Tag: Housing
Woodlawn United, REV Set Sights on First Avenue South Lot for Woodlawn Redevelopment
A request to demolish a rundown Woodlawn business is the next step in a plan for residential and commercial development near the bus rapid transit station. Read more.
Birmingham Council OKs Land Transfer for Smithfield Housing Development
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday agreed to convey 5 acres near the former Parker High School for a housing project that will bring 151 multi-family units to the area. Read more.
Not-so-Welcome to the Neighborhood: City Debates Regulations for Short-Term Housing Rentals
City officials are debating how many short-term housing rentals should be allowed in Birmingham and where along with other rules for their operation as complaints about their proliferation mount. Read more.
Density in Proposed Residential Developments Concerns Jefferson County Commission
A McCalla-area development request on Thursday’s commission agenda has stirred the conversation about high-density development proposals and their locations. Read more.
You’ve Gotta Have HEART: Birmingham Council Approves $1.7M to Address Nonemergency Incidents With ‘Unhoused Neighbors’
The council this week approved spending more than $1.7 million on a HEART Birmingham operation to respond when nonemergency situations arise involving the homeless population. Read more.
Birmingham Applies for $2.6 Million in Federal Grants for Eviction Prevention Services, Police Tech Equipment
The city hopes to help about 500 people avoid eviction if it gets the grant as well as fund technological upgrades and computers for the Police Department. Read more.
Birmingham Council Creates Committee on Fair Housing
A newly created City Council committee will spotlight housing issues in Birmingham. The Housing Policy Committee was established in a Tuesday vote, which District 5 Councilor Darrell O’Quinn called “a monumental occasion for fair housing.” The committee will evaluate local housing laws and housing programs and advocate for fairer housing practices in the city. Read more.
Jefferson County About Halfway Through With Houses Listed for Demolition
Docena is next up in Jefferson County’s bid to remove dilapidated houses.
At its committee meeting Tuesday, the Jefferson County Commission moved to the agenda of its Thursday meeting a resolution declaring 29 structures in the unincorporated community off Minor Parkway public nuisances and targeting those structures for demolition.
Those structures are part of Batch 3 of the county’s demolition program. Read more.
Birmingham to Invest in Temporary Housing for Homeless Residents
Taking the first steps in a community-focused plan to combat homelessness, the city of Birmingham has signed on to purchase 50 units of transitional housing for the unsheltered.
The purchase, totaling nearly $1 million, is the first step in a program that will require significant participation from third-party nonprofits and for which details remain fuzzy.
Where the new shelters will be placed, for example, is still up in the air. That will be dependent on the results of a request-for-proposal process, through which local nonprofits can pitch locations and operational plans, including wraparound services they would offer on-site. Read more.
Smart Homes Made Affordable for Birmingham Residents
One way people can reduce their impact on the climate — and save money on utilities — is to be more economical with energy at home. But making energy-efficient upgrades and installing new technology isn’t cheap.
Last May, Bertina Robinson was driving on First Street South in Birmingham and discovered the homes that are part of “Live on 1st,” a new affordable housing development. Now she lives in one.
“This is a smart system house. I can lock my doors from my phone, I unlock my doors from my phone. I can turn my heat on from my phone, I can turn my air on, from my phone,” Robinson said.
“Live on 1st” is a group of three smart, highly energy-efficient modular homes in the Titusville neighborhood. These homes are the first set of such homes built by Navigate Communities in the city. The organization, a subsidiary of the county’s housing authority, is taking a modern approach to affordable housing in a city where nearly 25% of residents live in poverty. Read more.
