TACKLING POVERTY

SAB Center’s Holistic Approach to Tackling Poverty through Affordable Housing

The SAB Center recognizes poverty as a multifaceted challenge with repercussions on living conditions, mental well-being, and industrial vigor. In our research and development program on affordable housing, built predominantly with American hardwoods, we adopt a comprehensive and holistic approach to address the intricate layers of poverty.

1. Affordable Housing as a Fundamental Right: We believe that access to quality housing is a fundamental right, essential for fostering stability and improving overall living conditions. By incorporating American hardwoods into our affordable housing solutions, we aim to create homes that not only meet basic needs but also contribute to a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing living environment.
2. Sociological Research and Residence: Our research program involves in-residence researchers living on-site to understand the sociological dynamics of poverty intimately. This approach allows us to observe, analyze, and measure the impact of housing costs on individuals’ daily lives, emphasizing the human aspect of poverty beyond monetary considerations.
3. Involvement of Diverse Stakeholders: Collaborating with artists, designers, and re-homed homeless individuals, we integrate diverse perspectives into managing shared spaces, gardens, and farms. This engagement aims to explore how a sense of beauty, community involvement, and self-sufficiency can positively influence the economic factors associated with poverty.
4. Revolutionizing School Grounds and Buildings: Inspired by historical advocacy for better living conditions, our program envisions a revolution in the appearance of school grounds and buildings. Drawing from past experiences, we seek to create not just housing but environments that promote well-being, incorporating elements that go beyond shelter and extend to aesthetics, lighting, and ventilation.
5. Economic Empowerment through Innovation: The use of American hardwoods in our housing solutions is not just a construction choice; it is an economic strategy. By transforming waste forestry products like oak into construction materials, we aim to increase the value of wood in the entire forest economy chain. This approach sustains the forestry sector, creates jobs, and uplifts the economic prospects of regions historically associated with hardwoods.
6. Redefining the Narrative on Poverty: Beyond monetary metrics, our research and development program seeks to redefine poverty by addressing the deprivation of rights to quality in essential items. Quality housing, food, clothing, and occupations become key pillars in reshaping the narrative around poverty.

In essence, the SAB Center’s approach to tackling poverty through affordable housing goes beyond the conventional understanding of economic measures. It intertwines economic empowerment, community engagement, and aesthetic considerations to create a transformative model that envisions not just houses but thriving communities resilient to the challenges of poverty.