Manchester-based housing associations Great Places and Equity Housing Group are set to merge next month to form a new provider with more than 24,000 homes on its books.

The pair said the tie-up, first mooted as a partnership last year, would build more affordable housing across the North-west, Yorkshire and Staffordshire.

As of 1 April 2020, Equity Housing Group, which operates nearly 5,000 homes, will cease to exist, with its assets transferring to Great Places.

Matthew Harrison, Great Places chief executive, who isset to head the newly-combined operation, said the organisation would pursue ambitious development targets.

As it unveiled the merger, Great Places announced it would spend invest 14.5m on building nearly 100 new homes in Blackburn (pictured), 16 of which will be built using modular construction, on the site of a derelict former nursing home.

It is also delivering a 2.7m scheme of 21 homes for affordable and social rent in the Little Hulton district of Salford, a development is located close to The Wells on Old Lane, an 8.6m mixed-tenure site delivering 83 new homes.

More:
Manchester associations Great Places and Equity Housing to merge - Housing Today

Los Angeles' housing landscape is undergoing a transformation, as it and other big cities across the state continue to grapple with a housing crisis andresidents prepare for a new way of city living.

Bisnow/Joseph Pimentel

KFA's Lise Bornstein, GHC Housing's Monique Lawshe, Weingart Center's Tonja Boykin, Skid Row Housing Trust's Lee Raagas, Crate Modular's Amanda Gattenby and Flyaway Homes' Noyan Uras participated on a panel about affordable housing at Bisnow's multifamily event in Los Angeles.

Modular build-outs, people living in smaller units, co-living and multifamily developments that have large shared common areas and decked-out amenities are the future features of housing in Los Angeles, experts said.

"This is what's happening right now in market-rate housing," Flyaway Homes Chief Development Officer Noyan Uras toldBisnow after the State of Los Angeles Multifamily event Thursday in Downtown Los Angeles. "We're seeing more modular developments ... I'm seeing more co-living. This is the direction everyone is going towards and it needs to ripple into the affordable housing [industry] especially if we want to solve the homeless problem."

More than 600 people attended Bisnow's State of Multifamily event held Feb. 27 at the JW Marriott LA Live in Downtown Los Angeles. At the morning event, panelists discussed thenew rent control measure that will appear on the ballot in November, how the Inland Empire is becoming a viable market for multifamily investors, co-living and the state of Southern California's multifamily industry.

"Southern California is the darling of the multifamily industry," JPI Cos.Executive Vice Presidentand Regional Managing Partner Rosie Cooper said, adding thatshe expects 3% to 4% rent growthin certain markets.

Experts also weighed in on the coronavirus, which as of Tuesday, has infected more than 43,100 people and killed 1,000, mostly in China, according to Johns HopkinsUniversity.Universe Holdingsfounder and CEO Henry Manoucheri openly expressed his concern about the coronavirus and its impact on commercial real estate and the global markets.

"The signs are troubling," Manoucheri said. "Here we are, the market has been down, one day, two days and then three days in a row. I haven't seen this movie since 2007 when the recession was about to hit. The signs are there."

Bisnow/Joseph Pimentel

Blueground's Christopher Tin, NMS Properties' Neil Shekhter, NorthMarq's Shane Shafer, TruAmerica's Noah Hochman, Onyx Relocation's Shelby Istrin, Decron Properties' Daniel Nagel and Parakeet's Brad Huber

Manoucheri said the coronavirus has closed down countries. Airlines stocks have dipped as people are more wary of traveling to certain countries, he said.

Other panelists were more cautious.

"It's a unique situation," Swinerton Director of Preconstruction Daniel Getting said.

Brookfield Properties Vice President of Mixed-Use Development Patrick Rhodes said Brookfield is monitoring the situation.

Another big topic discussed by panelists was the state of affordable housing and the growing homelessnesscrisis in Los Angeles. In order to meet the region's housing needs, developers and housing advocates areturning to building co-living and microunits.

NMS Properties' Neil Shekter,a major player in microunit development in Los Angeles, said he has found it doesn't matter how small the unit is. If you build in asuperb area, such as the Westside and Santa Monica, people will come.

"In our business model, location is the biggest amenity," Shekter said.

Co-living is also another alternative to continue getting young people to move to the city andhelp drive Los Angeles' economy. While the average rent in Los Angeles is more than $2,500 a month, co-living developments offer a room with a Japanese-style pod or bed, but with a lot of shared amenities for less than a $1K.

"The idea of short-term, reasonably low-priced options for this younger demographic is extremely enticing to them," Streetsense Managing Principal Eric Burka said. "The idea of only spending $700 or $800 a month, they can handle that. That is affordable. Before there was no option. They have to rent, get furniture and move in a year ... They are more affordable to the people and more profitable to the developer."

Bisnow/Joseph Pimentel

An attendee asks a question about Los Angeles' multifamily landscape during Bisnow's multifamily event in downtown Los Angeles.

But when it comes to quickly getting a project up to market, modular construction is key, especially when it comes to housing the homeless, experts said.

Last week, craneswere moving modular units to a site in Buena Park for a new 150-bed homeless shelter. If this was a traditional ground-up development, it would have taken at least a year and a halfto build a ground-up structure not including designing the building, which could have taken an additionalthree to four months, Crate Vice President of Development Amanda Gattenby said.

Using modular has dropped construction time significantly. Crate received the project in July, and the new homeless shelter is slated to open in April. It only took nine months, Gattenby said.

