WHEN ALLAN ANDERSON, A PETERSBURG I...

WHEN ALLAN ANDERSON, A PETERSBURG Ill., builder heard that a local family had contacted the University of Illinois looking for affordable housing help, he became a man with a mission.

"Here was someone in a rural area who has a child that's handicapped. They extremityed a house with high wind resistance and a advantageous fire rating, where the whole house is accessible," says Anderson.

The builder had just learned about a recent program created by the Portland bond Association called Team Concrete. The program links builders with nonprofits to encourage the construction of affordable housing using above-grade cake ...