At a ceremony attended by almost 200 Coalition members and guests in the Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition held its Seventh Annual Tax Credit Excellence Awards ceremony. The awards were presented to the most outstanding tax credit projects selected through a nationally recognized competition sponsored by the Coalition.
Four tax credit projects were honored this year in the categories of metropolitan/urban housing, rural housing, housing for tenants with special needs, and housing developments for the disabled and elderly. Three projects received as; provisions of services to tenants in addition to housing, such as assisted living services in seniors projects; efforts to encourage greater tenant self-sufficiency, such as job training programs; unique design features, special aesthetic features, or unique tenant service facilities, such as social rooms, health rooms, and dining facilities; and extraordinary community support for the project.Judd S. Levy
The Community Development Trust, Inc.
New York, NY
Denise B. Muha
National Leased Housing Association
Washington, DC
Michael Mullin
Nevada Hand Housing & Neighborhood Redevelopment
Las Vegas, NV
Edwin B. Neill
Fannie Mae
Washington, DC
Dwayne Vaughn
Atlanta Housing Authority
Atlanta, GA
Presenters
Partial Listing
Senator Wayne Allard
Senator John Kerry
The Hon. Mel Martinez, Secretary of HUD
Senator Jack Reed
Senator Paul Sarbanes
Welcome
Linda Cargill, President, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition
Presentation of Special Recognition Award in Honor of Richard P. Richman
Linda Cargill
Charles L. Edson, Counsel, Affordable Housing Tax Credit CoalitionIntroduction of the Tax Credit Excellence Awards
Thomas A. Kasper, Chair, Tax Credit Excellence Awards
Awards Presentation
Housing Developments for Seniors
Margaret J. Bennet House
Baltimore, MarylandHousing Developments for People with Special Needs
Century Villages at Cabrillo
Long Beach, CaliforniaRural Housing
Bienestar Apartments
San Luis, ArizonaMetropolitan/Urban Housing
New Pennley Place
Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaRecognition of Honorable Mention Certificate Recipients
Metropolitan/Urban Housing
Cardinal Ridge
Kansas City, Missouri
Michaels Development CompanySeniors Housing
Franklin Court Assisted Living
Bristol, Rhode Island
East Bay Community Development CorporationSpecial Honorable Mention
The Hite House
Stoystown, Pennsylvania
Cobler Realty Advisors, Inc.Closing
Housing Developments for Seniors
Margaret J. Bennett House
Baltimore, Maryland
The Margaret J. Bennett House is a beautiful historic property, formerly a women’s boarding house, which was rehabilitated into 30 units of single room occupancy housing for low-income people.
Built in 1830 and located in the historic Mount Vernon district of Baltimore in a "Priority Funding Area," (also designated as a national register historic district), the Margaret J. Bennett House proved a challenging and complicated property to develop. A joint effort by the Women’s Housing Coalition and Homes for America, the project today provides not only low income housing for eligible tenants, but additional resources such as a computer library, resource center, a community room, conference room, financial counseling and training in a variety of skills such as household budgeting, tenants rights and responsibilities and assistance in applying for all entitlement benefits for which tenants may be eligible.
Bennett House was placed in service in October of 2000, and is a remarkable example of the commitment and cooperation of numerous public and private entities who have combined determination with generosity to create safe, affordable housing for low-income Americans.
Housing Developments for People with Special Needs
Century Villages at Cabrillo
Long Beach, California
Total rehabilitation transformed former naval family housing in a 196-unit low-income housing project. After a public hearing process, the project site was awarded to L.A. VETS by the City Council of Long Beach.
A unique collaboration between private and non-profit sectors and local, state and federal government, the acquisition and renovation financing was provided by Century Housing Corporation. The project is the first phase of a 26-acre residential community that will offer comprehensive services designed to break the cycle of homelessness and encourage self-sufficiency.
In addition to providing transitional housing for families who are victims of domestic violence, veterans and others graduating from short-term residential programs, Century Villages at Cabrillo offers a complete continuum of care for individuals or families who are homeless or otherwise at risk of becoming homeless to move toward greater social and economic self-sufficiency. A child care center, a transitional school (K-8th), a Veterans Administration community-based outpatient clinic, a job resource center, a social hall with a food service and dining facility, and social service and recreational space are some of the programs offered and funded by local and national groups.
Rural Housing
Bienestar Apartments
San Luis, Arizona
Located in the extreme southwest corner of Arizona at the United States border with Mexico, Bienestar Apartments, a 92-unit multi-family apartment complex, has many unique characteristics that meet the needs of the local rural population.
Developed by Chelsea Investment Corp. and sponsored by Comite de Bienestar, Inc., a non-profit organization housing cooperation founded with the goal of providing a means for its members to obtain quality affordable housing, this property provides a much needed service by supplying rental apartments to families in the process of building their own homes. Eighty percent of the units are provided to migrant and seasonal farm workers, with most units targeted to very-low-income households. The units are housed in eleven 2-story buildings and consist of 46 two-bedroom units and 46 three-bedroom units. There is a community building which houses the central laundry facilities, offices, and gathering rooms.
In addition to providing affordable housing, Bienestar offers many outstanding ancillary services to its tenants, including technical instruction, high school equivalency education, Head Start, and a Day Care Center which was funded in part by grants from several organizations including HUD, Bank One and the Rural Development Authority
Metropolitan/Urban Housing
New Pennley Place
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
First constructed in 1965 as a series of eight mid-and high-rise apartment buildings on a 7.25 acre campus, the Pennley Park Apartments suffered decades of decline and disinvestment before becoming widely perceived as a local eyesore, deteriorated and unsafe.
HUD’s plans to foreclose on this 314-unit complex provided an exceptional opportunity for revitalization. In 1997, The Community Builders, Inc. and East Liberty Development, Inc. acquired the property. They demolished two buildings, retained four buildings for temporary relocation (subsequently demolished) and substantially rehabilitated the remaining two buildings into 64 apartments. The project’s end result will be a 102-unit development featuring low-rise apartments, townhouses and duplex units all on an attractively landscaped site.
Strongly committed to community involvement, the development team employed 65 local residents to assist in the construction of New Pennley Place. Resident services are offered to support residents who are transitioning from welfare to work, dealing with family issues, or require other interventions to establish and maintain self-sufficiency. New Pennley Place now offers a mix of market and rent-assisted units reserved for eligible low-income households.
Metropolitan/Urban Housing
Cardinal Ridge
Kansas City, Missouri
Michaels Development Company
Seniors Housing
Franklin Court Assisted Living
Bristol, Rhode Island
East Bay Community Development Corporation
Special Honorable Mention
The Hite House
Stoystown, Pennsylvania
Cobler Realty Advisors, Inc.