"Everyone knows how serious the housing crisis is," Gattenby said. "The homeless crisis has exploded in the past five years. We've seen it localized in Skid Row [in downtown Los Angeles] to having it in the outer ring suburbs, where we haven't seen it before."

Gattenby said the homeless situation is a complexsituation with several causes.

"There is a mental health crisis as well," Gattenby said. "We can't only just build the units, we also have to provide services. This is key."

Uras of Flyaway Homes said assuring residents or NIMBYs that services are going to be provided in affordable housing projects can help stem their protests.

ManyCalifornians are concerned that an affordable housing component could drive down property prices or create crime in the neighborhood. But adding and placing services in those buildings to help those formerly homeless residents, can help eliminate those fears, Uras said.

"They think that we just build these projects and then we leave and what happens next?" Uras said. "That's not the case. We are here to provide them reliable services."

Originally posted here:
The Future Of Multifamily Space In Los Angeles: Modular, Microunits And Co-Living - Bisnow

THE new tenant of a North Wales housing association is delighted that she has been able to stay in her local village in an innovative new home.

Two tenants have moved to two new Grwp Cynefin homes built off-site, as modular units, and erected at Maes Glyndwr, Cynwyd.

The two new homes are an addition to six traditionally built houses already owned by Grwp Cynefin on the site.

"It's been reassuring to be able to continue to live here in Cynwyd, a village that has been my home for over a quarter of a century, and where I have raised my family," said tenant Angela Bethan Gregory.

I am so pleased that I spoke to my local county councillor for advice and that the housing officer of Grwp Cynefin made contact with me to say that two new houses were being built here.

"Within a few months, I have moved into an innovative house and settled well into my new home.

The modular housing scheme, built in partnership with the Welsh Government's innovative housing programme, helps reduce energy costs for tenants.

The ready-made, two-bedroom homes are designed to retain heat, with environmentally friendly timber frames that help keep the properties warm.

Everything runs on electricity here, where in my old home I had gas and electricity supply. Were still trying to get used to the new heating system which is technologically clever.

The design of the house is spot on, it flows well downstairs and the patio doors open out into the garden.

"The bedrooms are large, and there are very useful storage areas within the house.

"We are in a lovely location, it's quiet here, and I am enjoying being in my new home. The grandchildren are delighted to visit and are both enjoying the new house with gran!

The contractor spent less time on site due to the modular construction method, and although there were some delay due to on-site drainage works, the process has had less impact on the local community as the work progressed.

The modular units were produced by specialist manufacturer F1 Modular from Newtown, Powys.

Shan Lloyd Williams, chief executive of Grwp Cynefin, said: "We are proud to provide our tenants with these high quality homes so they can live their modern lives comfortably.

"And hearing that the tenants are settling in and enjoying living in their homes is very positive.

This project is an important part of our development programme, as we aim to build 120 new homes a year for the next few years, and are actively looking for more opportunities to develop.

"Building quality, affordable homes in rural areas such as Cynwyd helps to address the identified need, giving each and every one of us a sense of pride in our work - thank you to everyone involved.

The Denbighshire councillor who represents Llandrillo residents Mabon ap Gwynfor said: It has been a positive experience to assist two local tenants within Llandrillo to discuss their housing needs with Grwp Cynefin.

"Ensuring quality homes in a rural location like Cynwyd is always a challenge, and I take great pride in the fact that tenants who live and work locally have moved into these new homes.

The new homes will be in addition to Grwp Cynefins 4,800 housing stock included within the associations property portfolio.

Working across North Wales and north Powys, it strives to provide high-quality affordable homes that meet local community needs.

For more information, visit http://www.grwpcynefin.org or call 0300 111 2122.

Continued here:
Tenants move into innovative modular homes located in the Dee Valley - Denbighshire Free Press

Modular Homes Market Size, Type, Application, and Regional Analysis, Trading Analysis, Industry Analysis, Premium Insights, Patent Analysis, Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape, Traders/Distributors, Key Buyers, Forecasts 20202025

The Global Modular Homes Market study exhibits a comprehensive analysis of the present and future market trends across the globe. The study presented by Reportspedia presents convincing data referring to the commercialization aspects, industry dimension, and profit estimation of the market. The latest report on the Modular Homes industry is a provides the end-to-end analysis of this business vertical, and includes the detailed information about the industry, with respect to key constraints such as the present market size, revenue, market share, periodic deliverables, and profits estimations for the estimate period of 20202025.

Get Free PDF Sample Report(Including Full TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Chart):

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The Leading Companies Included In the Reports Are:

Bouygues ConstructionLendlease CorporationLaing OrourkeSeikisui HouseClayton HomesChampionModular Space CorporationDaiwa HouseCavco Industries, Inc.Algeco ScotsmanRed Sea HousingRedman HomesFleetwood AustraliaKwikspace Modular BuildingsHorizon North LogisticsKleusberg GmbH & Co. KgKEE KaterraPleasant Valley HomesAlta-Fab StructuresArts Way ManufacturingNRB Inc.Wernick GroupWestchester Modular HomesModscapePratt Construction IncorporatedKoma ModularNew Era HomesGuerdon Enterprises LLCHickory GroupLebanon Valley Homes

Trade analysis of the market is also the key aspects of the report as it provides information on the import and export of the product across the globe. Analysis tools like SWOT analysis and Porters five force model have been provided to present a perfect in-depth knowledge about Modular Homes market. The industry is also been analyzed in terms of value chain analysis and analysis of regulatory policies.

