Social revitalization, urban development, and community food gardens for “The Cove” in Orange, Texas: can creating tiny living and micro agri-hood spaces revitalize a diverse low income neighborhood?

In this study, two methods being utilized to combat the issues affecting many of the low income or run down neighborhoods in the United States will be examined as possible solutions for revitalization in the Cove neighborhood in Orange, TX. The first method, the tiny house movement, has become a new housing solution to address several housing issues, including: housing industry waste, temporary housing, reducing spatial footprints, homeless housing, mobile housing, and urban crowding. It has become a popular way to minimalize, de-clutter and downsize (Ford, Gomez-Lanier 2017). There are several shows on HGTV which has increased the popularity of the idea. The second method, Agrihoods, are another popular movement across the nation often found in an urban setting as part of a master planned community. Micro-agrihoods, usually one to

vii nine acres in size, are being used to provide quality food to neighborhood residents. Food sustainability, food deserts, soil sampling, and alternative growing options like hydroponics and aquaponics will also be discussed. This paper will review the current literature on both movements, report soil sampling results, and research existing programs. In the second chapter, quantitative data analyses of a survey given to community members are used to examine the viability of combining these two movements as an acceptable approach to revitalize a neighborhood located in a food desert and to evaluate the correlations between community needs and acceptance of the use of these movements. This study purposefully collected surveys from residents, property owners, neighborhood employees and others who are directly involved with the neighborhood: 1) to increase the generalized findings, and 2) to highlight the importance of the needs in the neighborhood. Through the analysis, the needs of low income neighborhoods like the Cove will be discussed, as well as the attitudes about implementing either or both of these revitalization methods. The culmination of these chapters will provide a much needed insight to neighborhoods like the Cove.