(E)CO-Living

Affordable housing is a critical need in Kingston. Over 50% of the City’s population is rent-burdened and pays over 30% of their income towards their housing needs. In addition, the City’s homeless population is over 1,600 with includes a disproportionate number of people of color. 

By proposing new affordable housing models, the project is not only exploring new housing typologies but also proposing the idea of more efficient and resilient communities. Within the framework of the Green New Deal, these new housing typologies and shared public amenities that would be communally owned through the Community Land Trust, can promote decarbonization.

Four distinct demographics in Kingston are struggling to meet their housing needs. According to these groups and the problems they are facing, we try to discover a common affordable future they would like to live in.

To demonstrate (E)Co Living’s three housing strategies and how they can work together, we chose three sites in Midtown -

1. The vacant lots near the proposed green line could be reused to build a tiny home community. According to our interview with local experts, Kingston’s top concern is to provide more tiny shelters for the homeless especially as the city recovers from the pandemic.

2. Publicly owned vacant land for multi-family apartments with shared public amenities.

3. Single-family homes with large backyards to create affordably accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

To achieve this goal, local stakeholders need to get involved. Instead of subsidizing single-family homeownership, the federal government could invest in models of communal ownership like community land trusts, land banks, Rupco, private companies, open space institutions, and others to develop these new types of housing.

The three housing strategies we propose are intended to work together and accommodate people’s needs throughout different stages.

For the homeless, the tiny homes community not only provides a shelter, but also a sense of belonging, and equips them with knowledge and skills. Once they are able to afford larger units, they could transit to an apartment with shared public amenities. For instance, for a single parent, the daycare center would help her balance time between childcare and working. ADUs would support additional income for existing single-family homeowners and provide access to larger public space.

” Being part of the community has brought many highlights to my life. I can engage their friends in the community farmland and sell vegetables on the weekend market, while still being close to nature in the central park, benefiting both my health and wealth. ”

Based on our four funding sources, we propose three types of units.

Tiny homes are intended to be transition homes and not permanent shelters. Co-working space and an education center in the tiny homes community will equip occupants with the ability to be economically self-sufficient.

Individual units in the tiny homes community are designed with independent bathrooms and six units share a communal kitchen. There is also space for people to expand on individual units and introduce new elements like porches, gardens, etc.

" As a single mother, I am able to get childcare support and attend a mutual-help group for single-parent families, freeing up more time and opportunities to focus on my job and play with friends."

Each apartment building will be equipped with shared public amenities specific to the needs of the current population. . These include art studios for artists, after-school care for children, co-working space, and so on.

These ADA-accessible apartment buildings include generous communal space on each floor and an accessible rooftop for residents to come together.

" The compact house community has improved my well-being by not only offering affordable housing options but also providing amenities such as working studios to enhance our daily lives."

Midtown has high vacancies and large unused backyards in single-family homes. We propose to transform these unused spaces by introducing zoning guidelines that allow for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) with new shared semi-public spaces.

This procedure will be time-consuming but worth waiting for. By condensing housing units and forming communal open spaces, a green and vibrant community will be formed.

The three housing strategies along with the communal land ownership model can alleviate the affordable housing crisis following a “ground-up” approach.

The three housing strategies can together provide affordable housing for people in different stages and levels of affordability in Kingston. The tiny homes community provides transitional housing for those who have been homeless. From here one can move into apartment units and later ADUs, which will gradually come to the market as private single-family owners begin to develop them.

This new affordable housing model works from the “ground-up” to  address needs specific to Kingston’s community and provides a pathway to communal ownership and control of land. The layout and unit design offer greater energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.