UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND PLACES SECOND IN HUD 2020 INNOVATION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING STUDENT DESIGN AND PLANNING COMPETITION

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice announced a graduate student team from the University of Maryland at College Park was named the runner-up in HUD's seventh annual Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition (www.huduser.gov/portal/challenge/home.html). The University of Maryland was one of four finalist teams who were presented with the challenge of designing a new mixed-use development for low-income residents on a vacant 6.6-acre site in Santa Fe, New Mexico, identified by the Santa Fe County Housing Authority. The College Park team was judged runner-up for its financing also, as well as elements of the site design. A graduate student team from Yale University was named as the winners of this year's competition.

"Once again, it's great to congratulate the team of graduate students from the University of Maryland's School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation," said DeFelice. "This is the fourth time they have entered HUD's student competition and the fourth time they have brought home an award. This year, they will bring home $10,000 as the runner-up after winning the competition in 2019 and 2018 and placing second in 2016. Four for four. We are very proud of these future designers and planners."

"The Department's Innovative Housing Competition is intended to advance the design and production of livable and sustainable housing for low- and moderate-income people. Leadership is the secret sauce of success, and I'm so proud of the winning tradition that Maria Day-Marshall and her team at the University of Maryland team has achieved," added Marvin Turner, Director of HUD's National Capital Area Office.

Mr. Joseph Montoya, Executive Director of the Santa Fe County Housing Authority, also commended the students' hard work and contribution to finding innovative solutions to the affordable housing challenge that Santa Fe confronts: "Beyond the exceptional work and expertise that HUD staff, consultants and jurors brought to the table, it was a joy to work with young, positive professionals who passionately pushed some exciting ideas. We will definitely be questioning some of our original assumptions and viewpoints with a fresh outlook as we move forward."

HUD's Innovation in Affordable Housing competition strives to spur research, collaboration, and creativity in affordable housing and community development. This year's challenge required multidisciplinary teams composed of graduate students in architecture, planning and policy, finance, and other areas to address social, economic, environmental, design, financial, and construction issues in addition to the affordable housing design challenge.

This year, the students presented their final projects to a jury of practitioners via a live virtual platform rather than an in-person presentation at HUD Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Yale University will receive a $20,000 award and the runner-up team from the University of Maryland at College Park will receive a $10,000 award. The two remaining finalist teams—the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor—will each receive $5,000.

By initiating and funding this competition, HUD hopes to inspire and support aspiring members of fields such as architecture, planning, policy, and finance in advancing affordable and sustainable housing for low- and moderate-income Americans.

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