The Essential Role of Shared Space in Affordable Housing
New York City's latest affordable housing proposals are traditionally framed around a familiar metric: unit production. Questions regarding how many units can be built, how quickly they can be delivered, and where they can be located remain critical to addressing our housing crisis.
However, the conversation is expanding. A growing network of designers, housing authorities, and public space advocates is centering a new priority: what kind of neighborhoods are we creating once the buildings are complete?
Moving Beyond the Front Door
Housing conversations often stop at the front door, with success measured primarily by occupancy rates, financing structures, and square footage, but that narrow focus is being challenged. The New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Connected Communities Guidebook (2020) has institutionalized this shift, establishing robust resident engagement as the cornerstone of future renovations. This approach prioritizes the spaces between buildings—the courtyards, pathways, and landscapes that shape daily life long after construction crews have left the site.
The Spaces Between
Organizations are increasingly treating these "spaces between" as essential components of neighborhood identity rather than aesthetic afterthoughts. The Design Trust for Public Space, for example, has pioneered efforts like "Opening the Edge" at the Lillian Wald Houses, where they collaborated with residents to replace restrictive fencing with accessible pathways, seating, and lighting. By partnering with organizations like the Trust for Public Land during events such as the "Common Yards" convening, they are helping to scale these transformations, proving that these spaces often determine whether a development feels like a collection of units or a thriving neighborhood.
Infrastructure in Disguise
As cities confront rising temperatures, flooding, and aging infrastructure, these landscapes are being recognized as vital infrastructure in their own right. Tree canopies help mitigate the urban heat island effect, while green infrastructure absorbs stormwater before it overwhelms municipal systems. Organizations and design firms are increasingly integrating these strategies, performing multiple functions—providing social benefits and environmental resilience simultaneously.
Looking Beyond Unit Counts
While affordable housing is, first and foremost, about providing quality shelter, successful communities require more than just roofs and walls.
As cities search for solutions to the housing crisis, the conversation moves toward a more comprehensive vision. Successful developments no longer simply maximize the number of units on a site. They recognize that the spaces between buildings matter, too. Through resident-inspired design and a renewed commitment to open space—evidenced by the work of groups like the Design Trust for Public Space and the adoption of the Connected Communities framework—we are learning that while housing works hard for residents, landscapes work hard for communities.
