Foundations of Community (Pt. 1): Affordable Multifamily Housing with Peter Bafitis and Alex Brito

Affordable multifamily housing is one of the most urgent design and development challenges in the U.S., but the reasons it remains so difficult to build go far beyond simple supply and demand. In this episode of I Hear Design, Robert Nieminen speaks with Peter Bafitis, managing principal at RKTB Architects, and Alex Brito, principal and leader of the firm’s affordable housing studio, about the forces shaping the housing crisis today—from approvals, zoning, financing, and public-private partnerships to construction costs, sustainability mandates, and the realities of building in New York City.

The conversation also explores a larger idea: affordable housing as community infrastructure, not just real estate. Peter and Alex discuss why good affordable housing should be designed with the same care and dignity as market-rate housing, how durability and timelessness matter in projects meant to serve neighborhoods for decades, where office-to-residential conversions genuinely make sense, and why smaller “missing middle” projects may be just as important as large-scale developments in addressing the shortage. This episode is the first in the two-part series Designing the Foundations of Community.

Meet Our Guests

Key Moments in This Episode

00:00:12 — Launching “Designing the Foundations of Community”
Robert introduces the two-part series and frames this episode around affordable multifamily housing, the housing shortage, and the role design can still play in improving people’s lives.

00:02:18 — Meet Peter Bafitis and Alex Brito of RKTB
Peter and Alex introduce themselves, explain their long history with RKTB, and describe the firm’s legacy in housing design in New York City.

00:03:16 — What people still misunderstand about the housing crisis
Peter argues that many people see only high prices, not the deeper structural causes behind them: supply constraints, finance, land values, and the difficulty of building quickly and affordably. Alex adds that the approvals process itself is a major source of cost and complexity.

00:05:13 — Why affordable housing is so difficult to deliver
The conversation turns to the layers of friction shaping multifamily development today, including cautious lenders after 2008, rising costs, zoning, land values, transportation, and diminished public investment.

00:08:14 — Architects as advocates, not just designers
Peter reflects on how the architect’s role has evolved from pure building design to advocacy, coalition-building, and helping communities and governments buy into a project. Alex discusses how resident engagement now shapes rehab and preservation work more directly.

00:11:04 — Why affordable housing should not look “affordable”
Peter and Alex explain how affordable housing design has changed over the decades and why they believe these buildings should be designed with the same care, quality, and dignity as market-rate developments.

00:13:26 — The difference between market-rate and affordable multifamily
Peter and Alex discuss what makes affordable housing distinct: it must be durable, timeless, and built for long-term use, not short-cycle upgrades or passing design trends.

00:16:13 — Treating housing like essential infrastructure
The episode moves into a broader civic argument as Peter describes housing as a fundamental right and a foundational public necessity, comparable to water or electricity. Alex reinforces the idea by framing shelter as one of the essential pillars of human life.

00:18:47 — Signs of policy change in New York City
Peter and Alex point to recent policy shifts, including City of Yes and city charter changes, as evidence that governments are beginning to streamline approvals and encourage more housing production.

00:20:11 — Designing for dignity on tight budgets
Alex explains how RKTB stretches every dollar through careful unit layouts, balanced daylight strategies, and durable materials. Peter adds that good livability comes from getting the fundamentals right: layout, street response, and being a good neighbor.

00:23:14 — The cost-cutting moves that hurt projects most
The guests discuss common mistakes in affordable housing when budgets tighten, especially swapping out durable exterior materials and stripping away landscape or amenity elements that contribute to long-term quality.

00:26:02 — Why affordable housing is now at the leading edge of sustainability
Peter and Alex describe how energy code requirements and public financing expectations are pushing affordable housing toward all-electric, high-performance design, with benefits for both owners and residents over time.

00:29:38 — Where conversions make sense, and where they are oversold
Peter argues that office-to-residential conversion is useful but often overhyped. He and Alex explain why building depth, floor plates, access to light, and construction era all determine whether a conversion is practical—or prohibitively expensive.

00:34:51 — What policy changes would make the biggest difference
The guests highlight the need for more funding, streamlined approvals, less bureaucracy, and stronger public-sector commitment if affordable housing is to be built at the scale the crisis demands.

00:38:25 — What good design can and cannot solve
Peter explains how thoughtful multifamily design can improve neighborhoods, safety, and daily experience, but also argues that solving the crisis will require a large number of smaller projects—not just a few big developments.

00:42:40 — The opportunity in the “missing middle”
Alex and Peter close on a note of cautious optimism, pointing to clusters of small-lot housing, missing-middle strategies, creative site solutions, conversions, and policy momentum as reasons they believe more housing can get built.