The affordable housing crisis is intensifying in Los Angeles, which has been ranked as the country’s most unaffordable rental market in the United States.

This state of affairs is unhealthy and unsustainable, reflecting the erosion of the middle class. On top of this crisis, another looms: The “Senior Tsunami” is coming. That is, the lack of affordable living spaces will soon merge with the need for long-term care as the first wave of the baby boomer generation ages.

There are many reasons for the affordable housing deficit, but one of the least necessary might be community opposition to new affordable developments. Today’s affordable residences can be built in ways that benefit those who live there and the communities surrounding them.

Here are five of the most crucial principles for producing affordable residences:

Design What the Neighbors Want: Before a project is built, the developer should engage in multiple meetings with community stakeholders. This helps ensure that the immediate neighbors’ needs are met. Our firm recently designed Hollywood’s Villas at Gower, permanent supportive housing serving youth, adults and families who are homeless and have special needs. Meetings with the community yielded an “edgy” urban building – with metal siding and large public spaces – that complemented design already existing in the neighborhood.

Create Value: In many cases, new affordable developments can replace blighted or underused real estate with attractive, modern buildings. Developers and designers should also emphasize that their product can uplift a neighborhood by adding a stable group of residents that are invested in keeping their community safe and clean.

Add Community Gardens. Places where people can grow their own produce and flowers are now one of the most desired amenities for communities of all income levels. Such places do not need to be huge. Often just a set of small planters can make a big difference in quality of life.

Design for Visibility: Courtyards that are visible to the street serve a similar purpose: They bring people together and they allow them to watch out for each other. They also add natural light to the building. Front doors of individual units should be visible to each other as much as possible. Community rooms can both look out on the street and inwards toward a central courtyard. Elevators should also open to these social spaces. It all helps people see who is coming and going so that residents both inside and outside the building have a more secure environment.

Use High-Quality Materials: Affordable housing is not cheap housing. In many cases, because of funding and regulations, they are more costly to build than market-rate construction. Developers should let their neighbors know that their project is using the best materials, good-quality windows, etc., and that it is built to last. Most affordable projects are also highly sustainable, adhering to LEED ratings, which is a benefit to all.

Los Angeles is currently grappling for solutions to the affordable crisis. These might include finding new funding sources because of the demise of redevelopment authorities in California. Until that happens, developers and designers should let communities know that they are adding value. This will help reduce some of the NIMBY-ism that surrounds the issue, and help resolve the crisis that afflicts people of all income levels.

Wade Killefer is a partner at Killefer Flammang Architects, based in Santa Monica, which has designed more than 3,000 affordable housing units in Los Angeles.