Publications

BY URBAN FOCUS

*2022 Housing for All Plan, New Orleans***

The 2022 update to HousingNOLA’s 2018 Community Development Finance Plan continues to emphasize equitable development that will help our city grow its population and economy, and recover more quickly from disaster. The Housing for All Action Plan identifies solutions that address four overlapping goals: Eliminate the Housing Cost Burden; Close the Racial Wealth Gap; Ensure a More Resilient Housing Stock and System; and Combat Displacement. URBAN FOCUS® worked with HousingNOLA, Asakura Robinson, JP Morgan Chase, CD Capital, Eskew + Dumez + Ripple, New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, Workplace Justice Project and Finance New Orleans.

Community Development Scan – New Orleans, Kresge Foundation

URBAN FOCUS® worked with the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance and HR&A to identify organizations working in community development and understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with working in the realms of Affordable Housing, Commercial Corridor Development, Inclusive Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability and Arts and Culture in New Orleans.

Commercial Short Term Rental Housing Study, New Orleans, LA Sub-consultant to HR&A

URBAN FOCUS® with HR&A undertook an analysis to understand how various STR policies under consideration in the City of New Orleans could support the City’s affordable housing goals. This analysis informed a legislative vote scheduled for August 2019.

Capital Absorption in New Orleans, Greater New Orleans Foundation

As defined by Living Cities and the Initiative for Responsible Investment, URBAN FOCUS® interviewed, facilitated and managed the overall process of following the Capital Absorption framework.

New Orleans Inclusionary Housing Report

In November 2018, the City retained HR & A Advisors, Inc (HR&A), in consultation with URBAN FOCUS®, to conduct a study determining the feasibility of a mandatory IZ policy, the findings of which will be used to inform the proposed legislation and modify components of it (if needed) to ensure alignment with current real estate market conditions. HR&A completed their analysis in February 2019 and provided their final report and recommendations to the City on March 1, 2019.

New Orleans Real Estate Examiner

Online publication, contributing writer covering real estate and economic development in the New Orleans region 2010

Editor, Developing Architects

Online newsletter on expanding the role of the architect, (founded December 2008).

July 2009 - Appropriate Density
June 2009 - Security and Architecture
May 2009 - Developing Architects Profiled
April 2009 - The Economy and You
March 2009 - Intelligent Design
February 2009 - Land Value
January 2009 – Be the Master Architect
December 2008 - Inaugural Issue

Karl F. Seidman, Revitalizing Commerce for American Cities; A Practitioner’s Guide to Urban Main Street Programs;

Karl F. Seidman, Revitalizing Commerce for American Cities; A Practitioner’s Guide to Urban Main Street Programs, Fannie Mae Foundation, 2004 (published 2005), Research Assistant
With Karl F Seidman, “Case Studies of Urban Main Street Programs.” In Revitalizing Commerce for American Cities; A Practitioner’s Guide to Urban Main Street Programs Vol 2, Fannie Mae Foundation, 2004.
With Karl F Seidman, “Inner City Commercial Revitalization: A Literature Review,” Unpublished report, June 2002, funded by the Fannie Mae Foundation.

“Urban Main Street Redevelopment: A Comparison of the Developer-Driven and the Community-Driven Approach,” Master’s Thesis with Amanda Strong, Submitted to the Departments of Architecture and Urban Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, September 2002.