Envy Apartment

Juan Parras gives one hell of a tour of Houston’s east side. He’s charming and funny. Wearing a beret, he strikes an old-world look, like he might lead you to a cafe on a plaza. He doesn’t charge a fee for his services. After all, you’re on a “toxic tour,” and Parras is on a mission. Parras grew up in 1950s West Texas . He remembers segregated schools, the restaurants that wouldn’t serve him, the unpaved roads, and the people who lived closest to the local refinery . Those experiences led him to a career as a social justice advocate . The resident of Houston’s heavily industrial east side has worked in a city housing department , for a union, for a law clinic, and on a campaign that stopped a PVC factory from being built in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.” For the last decade, he has served as executive director of Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (better known as t.e.j.a.s.). Part of his work is leading tours past the heaping piles of scrap metal along Houston’s Buffalo Ba...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An affordable housing project in Albuquerque’s Southeast Heights that has been in the works since 2015 officially opened Thursday . Described as a high- design urban infill site , the 89- unit Casa Feliz apartment complex is a $17. 2 million redevelopment project that received funding from four sources. The bulk came from $12.5 million in low- income housing tax credits from the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority . City support for the project, which is located in the International District, includes $2.8 million from the Affordable Housing Fund . The New Mexico Housing Trust Fund kicked in $1.5 million and $400,000 came through the Ventana Fund, a nonprofit organization administered by MFA. The development, which is located at 443 Española Street SE, consists of efficiency, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Casa Feliz is reserved for families and individuals with incomes at 30 to 60 percent of the area median household income of $48,900. Twenty per...

SAN FRANCISCO — More than 60 stories above the ground, construction workers climb makeshift stairs and cross narrow steel planks to put the finishing touches on Salesforce Tower , now San Francisco ’s tallest building. The $1.1 billion skyscraper has already changed the city’s skyline, towering over old favorites like Coit Tower and the Transamerica Pyramid. Unlike in New York and Chicago, the new 1,070-foot high-rise is a gargantuan presence in this liberal West Coast city . Salesforce Tower and a massive adjoining transit center also embody a larger transition in San Francisco — one that pits the technology industry against the city’s charming neighborhoods. Tech giant Salesforce .com, which provides online software for business, bought the naming rights to the 61-story steel and concrete building, adding to concerns that the tech economy is steamrolling through the city. “All the tech and people the industry is bringing in, you can work two jobs and barely make a living for yo...

AMCAL’s new Southern Los Angeles County community has high- efficiency appliances and low-irrigation landscape Screen Shot 2014-07-23 at 4.29.29 PM AGOURA HILLS, Calif. - July 23, 2014 - PRLog -- AGOURA HILLS, CALIF. - AMCAL Multi-Housing, one of California’s leading builders of workforce and affordable housing, announces the planned LEED Gold certification for the new apartment community , Terracina in South Los Angeles County . Terracina is AMCAL’s fourth LEED Gold development since 2011, along with four Platinum and two Silver apartments qualifications . To achieve LEED Gold , AMCAL created a community with a range of unique green features : - 27% reduction in energy use - 70% of construction waste was diverted from landfills - Water- efficient flow fixtures to reduce indoor indoor water use - ENERGY STAR appliances installed to reduce energy loads - Storm water runoff managed by increasing vegetative landscaping , directing impermeable surfaces towards infiltration feat...

The city of Tampa is on the cusp of a total makeover. With billions of dollars in investment and dozens of new apartment, condo, office and cultural buildings in the pipeline, the city's skyline and surrounding communities are poised to look a whole lot different than what it does today. But dreaming up the future of Tampa doesn't come without its challenges. For all the promises of a new urban core filled with hotels, parks, food halls and stores, there are also potential pitfalls. The Tampa Bay Times identified the five key obstacles that stand in the way of some of the biggest projects proposed in Hillsborough County . Many of these challenges are ones local politicians and business leaders have been fighting for years to find a solution. Others are fairly new territory, but still pose a real threat to the region's continued growth. [LOREN ELLIOTT | Times] A construction site is seen just north of Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa , Fla., on Monday, May 1, 2017. Curr...

“We are excited to participate in an innovative approach to re-defining the senior community into a desirable destination for a full and active lifestyle ,” said Glenn Seerup, principal at Jensen and Halstead Architects , in reference to The Carrington at Lincolnwood opening late this year. Joining Jensen and Halstead, the oldest architecture firm in the Chicagoland area, on The Carrington project are developer South Bay Partners , manager Life Care Services and Charles Hall Construction . Model residences are now open, and “The First Keys Club” perks for first depositors include a $1,500 credit toward moving expenses, a house-warming reception, guaranteed rental rates for the first two years of residency, referral rewards and several additional benefits . “There is no better time than now to visit our beautiful models and see all that is available to older adults within and right outside The Carrington community,” said Sue Simek, director of sales and marketing at Life Care Servic...

Boston, MA  LIHC Investment Group, one of the nation’s largest owners of affordable housing, has donated its ownership stake in the Close Building to Just-A- Start Corporation , a community development corporation focused on the preservation and expansion of affordable housing opportunities in Cambridge and nearby communities. “Just-A-Start has been an invaluable partner in the Close Building, and under their stewardship the property will be preserved and maintained as affordable housing for tenants and the community for generations to come,” said Andrew Gendron, principal, LIHC Investment Group. “Quality, affordable housing is the foundation of healthy neighborhoods and this donation will allow Just-A-Start to continue and expand its mission in a very tight housing market .” “This generous donation assures the preservation of this property as affordable housing,” said Deborah Ruhe, executive director of Just-A-Start. “We will leverage this donation to support renovations and upgra...

Collect this idea Rooftop lounge at The Dylan in West Hollywood As the second-largest city in the U.S. with the biggest population in California, Los Angeles has mountains, beaches and deserts all within a short driving distance . In addition to a multitude of outdoor activities, L.A. offers job opportunities galore ; its diverse economy is the third largest in the world, after Tokyo and New York. Some of L.A.’s biggest industries include culture , fashion, education, sports, entertainment, medicine and a booming startup tech field that is thriving on the Westside ( nicknamed Silicon Beach ). Los Angeles is often called the creative capital of the world , as one in six residents works in the creative industries of music, TV or film. Not surprisingly, the city has a thriving arts scene . There are more than 800 museums and art galleries in Los Angeles County —   more per person than any other city in the world. And for night owls, the nightclub and restaurant scene offers plenty of...