Affordable hemp housing, City of Ithaca
Affordable housing on underused City of Ithaca land, with a growing pipeline of other developments. AFARE brings the land, builders, funding and hemp material suppliers together for each site.
About AFARE
One home for a fractured, emerging industry
Alliance for a Regenerative BioEconomy (AFARE) is a 501(c)(3) biomaterials incubator at SouthWorks in Ithaca, NY. We bring hemp and biomaterials companies, researchers and buyers together, starting with affordable housing.
Mission
Why AFARE exists
Alliance for a Regenerative BioEconomy, Inc. (AFARE) is organized to advance regenerative agriculture and the regenerative bioeconomy through education, scientific research, technical assistance, public outreach, workforce development, market development, and strategic partnerships that improve environmental stewardship, strengthen rural communities, and accelerate the adoption of renewable, agricultural-based materials and technologies.
Vision
A world where renewable biomaterials strengthen communities, regenerate ecosystems, and support a thriving economy, with hemp helping transform how we build, manufacture, and live.
Farmers
Industry
Public health
Planetary health
What we do
Starting with real buildings
AFARE turns a scattered industry into a working supply chain by starting with real buildings. Affordable housing gives growers, processors and material makers a buyer they can plan around.
Co-develops affordable hemp housing
First project: affordable housing on underused City of Ithaca land. AFARE assembles the land, builders, funding and hemp material suppliers for each site.
Precedent: Habitat for Humanity of the Northern Flint Hills and Kansas State University finished an 864 sq ft hemp-insulated home in Ogden, Kansas in early 2026. Source: HempBuild
Runs the SouthWorks hub
A gathering space with a permanent display of hemp building materials, so architects, builders and officials can see and handle products before they specify them. The first 2 member production lines open at SouthWorks in Year 1.
Brings the industry together
Seed suppliers, growers, processors, material producers, affordable housing developers, architects, researchers, funders, philanthropists and public officials.
Educates architects and trains builders
2 events a year with continuing education credit for architects. New York requires 36 hours every 3 years, and AFARE will register sessions so they count. Training for construction managers, laborers and tradespeople with local workforce programs.
Writes grants for the industry
As a 501(c)(3), AFARE can apply for public and foundation money companies can't, and use it for testing, training and demonstration projects that help every member.
Beyond housing
The same hemp stalk splits into hurd, about 65% of the stalk, and fiber. Hurd goes into hempcrete and blocks. Processed further, it yields pulp, lignin and sugars for coatings, adhesives, packaging, water treatment and more.
- Building materials
- Specialty pulp and paper
- Packaging and coatings
- Adhesives and resins
- Hygiene products
- Water treatment
- Transport interiors
- Specialty chemicals
Projects
First projects
Affordable housing gives growers, processors and material makers a buyer they can plan around.
Building code pathway
Code officials, testing labs and engineers working to get hemp block accepted under the NY Uniform Code and NYC codes. The 2024 International Residential Code (Appendix BL) allows hemp-lime in 2-story homes in low-seismic areas. In Oct 2025 the code committee voted 11-0 to add 1-hour fire-rated hemp-lime walls to the 2027 edition.
Source: HempBuildDemonstration builds
Pilot structures that produce the New York performance data lenders and developers ask for.
Ithaca needs housing
666ownership units built in Tompkins County, 2017 to 2025, against a goal of 3,800
755income-restricted rentals built against a goal of 2,000
50%+of renters are cost-burdened
Tompkins County, 2017 to 2025. Source: Ithaca Times [link pending]
Team
The people building AFARE
Dana Thompson
Executive Director
Social impact entrepreneur with nearly a decade in the food sovereignty movement. Co-founder and former COO of Owamni, winner of the 2022 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant; co-founder of NATIFS; founding member of the James Beard Foundation's Investment Fund for Black and Indigenous Americans leadership committee; founder of the hemp beverage brand Heti.
Howard Rosenberg
Co-leader
Sam Friedman
Strategic Advisor
Christian DiPalermo
Strategic Advisor
Michael Shenot
Real Estate Advisor
Join growers, makers, builders and researchers at SouthWorks
Tell us about your work. Dana Thompson, Executive Director, will be in touch.