the 2007-2009 recession.

Single-family homebuilding, which accounts for the largest share of the housing market, increased 2.0% to a rate of 936,000 units in October, the highest in nine months. Single-family housing starts rose in the West, Midwest and the South last month. They fell in the Northeast.

Starts for the volatile multi-family housing segment soared 8.6% to a rate of 378,000 units in October. Permits for the construction of multi-family homes increased 8.2% to a rate of 552,000 units last month.

Housing completions vaulted 10.3% to 1.256 million units last month. Realtors estimate that housing starts and completion rates need to be in a range of 1.5 million to 1.6 million units per month to close the inventory gap.

The stock of housing under construction gained 0.1% to 1.161 million units, the most since January.

Originally posted here:
US housing starts rebound; building permits at highest level in over 12 years - CNBC

RALEIGH Greensboro home builder Dwight Stone is the newest member of the UNC Systems Board of Governors.

Stone was selected Friday by the N.C. Senate. His term will start Nov. 22.

It certainly is an honor and a privilege to serve the state of North Carolina and try to improve higher education, Stone said in an interview Friday afternoon. That certainly should be the goal of everyone on the BOG. I think it is.

Stone, 68, is a 1973 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill. He has served on the universitys Board of Trustees since 2013 and was board chairman from 2015 to 2017. He was on the UNC-CH search committees that led to the hiring of athletics director Bubba Cunningham and past chancellor Carol Folt and is on the current committee charged with finding Folts successor. He also is past chairman of the board of directors of the Rams Club, the universitys athletics booster organization.

In 2018, the UNC General Alumni Association gave Stone its Distinguished Service Medal, its top honor, for outstanding service to the university.

A Greensboro resident for more than 40 years, Stone is chairman of D. Stone Builders, a custom home-building company based in the city. His local civic leadership roles include a past presidency of the Greensboro Sports Council.

Though Stone has deep connections to UNC-CH, he said he has a great affinity for Greensboros two state universities and has gotten to know the university and athletic leaders at both schools. During his time on the UNC-CH board, Stone said he has grown familiar with the other UNC System universities.

Its not going to be about Chapel Hill, Stone said of his new role on the Board of Governors. Its going to be about every school in the system.

Stone will serve the remaining two years of the term of former Board of Governors chairman Harry Smith, who announced earlier this month that he would leave the university systems governing board once state lawmakers named his replacement. Smith, who lives in Greenville, resigned as the boards chairman in September, citing the demands of a new business venture.

Stone will have to leave his current UNC-CH board positions to take his Board of Governors seat.

Stone will be one of just two Guilford County residents on the 24-member board that oversees the 17-campus UNC System. Hell join Marty Kotis, a Summerfield resident whose Greensboro company owns, develops and manages properties across North Carolina. Kotis was first appointed to the Board of Governors in 2013 and got another four-year term in 2017.

Contact John Newsom at

336) 373-7312 and follow

@JohnNewsomNR on Twitter.

More here:
Greensboro's Dwight Stone named to UNC Board of Governors - Greensboro News & Record

The captivating beauty of the Himalayas is indescribable. The snowy peaks, the breathtaking valleys and dark forests! The Himalayan range is also home to various plants that have medicinal uses. Here are few wild fruits, all found in Uttarakhand, which have been traditionally used for medicinal purpose:

Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.

Botanical name:Ficus auriculata

Also known as Roxburgh fig tree, timla is found in Asian forests. Its fruit is sweet and brownish or purplish in colour.

Medicinal uses: Timla can be used to maintain blood pressure (BP) in people living with hypertension. It can also be used to treat constipation, as it acts as a laxative and helps regulate the digestive system. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, too.

Botanical name:Rubus ellipticus Sm.

These golden-yellow Himalayan raspberries actually belong to the rose family. They are found in the wilds of Uttarakhand and Nepal. They are deliciously sour, in the way raspberries usually are.

Medicinal uses: Not only does it have a fruity flavour, but the berry is also used to treat indigestion. The roots of the hisalu plant are used to treat stomach pains and headaches.

