GEORGE LUCAS? JON BON JOVI? BRAD PITT?
Most celebrities will start foundations to support causes close to their heart, but did you know that quite a few of them support and are very passionate about affordable housing? Thats right, just like us at WORKSHOP8! Either by creating foundations or simply creating awareness for the need of affordable housing, these celebrities are changing the lives of low-income families across the Unites States.
EVA LONGORIA PUSHES FOR HOUSING FOR LATINOS
San Antonio is expecting a shortage in affordable housing, so actress, Eva Longoria, recently paid a visit to an affordable housing property there. Longoria has a foundation that helps Latinas “reach their full potential” that means supporting them in becoming educated and getting jobs. Something she has noticed recently, is that once these ladies get a job, a lot of times they can’t afford a place to live. She has started to give more to affordable housing by investing and advocating for the need of more projects similar to the one she visited in San Antonio.
GEORGE LUCAS GETS INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The “Star Wars” creator, George Lucas, once bought a 1,000 acre ranch in Marin County, California, to build himself a large production studio. However, the locals protested, forcing him to shift his idea. He decided to use the land for good saying, “We’ve got enough millionaires here. What we need are some houses for regular working people.” He has used mostly his own money for the project, Grady Ranch, that includes several 1-3 bedroom residences.
JON BON JOVI’S SOUL FOUNDATION
Jon Bon Jovi is possibly the most passionate celebrity about low-income housing. He founded the JBJ Soul Foundation which has provided “support for over 700 units of affordable and supportive housing in 11 states and Washington D.C., for thousands of people including youth and veterans.” Talk about an impact. In 2014, the grand opening of Project HOME was announced. Project HOME is a mixed-use development with 55 units for formerly homeless or low-income people and it includes other uses like retail and offices. Every resident in Project HOME, because of the foundations Health Initiative Program, has access to basic health care and fitness classes.
BRAD PITT TRIES TO HELP NEW ORLEANS
Brad Pitt teamed up with amazing architects such as Frank Gehry and Thomas Mayne to create art that would inspire the builds of new affordable homes in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2005. Their idea was simple – to create beautiful homes able to withstand any storm or natural disaster. A local architect was hired to design these residences using sustainable materials for the homes, making them environmentally friendly. Sounds amazing right? Unfortunately, most of these houses started to crumble apart after being lived in only a few years mainly because of the material choices.
CELEBRITY SUPPORT IS HELPING
As it’s said “every little bit helps” and with the large platform these celebrities have, they are helping affordable housing quite a bit. Just by getting word out that the U.S. needs more housing brings the issue to the attention of the average person, who doesn’t normally think about how people at or below the poverty line afford housing. Thank you to these celebrities for being selfless and supportive!
For more information on the low income housing shortage, click here.
Thanks for reading!
Sydney Angel | Architectural Designer
08 NOVEMBER 2020
