MLP Diagram, Assignment 2
Team: Denise Nguyen, Theora Kvitka, MacKenzie Cherban & Chirag Murthy
We are continuing our exploration of the wicked problem of affordable housing in Pittsburgh. As we discovered for the last assignment, there are many interrelated issues that affect the number, quality and accessibility of reasonably priced units.
This is, to the best of our knowledge, the present state of affordable housing as viewed through the Multi-Level Perspective model. Although there are many historical factors that contribute to the system as it exists today, this map focuses on a current state.
Landscape
In this level, there are many slow-moving systems that affect affordable housing. The physical landscape of Pittsburgh (hills, rivers, etc) have had an effect, as well as societal landscapes like urbanization, consumerism and globalization. Additionally, the current economic climates of immigration (without which Pittsburgh’s economy and population would have collapsed), and the present-day culture of work (working 40+ hours a week in order to receive monetary and non-monetary benefits).
Additionally, the changing climate and new, environmentally destructive practices like fracking will add stress to an already complicated system.
Regimes
Although the factors in this lens are not as widespread or slow moving as landscapes, they still seem equally immovable. Factors of regimes include those that connect communities, like urban planning, utility and sewage systems, transportation systems of streets, cars, and buses.
There are also social systems in place that connect to affordable housing. The desire for privacy has become visible through single-family homes, fenced backyards and locked doors. Antagonism towards “the other” (i.e., families of color, immigrants) causes segregated communities, and adds to the widespread problem of racism. Car drivers’ negative attitudes towards bikers leads to less safe biking conditions, less bike-favoring public policies and thus less sustainable commuting habits. Finally, the social atmosphere of homelessness, aging populations, and more renters, are all acted upon by affordable housing.
Lastly, there are other regime factors such as banking systems (loans), tech industry changes, aging physical infrastructure, healthcare systems and home building habits which all feed into the problem.
Niches
In this area we found many factors which subvert or alter the existing regime or landscapes. It is unclear whether some of them have the power to become dominant, but in our minds the demonstrated interest of a large subset of the population could give rise to larger trends.
These factors include sharing economies like Airbnb, Lyft, etc, the Couch Surfing movement, and communal or cooperative living.
Other changes in the physical ways of living include the tiny house movement, working remotely, or even foregoing normal housing altogether as seen in the “gutter punk” (intentional homelessness?) or freegan lifestyles.
Other niches include community organizing groups and events such as Open Streets where roads are closed to cars for a day.
Practices
In our minds, many of the regime and niche factors listed above have a great deal of overlap into the practices we will now discuss. Social practices are the habits and constructs that have developed around the prevailing landscapes and regimes, as well as around niches (but among smaller groups of people).
Landscape
Consumerism is a paradigm that we all live within because it drives the free market economy. Thus, “consuming” has become a social practice, so embedded within our daily lives that we no longer see it as a choice.
Social groups form and stick together, and this often extends to where they live. The social practice of “seeking similar people” means that neighborhoods are often segregated by ethnic groups, religions or age groups.
Regimes
There are many practices within this lens. Many can fit within a larger category of “habiting”: subletting, living independently versus living with nuclear family or roommates.
Some practices are also themselves regime factors, such as the desire for privacy — this is a social construct which is easily visible in physical structures. Additionally racism, although often invisible and systemic as a regime, unfortunately is also perpetuated through social systems as a practice of racism.
Finally, other regime-level social practices include expectation of connection through internet, cable and telephone services, and the social practices such as “watching” “talking” and “surfing” that are enabled by such services.
Niches
The largest practice in the lens of niches is the new practice of “digital nomadism”, which has been enabled by tech companies and better long-distance technologies.
Additionally, “sharing” is another practice, as it becomes more and more acceptable to share large assets like homes, cars and bikes which once were considered the sole property of one family.
Solutions
We tried to look at the intersection between the MLP and SPT for solutions but found it helpful to look at current possible solutions out there for affordable housing.
Landscape
Developers can invest more in housing developments trust funds by voluntarily donating.
Regimes
Employers can help employees afford to stay in the same area. They can even get tax incentives from the government.
Section 8 helps low-income families move into neighborhoods that are out of reach.
Survey Public lands for affordable housing.
Rapid Re-housing gives temporary homes to homeless families by subsidizing the rent anywhere from four months to a year. Rapid rehousing doesn’t solve the issue of rent being out of reach for the poor and middle class.
Reduce the number of exemptions from inclusionary zoning laws (increase the percentage of affordable units)
Niches
While micro-apartments and “granny flats” can help, the assemblence of nonprofits to teach STEAM topics to low-income families will be more impactful.
Leverage points
We also noted down factors that fall under Donella Meadows’ 12 leverage points. These are places within a complex system where a small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything.
- Numbers: Prices, Taxes, Wages
- Buffer Sizes: Rent Control, Subsidize Housing, Saving Accounts
- Stock and Flow Structures: Baby Boomers, City Planning, Lead Pollution, Old Pipes, Water Systems
- Delays: Ownership of vacant lots, Building Projects, Changing Zoning & Restrictions, Slowing down the tech coming in
- Balancing Feedback Loops: Bank Loans (should be), Housing Market / House Prices, Public Schools Growing + Shrinking, Demand for Buses
- Reinforcing Feedback Loops: Building new freeways (increased congestion and cars), Crime Rates (continue perception of “unsafe” neighborhoods), Perception of cops, Perception of black men’s behaviors (self fulfilling prophecies)
- Information Flows: Bad Government Website, Transition to Digital, Cut-off for polluted water levels & notifications, Newcomers, non gazette subscribers
- Rules: Incentives to use Public Transit, No Punishments for Developers, HUD
- Self-Organization: Neighborhood Advocacy, Community Gardens, Communal Living, Biking awareness(BikePGH), Immigration, Student Population, Tech Industries
- Goals: Knock down housing for whole foods., Reason to move to Pittsburgh/live in certain neighborhoods
- Context Paradigms: Owning a home, More wealth = need more land and space, Living in cities, Industry over environment
- Transcending Paradigms: Why do we need ownership of things? What is a house? What is the meaning of living?
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