Embedded Files
Bryan Leyba
Bryan Leyba
Social Housing Thesis
Social Housing Thesis
“The right to belong to and the right to co-produce the urban spaces that are created by city dwellers, or, in other words:
‘the right not to be alienated from the spaces of everyday life’”
Mitchell & Villanueva, 2010
It was early in the day on September 4th, 2021, as we walked through the streets of Skid Row as a class. We were completely out of place. I understood why we were doing it, but still, it felt wrong. As we were nearing the end of the walk, a man shouted at us, "You know, you can look at us, we're people too." And it crushed me. Here we were, a class that was literally centered around the exploration of housing issues, on a field trip and site visit meant to inform and guide our proposals, and we were inadvertently causing harm, alienating every single person with whom we crossed paths. The skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles towered in the distance. The physical manifestation of a "successful" city. The streets we walked were dirty, and neglected. The people we passed suffered from worse; outcast and ignored by the city that was supposed to be their home. But hey, at least 6th Street just got a new bike lane, right?
This moment would go on to serve as the underlying context that would inform my social housing thesis. That we as planners, architects, designers, humans, have the solemn duty of planning and designing cities that meet the needs of every human that may call them home. What I am proposing is unorthodox, and it is certainly not what I would recommend in order to solve LA's housing crisis. But, it is a proposal that if actualized, could completely transform the streets that rightly belong to the community that inhabits them, in a big way.
My proposal, is to completely redefine what is meant by complete streets, and then use this new definition to completely redesign every street in Skid Row so as to best meet the needs of the people that call those streets home.
Background
Background
Since the early 20th century, Skid Row has existed as a place where LA's marginalized people, from the working poor, the unemployed, the other-abled, the unhoused, etc., have come to find a place to stay, even if just for the night. The physical borders of the city shifted to their current location in the late 1920s, but the neighborhood continued to serve as a place that hosted the city's most affordable housing. Since the 1950s, the neighborhood has lost over 15,000 hotel apartments that once served as the primary source of this affordable housing, with 50% of the housing stock being demolished in the 60s and 70s alone. This has forced thousands of people out into the streets, left to fend for themselves while their city has willfully turned its back. As the affordability crisis continues to worsen, putting hundreds of thousands of more Angelenos at risk, and the council now criminalizing those who are experiencing being unhoused, something extreme needs to be done.
(In)Complete Streets
(In)Complete Streets
Complete Streets is a term that was coined in late 2003 by the organization America Bikes. It served as a response to the car-centric city-planning that has dominated the American urban landscape since the 1950s. The primary goal of the initiative was to ensure the same access and rights for all street users, from pedestrians to transit riders and everyone in-between. Some of the main characteristics of complete streets include increased and enhanced sidewalks, dedicated bus and bike lanes, increased curb extensions and crossing opportunities as well as improved transit stops. The movement has garnered a lot of support since its inception, and now has over 1,600 complete streets policies in 35 state governments as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Even the National Association of City Transportation Officials created a manual titled Complete Streets Complete Networks: A Manual for the Design of Active Transportation and it has influenced publications such as the Global Street Design Guide by the Global Designing Cities Initiative. Regardless of its popularity, it has received criticism questioning the strategy's efficacy and equity, as "complete streets" in practice often benefit certain advantaged residents of a city over the marginalized and the poor. Thus you will find below, an exploration and proposal that seeks to expand upon the current complete streets definition, and explicitly serve the population who needs it most.
Site Analysis
Site Analysis
Built Environment
Built Environment
Residents of Skid Row are forced to use the built environment that surrounds them in creative ways, often as support for their housing structures. They also use it to shelter themselves from the outside elements, whether it be the sun, wind or rain. Not only can the built environment provide them with this kind of refuge, it also gives them places in which they can seek the privacy that everyone deserves.
Natural Environment
Natural Environment
The natural environment often plays a similar role that the built environment does, serving as structural support for their homes. One has to imagine that being shaded by a mature tree is much more enjoyable than the cold face of a building.
Community
Community
You don't have to look far to see the community being formed in Skid Row. Residents often congregate in large, communal settings, often constructing shared spaces to live, cook and work out of. Structures often get tied together, and residents hang flags or decor from their spaces.
