Housing Design and Quality
The design of housing throughout Keene has a direct impact on the long-term safety, efficiency, diversity and appearance of the community. Given that individual budgets often dictate construction decisions, several techniques and guidelines can help improve the appearance and performance of Keene’s housing stock.
It is recommended that Keene create guidelines (or standards for areas where they could be beneficial) for residential and residential mixed use areas identified on the Future Land Use Map that include the following components: safety and durability, housing efficiency and sustainable green building guidelines, and human- vs. auto-oriented design. These guidelines would also illustrate the desirable range of housing types. Other options to consider are homeowner education programs on the above topics, as well as for maintenance, weatherization and energy conservation, in conjunction with a strong life/safety enforcement program to ensure houses do not deteriorate to a point where they become hazardous to the community. Homeowner incentive programs to maintain properties are another option.