Botanical name:Myrica esculenta

Commonly known as box berry, this fruit is found in the sub-tropical Himalayas. The fruit is sweet, and locals typically eat it whole - seeds and all.

Medicinal uses: Kafal is a naturally occurring antioxidant. It is widely used in folk medicine to treat ailments such as cough, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, anaemia, fever, diarrhoea, and ear, nose, and throat disorders.

Botanical name:Prunus subg. Prunus

Plums are low-calorie fruits that don't spike your blood sugar. They can be eaten raw, dried or in jam form. The plums of the Uttarakhand forests are slightly different from the variety you get in the metros - the fruit is usually a brighter red, and sweet and sour to taste.

Medicinal uses: Plums are rich in vitamin C and so they nourish and purify the skin. They also boost immunity.

Botanical name:Ficus palmata

Commonly known as the Punjab fig, bedu is found in the wilds of Uttarakhand. The fruit is sweet - as you would expect figs to be.

Medicinal uses: Bedu helps in relieving inflammation (demulcent) and its sap is used in the treatment of warts. It is also used for the treatment of constipation and diseases of the lungs and bladder. The sap is used by the local inhabitants to take out spines (small needle-like covering on some fruits and tree bark, like in cacti) lodged deep in the skin.

Botanical name:Pyracantha crenulata

Ghigaru is also known as Himalayan firethorn and Nepalese firethorn. It tastes a bit likejamunsand dries out your mouth slightly.

Medicinal uses: The antioxidants present in this fruit help in maintaining blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. It is also rich in beta-carotene (a great source of vitamin A), iron, and potassium.

The leaves are used in the preparation of herbal teas and sunburn creams. An infusion made by steeping the bark of this shrub is given to girls in case of heavy menstrual bleeding.

Botanical name:Prunus armeniaca

Khubani is commonly known as apricot. The yellow-peach coloured fruit is sweet. It belongs to the same family as plum and cherries.

Medicinal uses: Apricots are great antioxidants. They are highly fibrous and maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels. They are also rich in vitamin C and potassium.

Botanical name:Morus alba L.

These mulberries are white and can be cultivated in home gardens as well. They're typically sweeter than the red or purple mulberries we get in the plains of north India.

Medicinal uses: Mulberries have bioactive components like alkaloids and flavonoids which have antioxidant properties. These white mulberries have anti-cholesterol, anti-obesity and hepatoprotective (liver-protecting) effects.

Botanical name:Aegle marmelos (L.)

Also known as bael, siriphal is typically used for pujas or for its medicinal purposes.

Medicinal uses: Clinical studies have shown thatAegle marmelospossesses antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, antiviral, radioprotective, antipyretic (cures fever), ulcer healing, antifertility and anti-inflammatory properties. These help in the prevention and treatment of many diseases.

Botanical name:Rhododendron arboreum

Burans is a bright scarlet, bell-shaped flower filled with sweet nectar seen in the Himalayan range in India, Bhutan and Nepal at altitudes of 1200 m. Though you'll find bottled juice of burans everywhere in the shops, the traditional way to consume the honey-sweet nectar is straight from the flower.

Medicinal uses: The juice of the bark is used in the treatment of coughs, diarrhoea and dysentery. Burans has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Its juice is said to be beneficial for diabetics, menstrual disorders and relief from persistent allergies.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health. For more information, please read our article onMulberry: Uses, Benefits and Side-Effects.

Updated Date: Nov 19, 2019 16:57:51 IST

Tags : Apricot, FIG, Himalayan Fruits, Medicinal Flowers, Medicinal Fruits, Mulberries, NewsTracker, Plum, Rhododendron, Uttarakhand, Wild Fruits

Original post:
10 wild fruits of Uttarakhand that have medicinal properties - Firstpost

Located less than 100 yards north of Grove Isle is the Waterview, the tallest multifamily building under construction outside of Downtown St. Pete. The Waterview broke ground in late August and is expected to be 15-stories with 226 units. It is being developed by Echelon and Third Lake Capital, which owns the 200 Central Avenue office tower in Downtown St. Pete.

