Question 1: There is a…

Question 1:
There is a decided lack of skilled tradespeople and their talents are better utilized repairing and repurposing existing buildings and adding infilled structures rather than simply filling landfill with razed buildings. Infrastructure is usually already in place. Quality of life over simply profit must be paramount. Many examples exist and should be encouraged.

Question 2:
Without the expense of planning, developers and building permits more people could live together in existing buildings while still maintaining privacy if there was more education on how to amicably set this up. Think a"Gokden Girls " model. Pooled resources also mitigates the need for retirement homes and has many other social benefits including making them multi generational.

Question 3:

We have a local example of adaptive reuse when residents banded together to save an old school which is now a beautiful home for seniors in an established neighborhood, close to shopping amenities, churches, parks and transit. We have several churches with dwindling congregations that could be repurposed into much needed affordable housing with the same advantages if they knew the processes involved and had directions.

Question 4:

In Cambridge we have three distinct core areas, all with underutilization of their upper stories with residential potential. Some are undeveloped due to restrictions on secondary staircases but we need to find constructive ways to loosen those restrictions or perfectly good units continue to sit empty who our need for housing continues to grow.