2008 Campus-Community Partnerships

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Backyard Homes: Solutions for Affordable Housing in Pacoima

Abstract: The Backyard Homes multidisciplinary team is a partnership between UCLA’s cityLAB and community partners Pacoima Beautiful and ICON that will study, develop and test a model strategy that will support consensus-building among stakeholders and result in infill housing projects that are more acceptable to neighbors, less costly to developers and new residents, and that will decrease the impact of population growth on LA’s environmental footprint. UCLA architecture and urban planning students will work in collaboration with Pacoima residents to conduct an asset-mapping process, design Backyard Homes compatible with typical Pacoima housing lots, and identify priorities for public improvements.  Through the work of two advisory bodies, the project will build the capacity within the Pacoima community to implement the Backyard Homes model through ICON or a similar community development corporation. The project will create four products: (1) an asset map of Pacoima; (2) three templates for Backyard Homes; (3) a community investment plan for Pacoima; and (4) increased capacity in Pacoima for civic engagement in community planning. Information gathered during workshops, training and mentoring will be shared throughout Los Angeles and promoted as best practices.