The study also illustrates the competitive landscape of foremost manufacturers in the industry with their diverse portfolio and geographical expansion activities. The Modular Homes market report by Reportspedia also includes participants financial overview which consists of an assessment of revenue outcomes, sales volume, gross margin, cash flow, capital investment, and growth rate which will allow clients to gain intact knowledge of participants financial strengths and position in the global Modular Homes industry.

For more Queries. Enquire Here @

https://www.reportspedia.com/report/chemicals-and-materials/global-modular-homes-market-2019-by-manufacturers,-regions,-type-and-application,-forecast-to-2024/24825 #inquiry_before_buying

Market Size Segmentation by Region (or Countries), Types and Applications:

Key Focused Regions in the Modular Homes market:

South America (Brazil, Argentina)

The Middle East & Africa(South Africa, Saudi Arabia)

Europe (Spain, U.K., Italy, Germany, Russia, France)

North America (U.S., Mexico, Canada)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia)

Global Modular Homes Market Size Segmentation by Type:

RanchCape CodTwo-story homesCabin/Chalet

Global Modular Homes Market Size Segmentation by Application:

999 sq ft Floor1000 sq ft 1499 sq ft Floor1500 sq ft 1999 sq ft Floor2000 sq ft 2499 sq ft FloorMore than 2500 sq ft Floor

There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Modular Homes market.Chapter 1, to describe Modular Homes Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Modular Homes, with sales, revenue, and price of Modular Homes, in 2017 and 2018;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2017 and 2018;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Modular Homes, for each region, from 2014 to 2019;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2014 to 2019;Chapter 12, Modular Homes market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2019 to 2024;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Modular Homes sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source

Report Objectives:

1) Examination of the global Modular Homes market size by value and size.

2) To accurately calculate the market segments, consumption, and other dynamic factors of the various units of the market.

3) Determination of the key dynamics of the market.

4) To highpoint key trends in the market in terms of manufacturing, revenue and sales.

5) To summarize the top players of Global Modular Homes industry and show how they compete in the industry.

6) Study of industry procedures and costs, product pricing and various developments associated with them.

7) To showcase the performance of different regions and countries in the Global Modular Homes market.

The Report Answers the key Questions

What are the important trends and dynamics?

Where will most development take place in the long term?

Which regulation thats will impact the industry

What does the competitive landscape look like?

What the openings are yet to come?

TOC of Modular Homes Market Report Includes:

1 Industry Overview of Modular Homes Market

2 Industry Chain Analysis

3 Manufacturing Technology

4 Major Manufacturers Analysis

5 Global Productions, Revenue and Price Analysis by Regions, Creators, Types and Applications

6 Global and Foremost Regions Capacity, Production, Revenue and Growth Rate of Modular Homes market (2015-2019)

7 Consumption Volumes, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Trade Price Study of Modular Homes market by Regions

8 Gross and Gross Margin Examination

9 Marketing Traders or Distributor Examination

10 Worldwide Impacts on Modular Homes Industry

11 Development Trend Analysis

12 Contact information of Modular Homes

13 New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis

14 Conclusion of the Global Modular Homes Industry 2020 Market Research Report

Click here to view the full report: https://www.reportspedia.com/report/chemicals-and-materials/global-modular-homes-market-2019-by-manufacturers,-regions,-type-and-application,-forecast-to-2024/24825 #table_of_contents

Continued here:
Global Modular Homes Market Analysis, Key Insights, and Forecast 2026 By Application, Type, End User and Region - Feed Road

PEMBROKE The Pembroke Town Council rejected on Monday a rezoning request that would have cleared the way for construction of housing for homeless veterans.

The council voted 3-1 to deny the request from the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

With a burdened heart, I make a motion to not approve the request, Councilman Channing Jones said.

Councilman Ryan Sampson cast the lone no vote on Jones motion.

In February, the tribe asked the council to rezone the land from multi-family to residential district and to issue a conditional-use permit for the operation of a mobile home park to be called Veterans Village near Arrow Point subdivision. The request was tabled until Mondays meeting.

The tribe-funded project called for the placing of 20 14-by-64-foot single-wide mobile homes on a nine-acre tract of land off Darkwater Lane, located behind the Boys and Girls Club and Tribal Administration Complex, also known as The Turtle.

The homes would be furnished, maintained and secured by the tribe, said Bradley Locklear, Lumbee Tribal Housing director.

The proposal was made possible by a partnership between the Lumbee Tribe and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

We were awarded these homes because of our performance and positive standing with HUD, Lumbee Tribe Chairman Harvey Godwin Jr. said. HUD gave us these homes for free.

During his presentation, Locklear was backed by tribal members who support the project.

Gregory Jacobs, a volunteer Veterans Services officer with the tribe, spoke about the homes and what the tribe does for its veterans.

This is our opportunity to utilize property that has been given to us, Jacobs said. Veterans bond together. They need a second chance just like anyone in here needs a second chance.

Im pouring my heart out to you.

Jacobs also told the council members that neighboring residents should not object to the mobile homes.

These homes are built better than modular homes, Jacobs said. I did some research, and 38% to 40% of the homes in Robeson County are mobile.

Gary Deese, retired military veteran, made a passionate plea to the council members, specifically to Mayor Gregory Cummings, a Vietnam War veteran.

