By Kylie Marsh
Kylie.marsh@triangletribune.com
DURHAM – Durham Community Land Trustees has been at the forefront of innovation for over three decades.
In partnership with Module, a Pittsburgh-based modular housing construction company, DCLT joined lenders, developers, contractors and community members for “From Capital to Community,” a training in modular construction.
The event last week spotlighted creative ways to increase housing supply from start to finish, such as reusing shipping containers or building additional dwelling units.
ADUs gained national attention during the 2024 Innovative Housing Showcase hosted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
In addition to training and workshops on developing affordable housing, DCLT provided an on-site tour of three homes using these innovative solutions: one single-family ADU by Module; a second reused shipping container home by Atlanta-based company Makhers Studio; and a third, which is available for purchase through DCLT.
The training was sponsored by Fannie Mae, Self-Help and Volunteers of America National Services.
ADUs maximize housing supply in a finite amount of space. Time is money in real estate. DCLT Executive Director Sherry Taylor said modular homes are much faster to provide for a community that is in dire need.
“Any developer can do this,” Taylor said. “The materials don’t sit in the elements, and saving time also saves money.”
That said, for the developer – in this case, DCLT – the construction costs aren’t necessarily lower. The challenge is pulling funding sources from all directions, Taylor said, because there aren’t many sources available for subsidy to developers of single-family homes for purchase.
Module’s homes also feature many environmentally friendly features, like solar panel hookups, and are zero-energy standard certified.
Module selected DCLT as one of eight national housing providers for its 2024 Mission-Driven Developer Program, which provided training, support and $25,000 to mission-aligned developers dedicated to expanding housing opportunities in communities most impacted by rising costs and limited supply.
