I left the housing world in 2019 for a road trip with Hampton and Tegan, and have a whole different life now.
Author: Gary Gerbrandt
Is New Story’s 3D-printed community the future of housing? Maybe—if they tackle climate too
Came across an article in Fast Company about how New Story is building an entire 3D-printed community in Tabasco, Mexico. The 2-bedroom, 500-square-foot units create housing for those who previously lived in shacks—and each one takes a mere “several days” to build. It’s not clear who’s paying for these—and how the cost savings break down… Continue reading Is New Story’s 3D-printed community the future of housing? Maybe—if they tackle climate too
How to Fix Toronto’s “Revitalization” Program: Leveraging land value to redevelop social housing
Toronto has found in Revitalization a creative, if imperfect, way to address long-term capital financing gaps. This memo explores the program in detail, to highlight how similar agency-developer partnerships could be a means to address capital financing challenges elsewhere. It concludes with two sets of recommendations: first, for Toronto, as it looks to future Revitalization projects; and second, for policymakers, cities, and social housing agencies interested in bringing a Revitalization-like program to their jurisdictions.
Intersection: an affordable housing development at Glen Park BART
Our award-winning proposal in our housing design studio.
Social housing, transit, and commutes in Toronto
Do residents of social housing live in neighbourhoods with longer-than-average commute times, despite relatively good proximity to higher-order transit stations?
What planning students find valuable about grad school
Directional findings about what my classmates are getting out of our masters’ program.
Racial gaps in homeownership haven’t changed in 20 years
Pretty astonishing graph from my professor/Terner Center compatriot Carolina Reid’s 2014 book chapter, “The Promises and Pitfalls of Homeownership.”
DoubleUp: How securitizing ADU loans will build more affordable rental housing
My pitch for DoubleUp, a proposal for ADU-backed securities. Our team is in the finals at the 2019 Harvard Real Estate Venture Competition and Kellogg-Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge.
Toronto Community Housing CityPlace Block 32: A case study in affordable urban infill development
Background on Toronto Community Housing Toronto has been a forest of cranes for the past few decades, with rapid growth in its core neighbourhoods transforming both the city’s skyline and residential character. After a nineties-era downturn in the property market, rising house and land values and a development-friendly environment led to the construction of over… Continue reading Toronto Community Housing CityPlace Block 32: A case study in affordable urban infill development
Marsh Realities: Economic advancement and environmental destruction on Toronto’s waterfront
A century ago, the Port Lands didn’t exist. The story of what came before, what’s being done now to remake them, and governments’ prioritization of planning and funding for the area is another chapter in Canada’s long history of environmental destruction and anti-Indigenous colonial systemic violence.