Stimulus funding at work at Seattle Housing Authority
Seattle Housing Authority has been awarded a total of more than $45 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which was signed into law on February 17, 2009.
Seattle Housing received $17 million in ARRA funding in February 2009 as part of its proportional share of the $3 billion in stimulus funding made available to housing authorities across the U.S.
The remaining $28 million in ARRA funding received by the agency was secured through a competitive process.
All of the ARRA funds received were made available for Public Housing capital projects. The progress being made on projects funded by those dollars is documented below.
Rainier Vista
Seattle Housing is using $3.1 million of the $17 million proportional dollars awarded in February 2009 to fund the construction of Tamarack Place, an 86-unit low-income apartment building located in Rainier Vista next to the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club.
An additional $10.3 of the $17 million will be used for infrastructure at Rainier Vista north, which will help build sewers, electrical systems, streets and sidewalks to prepare for the construction of additional low-income housing in the community.
A construction crew begins laying the foundation for Tamarack Place, an 86-unit, low-income apartment building expected to be complete by October 2010.
Funding awarded through the competitive process allows the agency to use $10 million in ARRA funds to complete construction of that additional low-income housing. These funds will be matched by almost $22 million from other sources and will enable Seattle Housing to build 118 new, energy-efficient, low-income rental housing units in the third phase of construction at Rainier Vista.
Construction of this final group of rental units will complete the rental housing on the 65-acre site. The new units will be affordable to low-income people along a range of incomes.
Tamarack Place progress to date:
- Walsh Construction Company has completed the foundation pile installations and continues work on the pile caps, grade beams and footing formation. Concrete placing for ground and floor walls is in process.
- Progress is also being made on underground plumbing for the sanitary sewer as well as survey and excavation for permanent electrical work.
Rainier Vista North infrastructure progress to date:
- Tree protection, erosion control measures, storm drain installations and site sediment ponds have all been set up.
- Demolition of old building foundations is complete and the unsuitable soil stockpile is being removed.
- Installation of storm and sewer lines is underway.
Rainier Vista rental unit construction progress to date:
- Permits were submitted to the City of Seattle in December of 2009.
- Staff is working on submitting a 4% tax credit application in January and advertising for a contractor in February.
Expected completion: Tamarack Place is expected to be complete by October 2010. Rainier Vista North infrastructure construction is expected to be complete by November 2010. The final group of rental units at Rainier Vista is expected to be complete by February 2012.
Lake City Village
The Lake City Village Apartments will be an 86-unit, mixed-income building in northeast Seattle. It will be built on the site of 16 distressed public housing townhomes demolished in 2002 due to persistent flooding.
A bird's eye rendering of the Lake City Village project shows one of the green features made possible by ARRA funds: solar panels. The building is planned for the site between 33rd Avenue NE and 35th Avenue NE in Lake City. It will contain a variety of housing choices, community facilities, and open space.
The new apartment building is one element of a HOPE VI redevelopment. The $8 million in ARRA funds, leveraged with over $12 million from other sources, will enable the Housing Authority to dramatically increase the use of green features.
Progress to date: Architectural and engineering design is mostly complete. The project is is expected to secure all the necessary permits by early summer 2010. In a concurrent process, the project's financing is being finalized. Groundbreaking for construction is planned for July 2010.
Expected completion: October 2011
Denny Terrace
A $10 million ARRA grant will help fund rehabilitation of Denny Terrace to increase energy conservation to the highest possible level and replace and update major building systems that have reached the end of their useful life.
Denny Terrace is a 221-unit, 40-year-old concrete and brick public-housing high-rise located in central Seattle. Its residents are primarily people with disabilities and the elderly.
The renovations – similar to those completed in the homeWorks project – are expected to extend the useful life of the building for decades.
Progress to date: Construction and engineering planning is underway.
Expected completion: 2011
Bell Tower
A rehabilitation project at Bell Tower will use $3.5 million of stimulus funding, which will provide new windows for the building, waterproof the exterior and correct water line problems. For several years, residents of Bell Tower have had inadequate hot water.
Located in the heart of Downtown Seattle in the bustling Belltown neighborhood, Bell Tower sits along First Avenue, overlooking the waterfront and Elliott Bay. In this photo, progress is being made on painting the building's façade.
The rehabilitation project for Bell Tower will also create 15 apartments that meet federal standards for accessibility.
Progress to date: The Bell Tower rehabilitation project is 85% complete. Nearly every window has been replaced with new thermally-efficient models, common areas and offices have been renovated, three-quarters of the building have been painted and 15 new accessible units are nearly ready for occupancy. Remaining: painting of façade on west side of the building, fine-tuning the new ventilation system and installing a new emergency generator and new water heaters.
Expected completion: April 2010
Job creation and retention
As of December 31, 2009, 141 jobs were either retained or created on ARRA-funded projects.