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C4 (Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom) Housing Project Commonkeys.org website

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PROJECT OVERVIEW:

Developed under York University’s C4 program, CommonKeys is a student-led digital platform built to make affordable, accessible, and sustainable housing attainable for low-income individuals and families in the Greater Toronto Area.
The platform consolidates verified housing listings, financial support resources, upcoming housing developments, and a community forum  all enhanced by an AI-powered chatbot for real-time assistance.

Rooted in ethical co-design and inclusivity, CommonKeys was co-created with Wilson Avenue residents and ENGAGE, focusing on reducing digital barriers in housing access.
The project aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 9, 10, and 11) No Poverty, Industry Innovation, Reduced Inequalities, and Sustainable Cities.

MY ROLE  AND TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

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As a Computer Engineering major, I served as a core technical lead responsible for designing and developing both the front-end architecture and AI chatbot integration.
My technical contributions included:

  • Structuring dynamic layouts in Wix Studio with modular database connections for housing listings and user posts.

  • Developing and testing the HousingBot.js module using OpenAI API with secure key management (.env configuration).

  • Building interactive data sections  filters, affordability scores, and comfortability metrics for real-time housing insights.

  • Implementing Firebase integration for chat logs, listings, and resource data.

  • Ensuring inclusive UX/UI design with semantic HTML tags, ARIA roles, and visual contrast optimization.

  • Collaborating cross-functionally with Economics, communication, and Biology background to align technical design with social responsibility and accessibility goals.

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Working within a multidisciplinary team was one of the most transformative parts of this experience.

Collaborating with students from Economics, communication, and Biology background taught me how to communicate technical ideas clearly to non-technical teammates and incorporate their perspectives into engineering solutions.
Throughout the project, I honed key soft skills, including:

  • Collaboration & Leadership: Actively led cross-functional meetings, delegated technical tasks, and ensured timely integration of system components.

  • Communication: Learned to present complex technical systems (like API integration and database architecture) in a way that was accessible and actionable for all team members.

  • Adaptability: Navigated evolving project scopes, changing stakeholder feedback, and multiple design iterations while maintaining progress.

  • Empathy & Ethical Awareness: Engaged directly with community members, learning to design for inclusivity and accessibility, not just functionality.

  • Conflict Resolution: Balanced competing ideas and facilitated consensus during design and testing phases through active listening and shared problem-solving.

This project not only improved my technical confidence but also refined my professional mindset emphasizing teamwork, patience, and human-centered innovation.

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