Volume 5 Number 8
September 2008

In this Issue
Untangling the Sources of Mortgage Closing Costs
HECM Program: Coming Into Its Own
Energy Efficiency Inside and Out
Every Picture Tells a Story: Data Images of Subsidized Households
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• The U.S. Green Building Council integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism, and green building into the new LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for neighborhood design. These standards are being tested and pilot project experiences will be used to refine the rating and certification system prior to full implementation in 2009. RW will examine the content of the standards, review the certification process, and look at characteristics of the pilot projects.

• Among the features for greening American homes, garden roofs are emerging in residential construction as cost-effective, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly. These roofs are increasingly viewed as a means for countering climbing energy costs that challenge low- and moderate-income families. We'll explore roof garden attributes and illustrate their use in affordable housing communities.

• The Clara White Mission in Jacksonville, Florida is the winner of the 2008 HUD Secretary's Opportunity and Empowerment Award for achievements in neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, and economic development. The project supports workforce development and assists homeless members of the community, especially veterans and ex-offenders, with supportive services, while helping residents build marketable job skills. This article examines the 36-unit transitional housing project's offerings, as well as the broad community support and participation that helps its programs succeed.

• Hazards threatening the health of children have prompted nationwide efforts to assess and improve our living environments. Efforts to eliminate childhood lead poisoning have broadened to target childhood health problems caused by mold, allergens, pesticides, carbon monoxide, and radon that have at times been linked to substandard housing. Research conducted through HUD's Healthy Homes Initiative grant programs is finding that indoor air quality assessments and appropriate interventions can markedly improve the health and safety of the home environment. We’ll look at some of these studies supported by HUD's Healthy Homes Initiative.