To preserve affordable homes and help families build intergenerational wealth, the city of San Antonio, Texas, enlists contractors and volunteers to help lower-income residents restore windows, repair gutters and address other issues in aging homes.
Another community-based organization in the city is working with local university researchers to search for evidence of racial bias among demolition orders, while creating and supporting affordable housing through historic preservation.
The programs are examples of how communities can promote justice and equity while supporting sustainability goals, which is the focus of “Embodying Justice in the Built Environment: Circularity in Practice,” published April 15 by College of Architecture, Art and Planning researchers in collaboration with the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (CNCA) and community partners.