Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone Project / Housing is a basic necessity that should be available to everyone at every income level. The danger of becoming a cost burdened household (household spending 30% or more of the area median income on housing costs) is high for all income levels. However, extremely low income households are one of the demographics that are the most susceptible because they have limited affordable housing units available to them at their income level. Addressing this gap between income and affordability in housing is something that is particularly important to ensure that these extremely low income households have enough money for not only housing but other basic necessities such as food. Various incentives and programs are out there to try and provide these extremely low income households with the affordable housing they need however, it does not always happen in the areas that are the most in need. This study will examine the supply and demand of affordable housing for extremely low income households in Tucson, Arizona. The research identifies areas that have clusters of extremely low income households that are cost burdened as well as the affordable housing units available to them. Based on this information funding sources are discussed and recommendations regarding how to implement more affordable housing units in the areas of need are discussed.

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This paper describes a method for the design and fabrication of complex funicular structures from discrete precast concrete elements. It has a critical look over conventional casting methods and proposes a parametric casting mold to produce concrete blocks with custom shapes. The research proposes that through the integration of digital form-finding techniques, computational file-to-fabrication workflows, and innovative sustainable casting techniques, complex funicular structures can be constructed using prefabricated elements in a practical, affordable, and materially efficient manner. / text

The right to shelter is viewed internationally as a basic human right, and this is supported by the South African constitution through the Bill of Rights. The current state of accessibility to housing in South Africa is, however, being eroded by issues such as the rapidly decreasing ability of a growing section of the population to afford market related housing. There are several policies – the latest of which being the inclusionary housing policy - being instituted by the National Department of Housing that in whole or in part attempt to address this issue of affordability. The success of these housing policies in addressing this issue has not yet been fully determined. The aim of this research was to take a specific housing policy – the framework for inclusionary housing - and determine its impact on the affordability of housing and from this, and outline potential implementation hurdles that should be addressed in order for the policy to be effective. Due to the lack of research in this area from a South African perspective, this was an exploratory study which used semi-structured interviews of housing industry experts as a means of gaining insight. The research ascertained that an inclusionary housing policy will have a very limited impact on the affordability of housing in South Africa, but the social benefits that it will bring to the country in terms of integration will far outweigh this. The research further determined that there are serious problems in the execution and implementation of housing delivery in South Africa which are directly related to the cost of land, the current government subsidy schemes, the township establishment process and the capacity of local government. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

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Hearing loss negatively affects the lives of millions of Americans (Lin, Niparko, & Ferrucci, 2011). Amplification can enhance audibility and in turn improve quality of life (Mulrow et al., 1990). Yet it is estimated that only 20% of those who would benefit from amplification in the United States actually utilize it (Chien & Lin, 2012). Discomfort and insufficient value have been cited as reasons for low uptake as well as low motivation, negative attitudes towards hearing aids, and lack self-perceived handicap (McCormack & Fortnum, 2013; Vestergaard-Knudsen et al., 2010). Studies have also attributed the out-of-pocket cost for hearing aids as a substantial barrier (Bainbridge & Ramachandran, 2014; Kochkin, 2000). Cost as a barrier to hearing aid access may be an issue of particular importance in regions with high poverty, as low-income adults are less likely to report hearing aid use (Bainbridge & Ramachandran, 2014). Hearing aids can typically cost about $2,000 each, possibly making them out of reach for individuals living at or below the poverty line. Arizona has one of the highest poverty rates in the United States (Bishaw & Fontenot, 2014). Using US Census data and epidemiologic studies, we estimate that there are approximately 1,145,166 adults over the age of 19 living with significant bilateral or unilateral hearing loss in Arizona. An estimated 204,984 of these individuals are living at or below the federal poverty line (Lin, Naparko, & Ferrucci, 2011; Bishaw & Fontenot, 2014, Muller et al., 2015, US Census). These numbers are particularly alarming, as there are limited resources to support adults with hearing loss in Arizona. The aim of this study was to gather provider perspectives on the accessibility and affordability of hearing healthcare in Arizona. The long-term goal is to develop a state-level initiative to increase hearing aid use among low-income adults. Based on previous research from the Hearing Aid Coalition, we hypothesized that Arizona providers would prefer a state-level plan that mirrors service coverage and reimbursement mechanisms of private insurance (Hearing Aid Coalition, 2004) Audiologists and hearing instrument specialists were recruited via email to participate in focus groups and surveys. Three focus groups were held across the state in Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tucson (n = 26). The survey methodology included open and closed questions and was administered in paper-based and online versions (n = 77). Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using descriptive and basic regression analyses. There was wide-ranging participation from providers across the state representing urban and rural practice locations (All 15 counties represented). Data revealed most providers would prefer to see changes in the current state of hearing access for low-income adults. Providers considered a number of factors to be important when developing and implementing changes to existing service delivery. These factors included a centralized entity to distribute referrals across practices and sufficient reimbursement for service providers. Common themes included the need for a balance between quality of care and expense as well as creating a fee-for-service component to invest the patient in the process. Increased philanthropic practice image and fair compensation were cited as the greatest motivations for provider participation. Survey results also indicated that most providers are already doing pro-bono work. This study highlights that providers are willing to participate in state-level initiatives to improve hearing aid access. Ultimately, these results will inform policy makers of provider preferences for mechanisms of service-delivery and reimbursement. This research is a collaborative project funded by the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing.

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This thesis investigates a new prototype for housing in rural Kampot, Cambodia with a focus on the health and safety of the inhabitants. This study came about because traditional Cambodian houses are rapidly disappearing and being replaced with concrete walls on the lower level, a space that was previously left as open- concept and was comfortable as such in the Cambodian culture. By studying both traditional and contemporary houses during my research time in Cambodia, I discovered that it was not the vernacular home-making techniques that needed improvement, but rather the concerns of health and safety that needed to be addressed. My thesis proposal is to design an affordable and sustainable home in rural Cambodia with the primary focus on the following issues: waste management, water collection/filtration, Cultural adaptability, local material palettes, light quality, airflow, cooking suitability, and security.

This paper presents a microsimulation model of the rental sector in the Greater Toronto (GTA). The main contributions of this research are that it develops a conceptual framework for modeling housing issues and policies, and implements a rental model within the Integrated Land Use, Transport, and Environment (ILUTE) framework developed at the University of Toronto. The key components of the rental model include: (1) the production of rental units; (2) a tenure choice model; (3) a rent setting model; and (4) a rental market model. The rental model is simulated yearly from 1986 till 2006. The preliminary results are presented for the number of households renting, the average rent per census tract, and the number of renter households facing affordability issues. Two areas of future research are proposed that seek: (1) to improve the current model’s accuracy; and (2) to develop a more dynamic model.

This paper presents a microsimulation model of the rental sector in the Greater Toronto (GTA). The main contributions of this research are that it develops a conceptual framework for modeling housing issues and policies, and implements a rental model within the Integrated Land Use, Transport, and Environment (ILUTE) framework developed at the University of Toronto. The key components of the rental model include: (1) the production of rental units; (2) a tenure choice model; (3) a rent setting model; and (4) a rental market model. The rental model is simulated yearly from 1986 till 2006. The preliminary results are presented for the number of households renting, the average rent per census tract, and the number of renter households facing affordability issues. Two areas of future research are proposed that seek: (1) to improve the current model’s accuracy; and (2) to develop a more dynamic model.