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Harris County Community Services Department <br /> Affordable Housing Project Design Standards <br /> <br />TabIII:HOUSINGDESIGNCRITERIA <br />TheHarrisCountyCommunityServicesDepartment(HCCSD)usesstandardsofdesignand <br />constructiontoimplementitsprogramsinordertodevelopsafehousingthatwillservethe <br />needsofitsinhabitantswithasmuchquality,energyefficiency,durability,comfort,and <br />environmentalsustainabilityasthemarketplace,resources,andneedwillpermit.Allhousing <br />designandconstructionshallbeperformedinaccordancewiththesestandardsandcriteria. <br />Thecriteriainthisreportareinadditiontoallapplicablefederal,state,andlocalcodes,laws, <br />andregulations.Thesecriteriaarenotintendedtoreduceorcircumventtherequirementsof <br />lawandcurrentapplicablebuildingcodes.Someofthesestandardsaregeneralandare <br />intendedtobeguidelinesthatmustbeappliedtothelocalsituation.Althoughtheseapply <br />primarilytonewconstruction,theyalsoapplytotherehabilitationofexistingstructureswhere <br />practicableordirectlystated.Thesestandards/criteriamaybemodifiedonlywherethe <br />particularcharacteristicsofthesiteorotherlocalconditionsmakecomplianceimpracticalor <br />undesirable.SuchmodificationmayberequiredbyHCCSDorrequestedbytheapplicantand <br />acceptedbyHCCSD.Whensuchmodificationsaremade,additionalrequirementsmaybe <br />imposedbyHCCSD.ApplicantsofHCCSDfundingshouldalsonotetheMinimumProperty <br />StandardsunderTabIVfordetailedrequirementsforconstruction/rehabilitationprojects. <br />3.1SiteDesignPrinciples <br />Inevaluatingthesuitabilityanddesignminimumsofasite,HCCSDconsidersanumberof <br />criteria.Asiteshouldnotbeselectedwherethesurroundingswilldetractexcessivelyfromthe <br />qualityofdevelopmentuponit,wherethedevelopmentmayhaveanadverseeffectuponits <br />surroundingorwherethelocationmayreducethequalityoflifetotheresidents.Thiscanbe <br />donebyconsideringissuessuchaslotorientation,stormwatermanagement,accesstotransit, <br />andproximitytocommunityamenities(commercial,socialservices,education,andhealthcare <br />facilities). <br />BuildingPlacement <br />Buildingsshallbeplannedandlocatedsothatthespacesbetweenthembecomepositive <br />elementsinthesiteplanandnotjustleftoverportionsofthesitewhichhappensnottobe <br />occupiedbybuildings.Inthisway,landwhichisdefinedbynaturalormanmadefeaturesand <br />developedpurposefully,willcontributetothelivesoftheinhabitantsbypermittingfulleruse <br />andenjoymentofasite,byaddingtothesenseofbelongingandprideamongtheresidents,by <br />offeringincreasedprivacy,andbydecreasingmaintenanceneeds.Theproposedbuilding <br />placementshouldrespecttheorientationofsurroundingbuildings,existingpedestrianpaths <br />andsidewalks,andtheorientationofsurroundingstreets.Theproposedbuildingshould <br />respecttheclimaticconditionsbyminimizingheatgainandconsideringtheimpactofshadeon <br />adjacentlandusesandareas. <br />Harris County Community Services Department 24 <br />Affordable Housing Project Design Standards <br />Revised May 2011 <br /> <br />