NYCHA selected by the Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship to host a community designer on its staff

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has been selected by the Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship to host a community designer on its staff for three years starting in January 2016. NYCHA joins Capitol Hill Housing in Seattle, Denver Housing Authority in Denver, Hudson River Housing in Poughkeepsie, NY and Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation in Porcupine, SD, all of which were chosen from a national pool of community development organizations for their exceptional commitment to their communities through the development of well-designed, affordable housing. The Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship, an initiative of Enterprise Community Partners Inc., partners early-career architectural designers with local community development organizations, where they facilitate an inclusive approach to development to create green, sustainable and affordable communities. As an integral staff member of NYCHA, the Rose Fellow will focus on advancing the organization’s practices in community engagement, sustainability and design excellence as outlined in NextGeneration NYCHA. Specifically, he or she will help NYCHA develop new guidelines, standards and specifications to improve design throughout their vast, city-wide portfolio. The Rose Fellow also joins a national network of colleagues who share his or her passion for public interest architecture and community development. “Good design can have a transformative impact on low-income communities, improving housing, health outcomes and overall quality of life,” noted Katie Swenson, Vice President of Design at Enterprise. “The Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow selected to work with NYCHA will have a unique opportunity to help the country’s largest public housing authority bring innovative design to more than 400,000 residents and make its properties greener, safer and better integrated into New York’s communities.” “We are deeply proud that NYCHA has been selected for the Rose Architectural Fellowship, and excited to join with Enterprise Community Partners Inc. to help develop sustainable, accessible and community-oriented architectural designs that align with NextGeneration NYCHA’s overall vision and commitment to design excellence,” said NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly. “Public interest design renews our focus on strengthening and renewing low-income communities collaboratively, and ensuring that public housing developments thrive as we continue to improve the quality of life for over 400,000 residents.” The Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship is accepting applications for fellowships at the five organizations, and the deadline has been extended until July 26, 2015. For additional information about requirements and how to apply, please visit enterprisecommunity.com/become-a-fellow.