SEATTLE—August 15, 2006—The Seattle Housing Authority Board of Commissioners adopted the Moving To new Ways plan and SHA's agency budget last month. Several actions in the plan and budget will affect current and future SHA residents and community members.

Seattle Housing Authority is one of about 30 housing authorities across the country participating in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Moving To new Ways program. This program allows SHA to test innovative methods to improve housing services to better meet local needs.

Many of the actions outlined in the plan are continued from projects that were in previous years' plans. For example, private homebuilders will continue to build new homes in High Point and Rainier Vista, including some homes affordable to households with incomes below 80 percent of Seattle’s median income.

Low-income and workforce housing will be under construction in the second phases of High Point and Rainier Vista with completion expected in 2008.

SHA will also continue to partner with other housing providers to offer diverse housing options. Holiday, one of the largest providers of senior housing in the country, will build a 160-unit market-rate senior housing community at High Point.

In Fiscal Year 2007 the replacement housing for NewHolly will be completed and replacement housing for Rainier Vista and High Point will continue throughout the year and beyond.

homeWorks, SHA’s five-year capital program to renovate building systems and common areas in 21 public housing high-rises, will enter its second phase.

Other activities in the plan include continuing to sell a selection of SHA’s Scattered-Sites units. The units will be replaced with other units that will help the Scattered-Sites program run more cost effectively and provide housing better suited to residents’ needs.

Residents will also benefit from the continuation or expansion of a variety of successful community services programs.

The agency's Fiscal Year 2007 budget outlines a combined operating and capital budget of $302 million and exceeds last year’s adopted budget by $68 million.

The proposed routine operating expense increase of $6.8 million is due primarily to increases in Housing Choice Voucher use, short-term development and staff expenses associated with homeWorks, and inflation adjustments for general cost of operations.

The proposed capital and non-routine expense increase of $61 million is due primarily to beginning the second phase of homeWorks, and redeveloping the Lake City Village site, Rainier Vista and High Point.