Dignity
Dignity
Walking through the community you see a number of residents outside their homes participating in various types of activity. Whether it is repairing bicycles, constructing knick knacks, selling water and snacks or chatting it up with the neighborhood, residents of Skid Row are in search of the same things as everyone; a dignified and enjoyable life.
Home
Home
Finally, the residents of Skid Row do their best to make their place a home.
Housing Structure Density Map
Housing Structure Density Map
The above map visualizes the density of housing structures found on a single block in the neighborhood. For example, a red line denotes that more than 15 housing structures occupied that block, to include both sides of the street, on the day of the walk through.
Already Existing Enhancements
Already Existing Enhancements
The above map visualizes the various improvements that have been made to the streets in the neighborhood. Los Angeles has redeveloped three streets utilizing the complete streets framework; 6th Street, 5th Street and Main Street.
Complete Street, Really?
Complete Street, Really?
The images to the left were taken at the intersection of 6th Street and Towne Avenue, looking southeast towards Alameda Street. 6th is one of the streets that has been redeveloped utilizing the complete streets framework, with the entirety of what that redesign encompasses on display here. The following proposal will offer a redesign of this specific section of 6th Street, from Towne to Stanford Avenue.
Site Proposal
Site Proposal
The proposal begins with a two-dimensional cross section of the street to be redesigned, one at each phase of the street. The first image shows 6th Street in its original form: four lanes of one-directional traffic and two lanes of on-street parking. The image labeled "Complete Streets" shows 6th after Los Angeles redeveloped it using the complete streets framework, now only consisting of two lanes of one-directional traffic, one dedicated bus lane, one lane of on-street parking and a protected bike lane. The final image labeled "Complete Streets Redefined", shows my initial thoughts around the reallocation of street space on 6th. Whereas LA's redesign of the street only returned 15 feet of designated space to the pedestrian, and 32 feet in total to means other than the private automobile, my reallocation constitutes a total of 33 feet reclaimed specifically for the pedestrian, and 44 feet in total to means other than the private automobile.
Besides the dramatic increase in space allocated for pedestrians, the image displays an increase in the amount of urban greenery, including an increase in tree cover, planted road dividers, parklets with garden space and raised garden beds for any type of vegetation cover. Beyond an increase in green spaces, other initial envisioned attributes included physical structures to be used as rooms or workspaces for both community members and social services providers, increased and enhanced restroom facilities, flexible structural infrastructure such as arbors that could be used by the residents to create sturdier housing structures, and an inclusion and integration of food systems within every aspect of the redesign as possible.
Below are three maps depicting different phases of redevelopment to occur. As it is guaranteed that every street would not be redeveloped at the same time in real life, I propose that the entire redevelopment be broken up into different phases, each with its own specific timeline and guiding purpose.
6th Street Initial Design
Complete Streets
Complete Streets
Complete Streets Redefined
Complete Streets Redefined
Phase One
Phase One
Phase one begins by redeveloping portions of 5th and 6th Street, from Wall Street to Gladys Avenue. These streets were chosen for the first phase due to their central and highly accessible location to most of the missions, social services and amenities that exist within the neighborhood. As this is the first phase of the process, comprehensive and continual planning and coordination should occur between the city and Skid Row's residents, as their needs and desires are the primary motivation for the redevelopment, and thus should drive every step of the redesign.
Phase Two
Phase Two
During phase two, the rest of the streets enclosed within and including the north and south boundaries of 7th and 5th, and the east and west boundaries of San Julian and Gladys will be redeveloped. In order to reallocate as much space as possible back to the pedestrian, traffic flows on every street will be changed from two-directional to one-directional. At this point, residents and the city have worked together to establish the most desirable redesign possibilities for the neighborhood.
Phase Three
Phase Three
Phase three ends with the redevelopment of every street within the Skid Row community. Although it certainly would not happen all at once, the vision of a Skid Row streetscape that is completely transformed is the ultimate goal. Throughout the process, the city should work directly with the residents and providers that are living there at that time. As people may come and go frequently, the city should establish a consistent canvasing schedule that aligns properly with this reality, in order to ensure the best possible redevelopment process.