I would like to plead to the council, a veteran to a veteran, Deese said. Consider our veterans and consider what this would be for our community. The word would get out that Pembroke is veteran friendly.

These trailers, I would not be ashamed to live in.

Council members assured the audience that whether or not the town supported veterans is not the issue.

To all the veterans in the room thank you for your service, Jones said. I most certainly know the need our veterans have. Theres nothing about the council that wants to anything but help our veterans.

Jones and Councilman Larry McNeill said the problem is the potential for spot zoning and issues with future developers wanting to open mobile home parks.

Its clearly inconsistent with the current development that is there, Jones said. The consideration is that if this type of development goes forward, can this council be consistent with future developers? This council has to make a decision based on everybody.

Councilwoman Theresa Locklear asked tribal leaders if they had a Plan B.

Not at the moment, Godwin said.

These veterans have been on our waiting list for the past two years, Bradley Locklear said. This was the plan to expedite it quickly.

Jones said the town would partner with the tribe in finding another route.

In other business, the council approved an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance, Article 10 Table of Permitted Use, to add brewery as a permitted use. The board also awarded the applicant, the A.S. Thomas Center, a conditional-use permit to operate a mixed-use development at 205 Union Chapel Road.

The A.S. Thomas Center will be a 36,000-square-foot, mixed-use development that will feature retail, restaurants and student apartment-style housing with a total of 34 bedrooms. Developed by Thomas Properties Group in partnership with Metcon Buildings and Infrastructure, the development is the first in a series of planned downtown revitalization projects. Metcon will provide design/build services for the project.

Anchor tenants for the new space include microbrewery Lonerider Spirits Distillery & Brewery and New York Deli. The new center will replace the existing Pates Supply storefront on Union Chapel Road.

The total investment is around $8 million, Metcon President and CEO Aaron Thomas said.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the center is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday.

Council members approved a request from the N.C. Department of Transportation to initiate a 30-day public comment period so town residents can give their input on recommendations contained in a Traffic Separation Study. The purpose of the study is to identify ways to reduce accidents and improve the overall safety at railroad crossings in the town.

A draft will be available on the towns website, and Councilman Jones requested maps be displayed at Town Hall.

Also on Monday, the council:

Tabled a request to amend the towns Unified Development Ordinance to add Public Safety Stations such as fire stations, police stations and rescue squads as permitted uses in a R-8 Residential District. The applicant is the Pembroke Rescue Squad, which currently is in a R-8 District.

Approved a resolution closing Union Chapel Road from Second Street to Third Street on Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the groundbreaking of the A.S. Thomas Center.

Set a public hearing date for the April meeting for a condition-use permit request to build a mixed-use development on Corinth and Prospect roads.

Jones

Gregory Jacobs, a volunteer Veterans Services officer with the Lumbee Tribe, asks the Pembroke Town Council on Monday to consider rezoning land to allow the tribe to develop Veterans Village, a housing project for homeless veterans. The council voted 3-1 to deny the request.

Tribe wanted to place home near The Turtle

Tomeka Sinclair can be reached at [emailprotected] or 910-416-5865.

See the article here:
Pembroke rejects tribes bid to provide housing for homeless veterans - The Robesonian

Another year, another homeless count.

This week, hundreds of volunteers in Vancouver and across the region will be counting homeless people over a 24-hour period.

Theyll also speak to the homeless interested in answering a survey about how long theyve been on the street, where they last lived in a home and the state of their health.

People living in shelters, recreation vehicles and cars will also be counted.

A few months ago, I asked Mayor Kennedy Stewart and Housing Minister Selina Robinson to predict whether this years count in the city would find less, more or the same number of people without a home.

Neither politician would make a prediction.

Thats probably because the trend is against them, with homelessness in Vancouver reaching an all-time high last year, with 2,223 people counted over two days last March.

That statistic always comes with an asterisk. City officials believe the number of people counted each year is an undercount, with up to 20 per cent of homeless not reflected in the total.

City reports show the number of homeless people counted in Vancouver in 2005 was 1,364, then climbed to 1,847 in 2016. The 2,000-mark was first reached in 2017 and has incrementally increased since then.

Some argue the numbers have shot up because the general population in the city has grown. The facts are the general population has not increased at the pace that homelessness has in Vancouver.

Some argue most of the homeless people in Vancouver have come from other parts of the country and are attracted to the citys climate, its resources for poor people and getting a chance at subsidized housing.

The facts are last Marchs report on the count showed that a total of 81 per cent of 1,183 homeless people who agreed to a survey said they were living in Vancouver when they lost their home.

Of the 19 per cent who werent living in Vancouver, 41 were from elsewhere in Metro Vancouver, 72 in other parts of B.C. and 70 outside of B.C.

Anyway, the main argument people fighting on behalf of the homeless generally make is that all three levels of government arent doing enough to address the problem.

The facts are the provincial and city governments have for several years built supportive housing buildings, renovated single-room occupancy hotels, turned former hotels into temporary housing, opened year-round shelters and increased rent supplements.

In fact, the provincial government currently funds 925 permanent shelter spaces, 329 temporary shelter spaces and 145 "extreme weather" shelter spaces in Vancouver.

Over the last few years, a total of 11 temporary modular housing sites opened in Vancouver. That includes the citys first site at Main and Terminal, which opened in February 2017.

Another 58-unit complex is under development on Copley Street and should open this month. That will mean more than 700 homes have come on stream in less than three years.

