As Vice President and Affordable Housing Director at Rowhouse Architects in Asheville, Robin Raines dedicates much of her work to building homes for people with the odds stacked against them. But after the city of Asheville was devastated by Hurricane Helene, Robin felt she had to do more.
Robin recently pledged 150 hours of pro bono design time through MountainTrue to help those affected. Now, she and two friends are also working to start a non-profit — The Reconstruction Foundation — to provide grants to licensed contractors working to reconstruct homes damaged by natural disasters. Get to know this week’s FACE of the South!
What inspired you to donate design time for those affected by Hurricane Helene?
Asheville is my home. I’ve lived here for 25 years, which is longer than I’ve lived anywhere. After the storm, it felt like a really dear friend or relative was very sick. And you want to do something, but you can’t really make soup for Asheville. I want to give what I can, which is my talent.
There are areas that will still be in recovery for a while. People are still living in tents in some areas of the community. I want to see the community get back. I am lucky; I’m in my house right now. I didn’t have a tree fall on it. I just want to help those who weren’t as lucky.
How did you become passionate about affordable housing?
I come from a small coal mining town in the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. Lots of people in that community struggled, and many lived in mobile homes. So, I knew when I became an architect, I wanted to spend as much of my time as possible working on affordable housing. Also, the construction industry is so wasteful, and if you are concerned about climate change, it’s a tough industry to be in. So, giving back in some way makes me feel better.
What past projects stand out to you most?
One of my first jobs was in Chicago, where I worked for a firm called Weese Langley Weese. The city of Chicago sold this beautiful old house to a developer. We renovated it, and it was used as a house for battered women — a place where they could go and be protected. I was there at the opening, and the women were just so moved and glad to have a place. It felt really good.
While I was there, I worked for another client who had a program that helped people after they got out of jail. They could live in this apartment building if they followed certain rules, and the percentage of people who went back to jail from this apartment building compared to others was really low. I met some people who loved living there. I find this kind of work very rewarding.
What are you working on that’s inspiring you?
Right now, I’m working on two projects with a group called Givens Communities in Asheville; they’re focused on affordable housing for the elderly. And two years ago, we completed renovating an old Days Inn, turning it into housing for people who’d been previously living on the street.
How did you get into architecture?
I always liked to draw as a kid. I knew I wanted to do something creative, and thought architecture sounded fun. I didn’t even really know what it was, but I lucked out and actually liked it.
What advice would you give someone who wants to make an impact, but feels overwhelmed because the problems seem so big?
I struggle with that; there are so many things to focus on! Climate change, for example, is one that I care a lot about. I know I can’t do much about it as an individual, so I try to do the best I can. I also feel it’s important to get involved in the community if you can. With affordable housing, I become a member of the community or group by volunteering and interacting with the people who live there.
If you have a talent or passion, use it. It can be small. We tend to think that if we can’t do a lot, it’s not enough, so we don’t do anything. But I think if everybody does their small part, then that is actually really big.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I like to spend time with my partner, Ricardo. We like to play bar trivia, and lately, we’ve been walking to a coffee shop to have coffee and a pastry together one morning a week. I also like exercise — I run and ride bikes. I like to be outside in nature. And I like spending a lot of time with my family and cats.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Lightning Round!
Last great book you read: 11/22/63 by Stephen King.
Favorite podcasts: Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Wiser Than Me podcast, Ezra Klein’s New York Times opinion podcast, and The Daily.
Bucket list travel destination: I’d like to visit Ireland and the Grand Canyon.
Three things you can’t live without: My Yeti coffee cup (it’s a part of my hand most of the day), my sound machine for sleeping, and chocolate.
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