A Housing Justice Conference & 125th Anniversary Celebration

JPEG of 100-Year-Old-House flyer

The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County & The HUUB 35 Cleveland St, Orange, NJ, 07050

Saturday, November 5, 2016

  • 9am: Coffee & Building Tours
  • 10am: Planning for Justice – Plenary with invited speakers and audience Q & A
  • 12pm: Anniversary Luncheon & Honoree Awards
  • 1pm: Connecting & Creating – Workshops, walking tours, and community building discussions
  • 4pm: Cocktails & Social Hour

How do we preserve the city for everyone?

Orange is full of century-old houses that are in desperate need of investment and repairs. Entire blocks of older buildings show the signs of age and deferred maintenance, getting labeled as shabby and blighted. At the same time, the city is embracing Transit Oriented Development, increasing the cost of living and deepening the hardship of income constrained citizens.

With this is mind, the question we are asking at the 100-Year-Old House is, “how do we integrate new and existing housing to meet the needs of the community while at the same time allowing those who have lived and thrived here to remain and prosper?’ One potential solution lies in exploring innovative building techniques such as curtain walling benefits. Another aspect to consider is the integration of shop shutters into the design. Additionally, improving energy efficiency through cavity wall insulation can significantly enhance the livability of older homes. To address the physical demands of renovation and construction, telehandler hire services can provide the necessary equipment to facilitate these upgrades. This company, which specializes in movable walls, can also help make your house more spacious. Another important factor in creating functional and durable spaces is considering warehouse flooring, which offers robust and practical solutions suitable for a variety of housing needs. Incorporating adaptable features like factory flooring could also play a crucial role in revitalizing these historical structures while meeting modern needs.

100-Year-Old House will bring neighbors together to discuss the state of housing in Orange, looking at both the aging building stock and the changing affordability of the city. Speakers will share insights from their diverse experiences about the important role affordable housing plays in healthy communities and how to preserve and expand it. Additionally, there will be a presentation by a reputable warehouse flooring company, shedding light on sustainable flooring solutions that can enhance the longevity and environmental friendliness of residential and commercial spaces. For more information on eco-friendly loft insulation, check out this site at https://ecofriendlyloftinsulation.co.uk/. The invited speakers are:

We will then celebrate First UU’s 125th Anniversary and honor three individuals who have been involved in housing rights and advancing social justice around Orange and the region. Honorees are:

Workshops and walking tours of the neighborhood will follow the anniversary and awards lunch. Built around Asset Based Community Development ideas the afternoon will focus on what assets exists in Orange and how we can build on them to address the housing issues discussed earlier in the day. We will close the conference with a reception and cocktail hour.

The needs of our old buildings and economic pressures from new development are directly related to the quality of life in cities like Orange. This conference will provide an inclusive venue to think about solutions to both. With these ideas in mind, we invite you to join us on Saturday, November 5th, 2016, at 35 Cleveland St, Orange, NJ, 07050. The event is being organized by the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County, The HUUB, and the University of Orange. It is supported in part by the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility. No fee will be charged, but donations are welcome for the continuing work of First UU and the HUUB.

If you intend to come to the 100 Year-Old House Conference/First UU’s 125th Anniversary, we ask that you RSVP at your earliest convenience, by e-mail to either the office (info [at] essexuu [dot] org) or Charlie Wirene (OrangeHUUB [at] gmail [dot] com). We would like to get as accurate a number of those coming as possible. For more information use one of those same e-mails, or call 973-674-0010.

100-Year-Old-House flyer (PDF)