A final, three-dimensional proposal for the street to be redesigned is presented above and below. They are to be considered as only a starting place for what is possible when expanding upon the complete streets framework. For these designs, I used a similar allocation of street space to that shown in the Complete Streets Redefined cross-section that is detailed above. The only differences are that the four foot planting strip in the cross-section is replaced by a concrete one with wooden planters in the above proposal, and the three foot planting strip is added to the overall total of unmarked pedestrian space next to it, bringing that total to 11 feet wide. The attributes included in this proposal consist of:
Housing - As this is a class that is centered on the exploration of housing, a redefinition of the complete streets framework meant to serve the residents of Skid Row should begin with just that. The structure pictured above is of simple design and material build, and its dimensions could comfortably fit two beds; four if bunks are utilized. As Los Angeles exists within a mild subtropical climate, the inclusion of air conditioning is not always necessary, but could certainly be implemented if needed. Safe, secure and comfortable housing can be provided with little financial and material resources, but it should be the number one priority regardless of whatever costs are involved.
Flexible Infrastructure - The flexible infrastructure that is labeled above is an arbor, but this classification really encompasses every object in this proposal with the exception of the restrooms. As street maintenance and cleaning are things that have to occur on a regular basis, along with the consistently changing dynamics and demographics of the neighborhood, the need for structures and objects to be moveable and flexible is crucial for the redevelopment's success. Not only that, but flexible infrastructure can allow the streets to be truly co-created by the residents who live there, as moveable structures allow the physical makeup of the streetscape to transform with resident's needs and desires.
Workspace - Along with housing, tiny structures such as the ones that are pictured can serve as flexible workspaces, not only for the residents of Skid Row, but also for the mission and social workers that serve them on a daily basis. Spaces could be used as workshops, computer labs, education spaces, post offices, libraries, business and retail spaces, the list is literally endless. Housing provides residents with their basic human right to safe and secure shelter. Flexible spaces provide them with access to opportunity and mobility in order to begin pursuing the life that they truly desire.
Integrated Food Systems - The integrated food system that is labeled above refers to the grape vines growing atop the arbor that is covering the pedestrian space. What this classification entails though, is a weaving of food systems into any aspect of the redesign that is possible and desired by the residents. With an increase in greenery on the scale of what is set forth in this proposal, edible plants can be included in almost every attribute, from restroom walls to raised tree planters. Access to fresh and healthy food is another basic human right that can be accomplished when you have adequate space and an engaged community.
Restrooms - Currently, Skid Row has two permanent restroom facilities and 24 temporary ones that are in deep disrepair, with these temporary facilities being portable toilets that oftentimes do not have hand washing facilities attached to them. Thus, a dramatic increase in the number of permanent restroom facilities, with designated sinks and shower facilities, should be pursued. No resident within the neighborhood should be more than a five-minute walk away from a clean and permanent restroom.
Functional Beautification - Although most of these attributes seek to provide residents with things that are considered basic human rights, access to enjoyable built and natural environments should be a top priority as well. Spaces like these provide humans with places to rest, relax and reap all of the physical and mental health benefits that are associated with having adequate access to them.
Pedestrian Space - Finally, the pedestrian space that is labeled above seeks to highlight the radical redistribution of streetscape from the personal automobile to the pedestrian. The scene depicted in this proposal shows two types of raised gardens that could be erected within this space, one less and one more permanent. But the majority of space in this area is left intentionally blank, as it serves to demonstrate just how much space is available to be utilized in the redesign process. As stated above in the discussion of the implementation phases, the residents living within Skid Row should be the ultimate deciders on how these spaces are used, and should always be informing the redesign process.
The scene's treescape is turned off in the labeled diagram above so as to give a clearer picture of the individual attributes. In these images however, you can visualize how the street looks with the increased canopy and the surrounding built environment.
References
References
Park, M. (n.d.). History Timeline. Skid Row Housing Trust. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://skidrow.org/about/history/
Zehngebot, C., Peiser, R., & Walljasper, J. (2014, May). Complete Streets Come of Age. American Planning Association. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://www.planning.org/planning/2014/may/completestreets.htm
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