Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC
The Trace
Community Partners : Habitat for Humanity Gulf Coast
Building Partners: Habitat for Humanity Gulf Coast
Funding: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
In September 2008, Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast approached the GCCDS for help planning and designing a 28-house neighborhood in Long Beach, Mississippi, nicknamed "the Trace" after the original dirt road. With financial support from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Habitat was interested in new house designs, materials, and landscape ideas that would make this neighborhood special.
Construction
Ongoing site work and a short funding timetable meant that design work had to move quickly. Construction began on the houses in late fall of 2008. Hundreds of volunteers, AmeriCorps members, Habitat partner families, and contractors contributed their time to the effort.
 Photos by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC |
 |
 |
Houses
In total, the GCCDS helped Habitat revise five of their standard house plans and add six new house plans to create a diverse set of options including two-, three-, and four-bedroom houses. Elevated houses have space underneath for storage and parking.
 |
 Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC |
 Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC |
Details
Each house has windows located to provide good natural light and cross-ventilation and a floor plan arranged to make the best use of compact space. The houses are built to last; for instance, durable fiber-cement siding was chosen instead of vinyl
 |
 |
 |
Clients
By June of 2009, the neighborhood was largely completed and Habitat had already found buyers for several of the homes. Habitat’s partner families receive an affordable mortgage, complete homebuyer education and financial counseling courses, and contribute 100-150 volunteer hours – “sweat equity” – to Habitat.
 Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC |
 Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC |
 Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC |
Views
The GCCDS provided advice on house placement and neighborhood design. House sites were chosen to preserve existing trees and create a consistent relationship with the street. Sidewalks and generous porches provide outdoor space for walking and gathering. The neighborhood is unified by the coastal feel of its architecture and landscaping while retaining a physical diversity of house types.
Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC
Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC
Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC
Photo by Jamie Morton, HFHMGC