Still, homelessness persists.

Provincial and city politicians have pointed to the federal government, saying it needs to get back in the housing game to make real progress in the fight against homelessness.

Some may recall that then-federal housing minister Jean-Yves Duclos was in Vancouver in November 2017 to unveil a $40-billion, 10-year national housing strategy that aims to reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent in Canada.

It remained unclear to me at deadline how that translates to Vancouver.

But add it all up the new buildings, the modular housing, the feds commitment, etcetera and Vancouver and the region should be, or should have been, on its way to moving people off the street.

The drivers, however, of homelessness are still very much in play: substance abuse and mental health issues, young people aging out of foster care, traumatic life events and chronic poverty mixed with a low vacancy rate, high rents and the loss of single-room occupancy hotels such as the closure of the Balmoral and Regent hotels.

For the first time since Stewart became mayor, he will participate in this years homeless count. I wanted to tag along with him, but his office declined my request.

I hope to speak to Stewart after the count to see if his experience on the streets has him any closer to making a prediction about whether homelessness will increase this year.

No matter what he says, well have to wait until preliminary results of the count are released later this year to understand the statistical state of the citys homelessness in 2020.

Until then, the guy sleeping under a tarp in the alley outside the Couriers office in Mount Pleasant could use a place to stay.

mhowell@vancourier.com

@Howellings

Visit link:
Will homelessness go up or down this year in Vancouver? - Vancouver Courier

March 02, 2020

PEMBROKE The Pembroke Town Council rejected on Monday a rezoning request that would have cleared the way for construction of housing for homeless veterans.

The council voted 3-1 to deny the request from the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

With a burdened heart, I make a motion to not approve the request, Councilman Channing Jones said.

Councilman Ryan Sampson cast the lone no vote on Jones motion.

In February, the tribe asked the council to rezone the land from multi-family to residential district and to issue a conditional-use permit for the operation of a mobile home park to be called Veterans Village near Arrow Point subdivision. The request was tabled until Mondays meeting.

The tribe-funded project called for the placing of 20 14-by-64-foot single-wide mobile homes on a nine-acre tract of land off Darkwater Lane, located behind the Boys and Girls Club and Tribal Administration Complex, also known as The Turtle.

The homes would be furnished, maintained and secured by the tribe, said Bradley Locklear, Lumbee Tribal Housing director.

The proposal was made possible by a partnership between the Lumbee Tribe and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

We were awarded these homes because of our performance and positive standing with HUD, Lumbee Tribe Chairman Harvey Godwin Jr. said. HUD gave us these homes for free.

During his presentation, Locklear was backed by tribal members who support the project.

Gregory Jacobs, a volunteer Veterans Services officer with the tribe, spoke about the homes and what the tribe does for its veterans.

This is our opportunity to utilize property that has been given to us, Jacobs said. Veterans bond together. They need a second chance just like anyone in here needs a second chance.

Im pouring my heart out to you.

Jacobs also told the council members that neighboring residents should not object to the mobile homes.

These homes are built better than modular homes, Jacobs said. I did some research, and 38% to 40% of the homes in Robeson County are mobile.

Gary Deese, retired military veteran, made a passionate plea to the council members, specifically to Mayor Gregory Cummings, a Vietnam War veteran.

I would like to plead to the council, a veteran to a veteran, Deese said. Consider our veterans and consider what this would be for our community. The word would get out that Pembroke is veteran friendly.

These trailers, I would not be ashamed to live in.

Council members assured the audience that whether or not the town supported veterans is not the issue.

To all the veterans in the room thank you for your service, Jones said. I most certainly know the need our veterans have. Theres nothing about the council that wants to anything but help our veterans.

Jones and Councilman Larry McNeill said the problem is the potential for spot zoning and issues with future developers wanting to open mobile home parks.

Its clearly inconsistent with the current development that is there, Jones said. The consideration is that if this type of development goes forward, can this council be consistent with future developers? This council has to make a decision based on everybody.

Councilwoman Theresa Locklear asked tribal leaders if they had a Plan B.

Not at the moment, Godwin said.

These veterans have been on our waiting list for the past two years, Bradley Locklear said. This was the plan to expedite it quickly.

Jones said the town would partner with the tribe in finding another route.

In other business, the council approved an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance, Article 10 Table of Permitted Use, to add brewery as a permitted use. The board also awarded the applicant, the A.S. Thomas Center, a conditional-use permit to operate a mixed-use development at 205 Union Chapel Road.

The A.S. Thomas Center will be a 36,000-square-foot, mixed-use development that will feature retail, restaurants and student apartment-style housing with a total of 34 bedrooms. Developed by Thomas Properties Group in partnership with Metcon Buildings and Infrastructure, the development is the first in a series of planned downtown revitalization projects. Metcon will provide design/build services for the project.

Anchor tenants for the new space include microbrewery Lonerider Spirits Distillery & Brewery and New York Deli. The new center will replace the existing Pates Supply storefront on Union Chapel Road.

The total investment is around $8 million, Metcon President and CEO Aaron Thomas said.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the center is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday.

Council members approved a request from the N.C. Department of Transportation to initiate a 30-day public comment period so town residents can give their input on recommendations contained in a Traffic Separation Study. The purpose of the study is to identify ways to reduce accidents and improve the overall safety at railroad crossings in the town.

A draft will be available on the towns website, and Councilman Jones requested maps be displayed at Town Hall.

