Addressing Homelessness as a means of Preserving the Urban Fabric

Abstract

In 1772, Clarksburg, West Virginia, was a well known Appalachian city. Before the Great Depression, Clarksburg had a booming economy from coal and glass production. By the 21st Century, Clarksburg was a forgotten memory and its building stock had become abandoned. Many of Clarksburg’s iconic buildings are in disrepair and have been overtaken by the homeless. According to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2019 Annual Homeless Assessment reports, 567,715 people experienced homelessness in a single night.1 The United States Interagency Council on homelessness states, “As of January 2019, West Virginia had an estimated 1,397 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as reported by Continuums of Care the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of those totals, 79 were family households, 137 were Veterans, 89 were unaccompanied young adults (age 18 - 24), and 161 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.” 2 To address homelessness in Clarksburg, one viable option is to preserve existing buildings and redesign them into more affordable housing for those in need. To influence the design of supportive housing for women and children experiencing homelessness in Clarksburg, it is important to learn about three case studies for homeless housing. To help understand how socioeconomic factors impact urban development, consider design strategies such as adaptive reuse and sustainable principles, and determine whether existing infrastructure is better than building new will. This information could support the framework for preservation and adaptation of current building stock to accommodate housing and a skill-training facility to rehabilitate homeless individuals and underprivileged persons within Clarksburg. Since homelessness needs to be addressed broadly and rapidly, perhaps, a proposal could be considered for other cities facing similar issues affecting their building fabric and community within a more rural context. A national plan to renovate existing abandoned infrastructures could help communities reduce homelessness and prevent the housing crisis from worsening. 1(HUD No. 20-003) 2(US Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2018)