Housing Justice: Expanding the Stock of Affordable Housing in Princeton

The Princeton Public Library and Princeton Future, a local nonprofit not affiliated with the municipality, are hosting this meeting to explore strategies to provide quality, sustainable housing that people of different incomes can afford.  Attend in person (registration not required) or via Zoom (click THIS LINK)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS PROVIDED BY PRINCETON FUTURE

9 a.m.: “Building a Common Vocabulary of Housing Types”; presented by Richard K. Rein

Misunderstandings, if left unsolved, will push people so far apart that they might never come together again. Help us eliminate misunderstandings and bring our community together to create a common vocabulary to be used when talking about housing types.

We walk by buildings every day and have no idea they house five or more families. What are some of our own, homegrown examples of townhomes, duplexes, triplexes? Did you know Princeton has accessory dwelling units from 100 years ago? Did you know that cottage courts are tucked away on some of our favorite streets? Bring examples of your favorite buildings to be included in the discussion or email them in advance to princeton.future.2035@gmail.com.

Rein, author of “American Urbanist: How William H. Whyte’s Unconventional Wisdom Reshaped Public Life,” is the editor of TAPinto Princeton Community News, an all-digital local news site, and former editor of U.S. 1 newspaper. He is a member of the Council of Princeton Future.

10 a.m.: “Building Livable, Lovable Density”; presented by Marina Rubina

During this session we will discuss specific ways to build quality, sustainable housing that people of different incomes can afford and build equity. Questions to be considered: What other opportunities and treasures can density provide? What makes some buildings work very well and what are the features that make them unique to Princeton? Bring your worries and concerns, as well as ideas for what quality housing means to you.

Rubina is a Princeton-based architect whose Quarry Street home won the 2012 Merrit Award for Built Residential Project of the New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Her work has appeared in Architectural Record, ArchDaily, Dezeen and The New York Times. She is a member of the Council of Princeton Future.

11 a.m.: “What Can We Do Together?”; presented by Matt Mleczko

Participants are encouraged to bring as many as three specific ideas for what they personally would like to see to help solve the housing crisis (for example, land use policies, zoning, transit and finance). This will be an opportunity to meet people and get advice on how to bring your ideas to fruition.

Mleczko, a doctoral candidate in population studies and social policy and a prize fellow in the social sciences at Princeton University, tudies housing inequality and housing policy, with a particular interest in policies that promote affordable housing and integrated, cohesive communities. Matt is also a graduate student researcher with the Eviction Lab and a member of the Princeton Affordable Housing Board.