Also on Monday, the council:

Tabled a request to amend the towns Unified Development Ordinance to add Public Safety Stations such as fire stations, police stations and rescue squads as permitted uses in a R-8 Residential District. The applicant is the Pembroke Rescue Squad, which currently is in a R-8 District.

Approved a resolution closing Union Chapel Road from Second Street to Third Street on Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the groundbreaking of the A.S. Thomas Center.

Set a public hearing date for the April meeting for a condition-use permit request to build a mixed-use development on Corinth and Prospect roads.

Jones

Gregory Jacobs, a volunteer Veterans Services officer with the Lumbee Tribe, asks the Pembroke Town Council on Monday to consider rezoning land to allow the tribe to develop Veterans Village, a housing project for homeless veterans. The council voted 3-1 to deny the request.

Tribe wanted to place home near The Turtle

Read the original post:
Red Springs contracts out tax collections - The Robesonian

Feilden Clegg Bradley has been chosen to design a scheme in Lewisham that will replace temporary modular housing designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners.

The mixed-use development is likely to contain about 200 homes, about 50% for social rent.

The RSHP project, Place Ladywell, contains 24 two-bedroom homes for families who would have otherwise been homeless. It has been runfor the past four years by the councils social housing provider, Lewisham Homes.

It was always intended to be a temporary use of the site, which was previously occupied by Ladywell swimming baths. The flats will be moved to a new location and the council said it would work with current tenants to determine where they will be housed.

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, which is working with local artist Jake Sherwood, carried out a public consultation last week to come up with possible designs for the new scheme.

A spokesman for Lewisham Homes said site investigations would take place in the coming months to provide more context to design proposals to enable a clearer picture on what could be built and timescales. We then aim to meet again with the community in late spring/early summer.

It has previously spoken of the development containing 200 homes, with half being for social rent.

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RSHP's temporary housing to be replaced by Feilden Clegg Bradley scheme - Building Design

General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra addresses the gathering Wednesday at an event detailing GMs electric vehicle technologies and upcoming products at the Tech Center campus in Warren.(Photo: Steve Fecht, Steve Fecht for General Motors)

General Motors wants to do better at tellingthestory ofits electric vehicle development.

So GM leaders invited about 150 journalists to an "EV day" Wednesday, showing 10 future EVs in its Design Dome at the Warren Technical Center.

The upcoming GMC Hummer pickup hulked in one corner of the dome and the Cadillac Lyriq, a futuristic SUV, shown across the aisle.

"We want to put everyone in an EV and we have what it takes to do it," GM CEO Mary Barra said.

What it takes is technology that GM said it's inventing to dominate other electric car companies such as Tesla.

For example, GM said it has developed new battery modules, called Ultium, that will reduce the cost to make the batteries and help consumers afford EVs. GMhas devised a flexible global platform, too, that allows it to make a variety ofpowerful EVs to meet all customer needs. They will have bettercharging time and givemore vehicle range than current EVs do.

The goal of all of this is to make sure the EVs are profitable for GM. Barra worked to assureinvestors the strategy will createnew revenue.

General Motors reveals its all-new modular platform and battery system, Ultium, on Wednesday at the Tech Center campus in Warren.(Photo: Steve Fecht, Steve Fecht for Genreal Motors)

"What we have done is build a multi-brand, multi-segment EV strategy with economies of scale that rival our full-size truck business with much less complexity and even more flexibility," said Barra.

GM will offer 20 new EVs for sale by 2023, said GM President Mark Reuss. Those will be available in the United States and China.GM said it targets selling1 million EVs a year between those two markets in five years.

GM will spend $20 billion between now and 2025, about $3 billion a year, onEV development, Barra said.

Here are the upcoming GM EV plans.

During the UAW contract negotiations last fall, union leaders worried that a proliferation of EV development would endanger hourly production jobs because EVs require less manpower to assemble. But Barra said GM's EV strategy will support jobs.

Does technology change and this becomes more efficient to build? Yes. But there are opportunities to grow employment with market share growth, said Barra. We had the Detroit-Hamtramck team in here last week and they couldnt be more excited.

The designs for the 10 EVs GM showed the media all reflect sleek, athletic and futuristic exteriors with technology-laden interiors.

Cadillac's entire lineup could be electric by 2030. To launch that will be the Cadillac Lyriq SUV.

Cadillac's first fully electric car will be sold in the United States and China, but there's no word yet on where GM will build it.(Photo: Cadillac)

The silver concept of theLyriq sat beside the concept of another future Cadillac EV, the Celestiq sedan, a stunning pearl white aerodynamic sedan with a long front hood and a hatchback tail. The car will be built by hand, locally, Reuss said.

"This is a dream car for the company and its customers," said Reuss.

The cars will be the "new face of Cadillac," designers said. The black-crystal grille on the Lyriqflows into the headlamps and surrounds the Cadillac logo in its center. Its roof slants slightly toward the tail with a wide wheelbase giving it an athletic stance. It sits on 23-inch wheels. It has a split-vertical tail line along the rear trunk area that will also be a new signature design for Cadillac.

Inside, the Lyriq has a 34-inch curved LED center display screen to give it an open cockpit atmosphere for both the driver and passenger to interact with it. Gone is a transmission tunnel, providing an area for extra storage space.Mass production of the Lyriq willstart in the second half of 2021.

