SEATTLE — December 27, 2010 — Seattle Housing, working in partnership with the Seattle of Seattle's Office of Housing, has awarded 50 project-based rental vouchers to five nonprofit low-income housing developers.

Of the 50 vouchers available, ten were awarded to Plymouth Housing Group, twelve were awarded to the Low Income Housing Institute, five were awarded to First Place, 19 were awarded to Sea Mar Community Health Center and four were awarded to the Housing Resources Group.

The vouchers will make it possible for these organizations to offer housing units to extremely-low-income residents, people with incomes below 30 percent of median income, for the next 40 years. The agency awarded 50 identical vouchers in 2009.

Many nonprofit housing developers provide affordable rental housing that meets the needs of residents earning between 30 and 60 percent of Area Median Income. With receipt of the additional subsidy provided by a project-based voucher, a nonprofit housing developer can offer rentals that are affordable well below this level.

This offering of vouchers is designated to subsidize replacement housing for units that were demolished during the redevelopment of the High Point community. Subsidies will support an inventory of housing units that contain two or more bedrooms and/or serve elderly or disabled households with on-site supportive services. The units must be designated for households with incomes of 30 percent or less of Area Median Income.