Design Corps

FLORIDA FELLOWSHIP

Location: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

Site Partner: Florida Legal Services

Available: September 1, 2007

Deadline: June 8, 2007

Decision: July 6, 2007

Job Description:

COMMUNITY NEED:

The hurricane season of 2004 was one of the most active and destructive seasons on record as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Estimated damage is expected to exceed $45 billion. The paths of the most destructive, land-falling hurricanes repeatedly crisscrossed the state of Florida. By November 3, 2004 all 67 counties in the state of Florida had been federally designated as disaster areas.

Responding to the disaster brought on by the recent hurricanes is the greatest challenge facing Central and Southern Florida today. This challenge is further complicated for the approximately 300,000 migrant farm workers and their families, who help to sustain the agricultural industry throughout Florida. For these families, annual incomes do not exceed $10,000 per year, and affordable housing is either severely limited or restricted to dilapidated mobile homes. This housing is extremely vulnerable to storm damage and the recent hurricanes that have destroyed or damaged hundreds of units of farm worker housing exacerbating an already existing shortage. The fourteen counties most severely impacted by the storms, as reported by FEMA, house approximately one-third of all Florida’s farm workers. Presently, the three critical problems facing farm workers and their families are: damaged and destroyed housing; overcrowding in limited housing available; and limited employment opportunities due to extensive crop damage.

FELLOW’S ROLE:

In the aftermath of the hurricanes, Florida Legal Services began working with Design Corps on the goal to design a manufactured housing unit. This unit was specifically designed to meet the needs of Florida’s farm workers at a cost of $40,000 to $50,000 per unit. (This compares with a cost of $80,000 to $100,000 per unit for traditionally-constructed farm worker housing.)

The primary design issues have been creating farm worker housing that a) appeals to the needs of residents and allows for an improved quality of life; b) that counters the stigma often associated with farm worker housing, through quality design; c) that accommodates a diverse culture through a diversity of form; d) that provides flexibility of form and configuration to allow for long-term use; e) that uses manufactured construction for greater efficiency of cost and production; and f) that is hurricane resistant in design and construction.

This demonstration project will be a model for non-profit organizations and growers as to the possibilities of careful design and manufactured construction. The plan for the resulting model unit is to be used throughout the state both to respond to the need to replace housing destroyed in the hurricanes and to address the general need for affordable housing for farm workers. Economies of scale will be gained by building a large number of these units which will help keep the cost down.

TARGET RESULTS:

Through a participatory decision making process with stakeholders, identify housing solutions for migrant housing needs
Design an architectural response to identified needs
Using the Design Corps Migrant Housing model, develop 20 units of housing for 100 workers
Collaborate with Florida Housing Finance Corporation to promote new statewide $10 million program for migrant housing
Develop “model” program of quality housing, construction, delivery and funding use.
Public and private assets identified that can lead to large scale improvements for quality housing for migrant workers

QUALIFICATIONS:

The ideal candidate will have:
A degree in architecture or planning, landscape architecture.
Experience/study in construction, urban design, urban policy, community service, non-profit or non-governmental organizations is a plus but not required.
Ability to speak Spanish a plus but not required.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
The ability to work with diverse groups, and the demonstrated capacity to move between cultures, disciplines, and professions.
Highly organized and motivated.