There was also a Buick EV on display. It is not yet named. It will reflectthe new "more sculpted" face of Buick. It had a wide black grille with slanted headlights positioned above the grille area.

The new GMC Hummer pickup was shown in white. The vehicle is designed to be the future flagship of the GMC brand, GM said. It was a boxy crew cab body with Hummer's signature wide, sporty stance, fat tires, a low-slung roof line and short rear bed. It comes with a removable tarp top.

Next to it wasthe concept for the GMC Hummer SUV with its upright windshield and off-road capability.

"The message here is the reinvention of Cadillac, the reinvention of Chevrolet, the reinvention of Buick ... This is a real transformation of the company," said Reuss. "Now we just have to tell our story. We have to tell our story better than we have been."

GM holds about 3,000 patents related to vehicle electrification, Reuss said. But to capture Wall Street's attention and compete withelectric-carmaker Tesla, Reuss said GM has to tell investors about its advances in chemistry for new batteries and motor configurations thatenable GM to offer a wide variety of vehicles to consumers.

GM's EV strategy will center on a modular propulsion system and a flexible global EV platformpowered by new and proprietary Ultium batteries, he said.

GM engineers invented the Ultium batteries to have 60% more capacity for power than the current batteries used in the Chevrolet Bolt. The are also"large-format, pouch-style cells" that can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside a battery pack, allowing for them to fit into different designs of vehicles and to offer different power.

So, for example, the Hummer electric pickup will use 24 battery modules both stacked and laid side-by-side to give it the 1,000 horsepower it will offer.

Teaser image of the GMC Hummer electric truck coming in 2021.(Photo: GMC)

The Ultium batteries willcost GM less to scale its EV business to its current internal combustion costs because GMcan leverage its existing property, including land, buildings, tools and production equipment to incorporate it.

The batteries will be made at a facility near Lordstown, Ohio, that GM is building and has partnered with LG Chem to operate. GM will break ground on the plant this spring and when done, it'll be about the size of 30 football fields, GM said.

The Ultium energy options range from 50 to 200 kWh, which means a GM EV could achieve a driving range of up to 400 miles or more on a full charge with 0 to 60 mph acceleration as low as 3 seconds, GM said.

"We focused on giving customers more range at lower cost," said Reuss. "It starts with the state of the chemistry."

The motors will be designed in-house and can support front-wheel, rear-wheel, all-wheel and performance all-wheel drive transmissions, GM said. They use higher nickel and lower cobalt properties, which brings down the cost of raw materials to make them.

The new batteries are designed for Level 2 and DC fast charging capability. Most regular homes have level 1 and level 2 outlets. Level 2 is what would power a typical washer and dryer.

Most GM EVs will have 400-volt battery packs and up to 200kW fast-charging capability. GM's truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and 350 kW fast-charging capability. That means using the public DC fast charging stations, in just10 minutes, a customer can charge these vehiclesenough totravel100 miles, said Rick Spina, GM's vice president of EV commercialization.

The average cost for a customer to charge a future EV at a public DC fast-charger would equate to about $3 a gallon spent now for gasoline, said Alex Keros, lead architect for GM's EV infrastructure. What that means is if a person recharges a car for say 30 minutes while in a grocery store, the cost to do that is under $10 and it would provide 250 miles of range. Whereas in an internal combustion engine car, for about $10 a driver might get three or four gallons of has which would provide 60 to 80 miles if the car gets 20 miles per gallon.

If a customer charges at home that's cheaper than using a public charging station sothe cost is closer to $1 to $2 paid pergallon of gasoline, he said.

Spina said with GM's goal to sell 1 million EVs in North America and China by 2025, it will mean the present number of public charging stations will need to double from the roughly 25,000 level 2 charging spots in the U.S. and Canada and 2,800 DC fast charge locations.

GM is working with companies that provide such charging locations by using OnStar customer data to show, anonymously, customers' general driving and parking trends to determine where charging stations should be added. GM is not paying to install the chargers nor profiting onthe customer cost to use them, Spina said.

"We don't want to be in the charger business;we don't want to own them," said Spina.

GM said the new batteries along with a flexible approach to EV development will drive economies of scale and create new revenue opportunities.

For example, there are presently about 555 internal combustion engines and powertrain combinations in production. The EV architecture will whittle it down to 19, said Reuss. The new EV batteries and other technology will allow GM to offer 235 horsepower to 1,000 horsepower propulsion to various vehicles, he said.

GM has a dedicated high-voltage safety team in place to work on ways to protect the batteries and electrical systems in the event of a crash or flood from shocking or injuring passengers, Reuss said.

GM said its joint venture with LG Chem to build batteries will help GM drive downbattery cell costs below $100/kWh.

This is all good news for Wall Street analysts who viewed GM's "EV Day" to be an important update on GM's strategy.

In an investor note Monday, Credit Suisses Dan Levy said GM has an advantage over its rivals in the electric car arena, still, "The push to an EV world will be tough for all legacy (automakers) including GM," Levy wrote, noting thebattery pack costs must decline by 50% to reach parity with powertrain costs, downsizing engine and transmission plants andbudgets must still be balanced against continued production of internal combustion engines.

GM might roll-out a solid EV strategy, Levy saidbut, "We believe the ultimate proof-point of success in GMs EV strategy is if the volumes materialize and GM is able to challenge Tesla for share in the U.S.EV market, as Tesla has been until now the only game in town in the U.S. EV market.

