Many Americans assume green homes are either hippie eco-shacks in the wood, or Hollywood eco-palaces with expensive solar rooves and sustainably harvested hardwoods. But now, it’s becoming possible to live sustainably – with filtered air, green roofs and energy-efficient appliances – in any income bracket. According to a new article in the Christian Science Monitor, green low-income housing developments are sprouting up nationwide.

Cities including New York and Chicago are begining to create strong incentives for developers of affordable housing to build energy-efficient, healthy-living structures that may cost a bit more to build on the front end, but have big pay-offs – both health-related and financial – in the long run.

Photo credit: Melanie Stetson Freeman for Christian Science Monitor