The Challenge

Trauma is one of the most pressing health concerns in the U.S. — and in subsidized housing, its impact is undeniable. Yet few affordable housing models are designed with trauma in mind. Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), a national nonprofit housing developer, wanted to change that by exploring how housing could foster resiliency.

The Approach

We set out to create a housing model where residents and staff could feel safe, secure, and in control. Over four years, we piloted a co-design process in four distinct housing communities — Boston, Cape Cod, Cincinnati, and Independence, Missouri. Each design team, made up of residents, staff, and property managers, talked directly with neighbors and colleagues to understand how trauma shaped their housing experience, from policies to programs to physical spaces.

As project lead, I guided a process that began with community-led research and ended with a series of trauma-informed interventions that were later rolled out across POAH’s national portfolio. With a focus on building teams’ strengths and producing real, tangible results, I trained residents and staff as community researchers, facilitated co-design from ideas to prototypes, and helped teams test over a dozen new policies, programs, and service models. Together, we built solutions that prioritized safety, dignity, and belonging — improving life for both residents and staff.

The Results

Read our insights, findings, and lessons in this nationally distributed toolkit for housing practitioners. The project was also featured in the National Building Museum in DC.