Equity by Design: Preserving Homeownership with Equitable Redevelopment and Purposeful Placemaking

In response to the pandemic and the global push for racial justice, the Freedom West team and future development is prioritizing equity in the built environment. This panel explores an "Equity by Design" framework to design and development, uncovering a community's needs and aspirations—including underserved voices—and tying design solutions to what is heard. Freedom West 2.0 will exemplify an Equity by Design approach through the revitalization of Freedom West Homes in San Francisco, the largest and oldest co-op in western North America. Spanning four city blocks, the project encompasses 382 existing homes and 2,000 new ones. Its primary objective is to provide a sustainable future for the predominantly African American and East Asian population in the area. The master plan and conceptual design revolves around restoring the city grid and urban neighborhood character, as opposed to the current forced suburban layout, driven by the city's density reduction agenda, particularly affecting ethnic communities. MacFarlane Partners, Legacy First Partners, and Avanath Capital Management have fully committed to community equity. This approach not only considers the co-op's spatial requirements but also its values.