BIG PROBLEMS, SMALL SOLUTIONS A Solution to the Housing Crisis Through Prefabrication.

Coronavirus has come as America is in the midst of a crisis-level affordable housing issue. In 2019, 37.1 million households were identified as “housing cost-burdened,” spending 30% or more of their income on housing. 63% of Americans have been living pay-check to pay-check since the pandemic. And in addition to that, it has been estimated that we as a country have a deficit of at least 1,000,000 single-family homes. This is affordable housing as it stands today, with a huge percentage of Americans searching for permanent housing and unable to find any, and if they do, unable to afford it for long. It seems fitting, albeit terrifying, that an epicenter of these occurrences is so close to home. Atlanta’s populating has grown by almost 20% since 2010, yet between 2010 and 2018, only 3,301 units have been erected that could be classified as “affordable”. So with an influx of close to 100,000 people in the last ten years and with Atlanta’s percentage of cost-burdened households nearing 50%, there is an incredible lack of cost-effective housing in the city. Attempting to find a solution for fundamental problems of infrastructure seems daunting, especially when it appears radical legislation is the only way to change the system. But there is hope. Dozens of cities around the country, Atlanta included, have pledged to change some of the laws that prevent Affordable housing projects. However, even before the laws are changed, people’s perception of basic housing rights and what affordable housing really means needs to be amended. That is the end to which my thesis research has been focused. Establishing the need, and inspiring the solution. In the name of proposing a solution to the housing crisis, my thesis will present a model of modular design and efficient use of space that intends to alter the perception of what affordable housing mean