Cmty Dev & Apld Econ: Contemp Policy Iss:Comm Dev

In-depth study of sustainable development policy issues, with emphasis on understanding systematic interactions among economic development, biodiversity conservation, climate change, energy, food and watershed planning. Prerequisites: One of the following: CDAE 2020, CDAE 2710, CDAE 2860, or equivalent course.

Prerequisites: One of the following: CDAE 2020, CDAE 2710, CDAE 2860, or equivalent course. Open to Degree and PACE students

Housing is a critical component of every community’s built environment yet the provision of safe and affordable housing remains a challenge for communities of all types across the United States. This seminar-style course will explore the importance of housing in sustainable community development through an introduction to housing policies, key players in the housing arena, contemporary housing issues, as well as current efforts at the local level to expand housing opportunities for Vermonters. The course features case studies, guest speakers, and potential field trips to provide students with a variety of learning experiences as we delve into this important policy area for community development. Learning objectives include: 1) Develop a working understanding of key historic and contemporary housing policies in the United States at the national, state, and local scales; 2) Explore the roles played by a variety of government, non-profit, community, and private actors in the housing arena; 3) Understand the importance of safe and affordable housing in community development—whether in rural, suburban, or urban contexts—using the community capitals framework. 4) Engage with critical housing challenges as well as innovative solutions for addressing those challenges through individual independent research—culminating in our own mini-research symposium; 5) Gain exposure to potential career paths in the housing field through interactions with local housing professionals.

This course meets once a week for a three-hour academic seminar. The heart of this course will be a facilitated dialogue where students are actively engaged in discussing housing policies, challenges, and opportunities. Preparation and reflection before class are essential to meaningful participation in the class and students are expected to be prepared to deeply engage in key issues related to the readings, community experiences, and discussions. There are weekly “microtheme” writing assignments designed to promote preparation for the topic at hand each class. Students will identify a research topic related to an aspect of housing policy that appeals to them as the basis for an annotated bibliography, a policy brief, and a presentation as part of our own mini housing-research symposium.

Course evaluation will be based on the successful completion of the following elements: weekly microthemes, annotated bibliography, policy brief, and final symposium presentation as well as participation/attendance at the weekly seminar sessions throughout the semester.