Adaptive Commons

Adaptive Commons

• Location: Memphis, TN

• Founded by: Derwin Sisnett

• Focus: Affordable housing

• Budget: Very Early-stage; backed by Echoing Green and other funders

• Website: adaptivecommons.org

What it does
Adaptive Commons turns vacant school buildings into affordable homes for teachers and other essential workers. These are buildings that cities don’t know what to do with—empty classrooms, boarded-up halls. Derwin and his team step in, partner with local governments and developers, and convert them into real homes that are stable, safe, and close to work. They start with teachers—who are often priced out of the very communities they serve—but the model is built to expand: think housing for nurses, firefighters, or city staff in places where rents have spiked.

Why it matters
There’s a simple math problem in America: the people who keep cities running can’t afford to live in them.
Adaptive Commons solves that—not by waiting for new construction, but by reusing what we already have. It’s smart, fast, and cost-effective. And it’s already happening: they've broken ground on their first site in Memphis and are advising similar efforts in other cities. The endgame? A national playbook for reimagining public buildings as workforce housing—one that cities everywhere can use. Derwin’s not just flipping schools. He’s building a new model for how cities house the people they depend on most.

Big picture
America’s housing crisis is massive. Some groups are building new units. Others are helping renters buy. Adaptive Commons sits right in the middle: using overlooked public space to house the workforce—quickly, creatively, and affordably. It’s one piece of a larger puzzle, but a powerful one. Most cities have underused buildings and essential workers who can’t find a place to live. Adaptive Commons connects those dots—and shows what’s possible when we stop letting good space go to waste.