More: Cadillac has big changes ahead for its lineup and manufacturing

More: Here are GM's plans to make the GMC Hummer pickup a top seller

In March 2019,GM said it willspend $300 million to build a new electric car at itsOrion Assembly Plant north of Detroit. ButGM's Barra declined to release any details about the new EV or timing on the investment. A GM spokesman said the investmentwill unfold over the next two to three years.

Two UAW workers at GM's Orion Assembly plant where GM builds its Bolt EV and the self-driving test cars.(Photo: General Motors)

GM said it plans to add about 400 workers at the Orion factory, which currently builds the electric Chevrolet Bolt, autonomous vehicles for GM's Cruise unit, and the Chevy Sonic compact car.

More: GM plans to make new electric car, spend $300M, hire 400 workers in Lake Orion

Contact Jamie L. LaReau at 313-222-2149 or jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter.

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GM unveils 10 future EVs, new batteries and its plan to beat Tesla - Detroit Free Press

Councils will be encouraged to use modern construction methods such as factory-built modular housing to speed up the delivery of new affordable homes.

The Welsh Governments Housing Minister Julie James made the announcement as she unveiled a 45m investment to boost the growing industry in modern methods of construction (MMC).

The Welsh Government wants councils to build far more homes at scale and at pace; however, they face the well-documented capacity constraints faced by traditional house builders.

To deliver more homes quickly, councils will be encouraged to use MMC, which will help them build better quality homes faster than traditional methods allow, in order to meet the growing need for affordable housing across the country.

MMC includes various construction methods from new materials and technologies to off-site manufacturing, which either replace or complement traditional methods of construction.

MMC opportunities will also bring significant new benefits to the Welsh economy.To back Welsh business, ministers plan to help this next generation of homes to be built utilising national assets such as Welsh steel and Welsh timber.

There will also be a focus on using the emerging MMC industry in Wales to pursue Welsh social and ethical ambitions, including developing skills and market-leading technical expertise in communities hardest hit by the decline of traditional industries. Investment will also help firms invest in locally sourced labour.

Other benefits include:

As part of the Welsh Governments new MMC strategy Reimagining social house building in Wales, ministers are making a major 45m investment in the modular housing industry in Wales, to ensure it can deliver the next generation of social housing that people need.

Of this, 20m is being made available for MMC businesses, who in partnership with Welsh social landlords want to build the next generation of social housing. This investment is designed to help and encourage the market, especially SMEs, to develop off-site manufacture (OSM) solutions such as supply chains, factories, and skills development centres, that meet the needs of the next generation of social housing in Wales.

A further 25m is being made available for round 4 of the Welsh Governments Innovative Housing Programme, which will focus on innovative housing delivered through MMC.

The strategy supports the Welsh Governments ambitions to reduce carbon emissions from the housing sector. It also supports a move to a circular economy, as building with MMC could reduce construction waste by as much as 90%.

The Housing Minister witnessed MMC in action on a visit to SO Modular in Neath, who already supply the social housing market in Wales.

Housing Minister Julie James said:

Building more social and affordable homes is a key priority for the Welsh Government. Over the last 4 years, this Welsh Government has invested 2 billion in new housing across Wales, as part of our ambition to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2021.

But we want to build more. And we want to build better. The significant investment were making in the modular housing industry will enable us to do that.

Gone are the days of MMCs association with poor quality, temporary, pre-fabricated housing; MMC now produces high quality, desirable and energy efficient affordable homes that tenants can be proud of. We have certainly moved from Pre-Fab to Ab-Fab!

Developing the MMC industry in Wales presents us with a great opportunity to not only build beautiful new social housing, but also kick-start a new industry that will become increasingly important for our economy.

The publication of the strategy is in response to a recommendation made by the Welsh Governments Affordable Housing Supply Review, which identified Modern Methods of Construction as a way of more quickly increasing housing supply.

Community Housing Cymru, which represents housing associations in Wales, said it was pleased to see the strategy focus on sustaining the foundational economy in Wales by creating local jobs and using local materials.

Bethan Proctor, Policy and External Affairs Manager at Community Housing Cymru, said:

Modern methods of construction (MMC) promote the building of good quality, low carbon, affordable housing at pace and scale, and with housing associations committed to building 75,000 new homes by 2036, this announcement will help make this a reality.

There is already an appetite in the social sector to use MMC, and the Welsh Governments strategy and investment will open the doors for many more to develop off-site manufacture approaches, helping to build healthier, decarbonised homes, tackling the housing and climate crisis.

Joanna Davoile, Director of Development at Wales & West Housing, said:

WWH is really pleased to see the 45m additional funding for MMC, and particularly that 20m of that is ear-marked to support delivery of social housing.

The Welsh Government has set ambitious agendas to increase delivery of affordable housing and mitigate the impact of climate change. They are demonstrating their commitment to those agendas by offering funding and support for MMC.

MMC could help to improve quality in construction and the energy efficiency of new buildings, reducing costs to residents and the carbon footprint. As part of our strategy to build 2,500 more new social homes for Wales in the next five years, WWH is already taking opportunities to work with MMC. We are using off-site manufacturing and panelised systems on several of our new development sites and we are keen to do more.

The funding announced will help the construction industry in Wales stay at the forefront of innovations in MMC by supporting the development of the skills, supply chains, factories and products that will move MMC towards becoming a practical and affordable mainstream option.

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45m to Boost Modular Housing in Wales - Business News Wales