**Pattern Name** Agrihood
**Introduction** An agrihood is a planned community that integrates agriculture into a residential neighbourhood. Agrihoods facilitate food production as well as provide green space, recreation, aesthetics and value for a community
**Illustration**
**CONTEXT** The Urban Land Institute defines agrihoods as "single family, multifamily, or mixed-use communities built with a working farm or community garden as a focus."
**PROBLEM** Most communities do not have access to a local food system, as neighbourhoods are not developed with agriculture (and food security) in mind.
**Forces**
**THEREFORE (SOLUTION)** The development of agrihoods can be supported by influencing policy. At a minimum, the City Manager should be tasked to explore: 1. The feasibility of adopting a zoning typology for the agrihoods concept 2. The availability of local or State tax incentives 3. The availability of partnerships with Federal agencies and congressional offices, 4. Options to collaborate with the County on agrihood development 5. The creation or curation of an agrihoods dashboard that tracks potential sites, needs, and opportunities for agrihoods within the combined City-County geography and establishes metrics for any future agrihoods considerations 6. Increased programmatic support for the Sustainability Office and other City staffing related to agrihoods.
**Actions**
**Consequences** When designed and supervised well, agrihoods, like the one at Green Gate Farms can: **Easily adapt to climate and other emergencies** -During the two-year Pandemic, farmers were considered essential workers so our agrihood farm continued to operate, feeding and flowering our neighbors without interruption. Having customers living so close to the farm made food distribution and access easy. **Increase food security** - When the entire state of Texas froze for the first time during 2021 Winter Storm Uri, our residents had a better option than empty grocery store shelves. They could walk over to the farm to shop as well as glean from our fields. After the storm, the residents worked with the farm to install a fruit orchard. Our goal is to offer as many food options as possible. With the construction of a new farm stand building (coming soon), we will be able to provide 24-hour access to refrigerated items like meat, dairy, veg, flowers, fruit, packaged goods and more. **Reduce loneliness** - Our farm-centered community is designed with porches, pocket gardens, a Community Garden (60+ allotment plots coming soon), a farmhouse for events and a community chicken coop. Our farm partners with residents to create monthly social gatherings — Homestead Club, First Thursday Socials, Weekly Yoga, Earth Day celebrations and more — so neighbors can easily become friends. **Create a new career path for farmers** - More farmers are urgently needed and farm-centered communities are a perfect place to raise a new crop. A well-designed, farmer-led agrihood ensures that farmers are more likely to succeed because they have housing, reliable markets, and land dedicated to food production. Best of all, agrihoods improve the quality of life for farm families, who are often forced to live far from good schools and cultural opportunities due to the cost of land. In time, Agrihoods may help shape new opportunities for farmers, including: Municipal farmers, who, like any other professional employees and essential workers, are paid a fair wage, receive paid vacations and benefits similar to those enjoyed by firefighters, police officers and other workers important to the health and safety of a community. Mentoring farmers, who are contracted to train and ensure there are a ready supply of local farmers with specialized skills that agrihoods often require (e.g., ecological practices, community relations, educational programming, etc.) **Preserve precious farmland** - Austin is losing 17 acres of your farmland every day. Agrihoods are a way to ensure that top quality farmland remains protected and productive. And that means more people who want to farm can and you don’t have to depend on shipments from Mexico or China for your next meal. **Provide daily access to beauty and nature** - Happiness improves when your day begins with bird song, when fruit trees are near your doorstep, and when your landscaping feeds butterflies and other pollinators. Austin and its violet crown is a beautiful place and well-designed farm-centered communities will ensure it remains so.
**Examples**
**Notes**
**CONNECTED PATTERNS** **Supports** **Supported by**
More on Agrihoods agrihood.relocalizecreativity.net