The apartments will be market rate and will sit on top of a structured garage base which features 13,400 square feet of ground floor retail. On top of the garage pedestal will be a resident pool and lounging areas. As the name suggests, units will have partial water views of Tampa Bay from the upper floors. Waterview is under construction and will likely open sometime in late 2021.

Satori is another apartment complex under construction in the Gateway area, although its located just over the St. Petersburg city limits in Pinellas Park. Located at 3110 Grand Avenue, Satori is being developed by Davis Development and will features 270 units across four story buildings in a traditional garden-style design. Satori broke ground earlier this year and is expected to wrap up in 2020.

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Apartment Construction Boom Spreads Throughout St. Pete - St. Pete Rising

There seems to be no slowing down for the number of new homes built in Texas.

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes remains strong thanks to low mortgage rates and positive job growth. Home building jumped in October by 3.8%, the strongest pace since the beginning of the year, largely because of construction in the West and South.

On Tuesday, Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors and fellow Forbes.com contributor, said the issuance of housing permits booming ahead to their highest level in over a decade is tremendously good news for the housing sector, explaining that permits are just paper, while housing starts are shovels in the ground and permits generally lead starts.

Yun added, At 1.46 million units on an annualized basis, housing permits are nearly to the level needed for the country over the long haul. Since new home construction kicks off the chain reaction of people trading up and trading down by buying new and selling their existing homes, more housing inventory will surely show up in the market next year.

To get a better idea of which cities are authorizing building permits for the highest-value homes, apartments and other residences, Apartment Guide explored building permits survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau, analyzing all new residential building permits filed in over 360 metropolitan areas from 1994 to July 2019.

Here's what Apartment Guide discovered: Although the South is home to just 38.1% of Americans, 51.9% of all building permits were for Southern residences. Similarly, 23.8% of Americans live in the West, yet 25.4% of all new residential construction was planned for that region. This may signify population growth in these areas. Between 2017 and 2018, the South and West had the fastest-growing cities nationwide, while numerous cities in the West were named some of the best places to find a job in 2019.

The average value of a newly-constructed single family home is roughly $245,000. The seaside cities of Honolulu, Sebastian-Vero Beach, Florida and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, Florida, saw the greatest increases in the average valuation of new single-family homes between 2018 and 2019.

In the first half of 2019, the South saw the highest number of new housing units authorized with a total of 401,814. Western states were home to 196,610 new residences, while the Midwest and Northeast saw the fewest with 101,245 and 73,898, respectively.

When comparing residential growth to the population, the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area in North Carolina had the most residential properties breaking ground. Raleigh-Cary issued the most building permits,145, for residential units in 2019. The population in this metro area has recently skyrocketed, increasing by 39% more residents in less than five years.

While certain Texas cities saw declines in the value of new construction, there seemed to be no slowing down for the number of new homes constructed in some regions of the Lone Star State. The Houston metropolitan area is becoming a construction boom town. As of July 2019, more than 36,000 building permits were issued for new residential units, the most of any metropolitan area in the country.

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area wasn't too far behind, with 34,523 building permits issued as of July 2019. These metropolitan areas are likely seeing construction increase due to a spike in job growth. Between August of 2018 and August of 2019, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area saw a 3.1% increase in employment, more than twice the national rate of 1.4%.

New home construction

The seaside cities of Honolulu; Sebastian-Vero Beach, Florida; and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, Florida saw the greatest increases in the average valuation of new single-family homes between 2018 and 2019. These changes could influence how much homeowners charge if they choose to rent out their properties.

While new homes aren't being built at equal rates across the country, cities with lower construction rates might be building more expensive homes. The Urban Honolulu, Hawaii, metropolitan area, for example, had the highest value per new construction in 2019, with the average value of a single-family home reaching $396,800. Numerous cities in Florida and California also saw high estimated values, the highest of which averaged over $391,000 per single-family home.

Link:
The South And West Lead The Way In Housing Construction - Forbes