Fellow Profile
Noel Toro
“During my time as a Rose Fellow I have learned how challenging it is to develop decent, well designed, and healthy housing for people with limited income. Before the fellowship I had only experienced the design-related aspects of a development, but working with LINC Housing has been a privileged time, allowing me to be ‘the owner’ and work towards the triple bottom line of ecology, equity and economy.”
— Noel Toro
Fellowship Host:
LINC Housing Corporation
Long Beach, CA
When Jose Noel Toro recounts the major accomplishments of his fellowship top of his list is, “helping to change the culture of LINC Housing.” He explains, “LINC has begun to adopt green building practices as the standard. It has established green housing as the only viable way of building in the future, for the benefit of our residents, as well as for the well being of our planet.”
One result is the Tahquitz Court Apartments in Palm Springs. Funded in part by an Enterprise Green Communities Initiative Grant, this rehabilitation project is LINC’s first green project. Enterprise is also providing a list of consultants and technical assistance who meet LINC’s new green criteria.
Noel earned a degree in Environmental Design from the University of Puerto Rico, School of Architecture and a master’s in Architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture. His training has stood him well during his work on SEASONS at Compton, an 84-unit senior housing community. Here 30% of the units are being set aside for developmentally disabled adults, and universal design and green design are being emphasized throughout. Noel is also involved with the development of a zero-energy community where at least 90% of the energy consumed will come from renewable solar energy.
Gallery
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Noel Toro
by Gary Krueger
Various presenters and organizers of the Fall 2004 seminar on Affordable Housing Development at the USC School of Architecture. This seminar was organized by LINC Housing Corporation with a grant from the Fanie Mae Foundation.
by Virginia Gomez
Youth from Bartlett Hill Manor with Rose Fellows touring the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles as part of Make a Difference Day 2006.
by Julie Chan
Noel Toro talked about the career of architecture to the youth of Bartlett Hill Manor. LINC Housing is the partial owner of this multifamily affordable housing property close to Downtown Los Angeles.
by Ximena Toro
Residents of Tahquitz Court Apartments in Palm Springs, CA participated at a community meeting where LINC Housing discussed the future rehabilitation of their property and listened to the feedback of its residents.
by Julie Chan
Children participating at Make a Diffence Day 2006: "An Architecture Career Day". The event was organized by LINC Cares staff together with Rose Architectural Fellows.
by Virginia Gomez
Bartlett Hill Summer Arts Program at the newly renovated courtyard space designed and built by the Southern California Institute of Architecture's Community Outreach Program in collaboration with LINC Housing.
