HUD leaders including Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research Solomon Green and Northwest Regional Administrator Andrew Lofton were hosted by SHA Executive Director Rod Brandon on a tour of the Yesler community and Hinoki and Sawara.
Hinoki is the SHA’s fifth new residential building that opened in April of 2022. Hinoki has 136 apartments that features two-story townhouse units and 1, 2, 3- and 4-bedroom units. Three units are set up to support in-home day care businesses. Hinoki features rain gardens around the perimiter of the building to filter rainwater back into the ground instead of the storm sewar, photovoltaic panels to provide solar power to the building, energy saving appliances and ventilation systems.
Sawara is SHA’s newest building at Yesler, which is almost finished. Sawara is an all-electric building that's part of Seattle City Light’s Exemplary Buildings Program. Sawara has 114 apartments consisting of 1, 2, 3- and 4-bedroom units. Two units are set up to support in-home day care businesses. Sustainable features at Sawara include rooftop solar panels, LED lights, energy-saving appliances, low-flow faucets and showers, noise-reducing windows, individual energy-recovery systems in each unit, solar hot water preheating, and ultra-efficient CO2 heat pumps. These amenities make the community environmentally friendly.
SHA’s Executive Director Rod Brandon, said, “Environmental stewardship is crucial to us. We were among the first housing authorities in the U.S. to join the Department of Energy Better Climate Challenge. We aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and energy consumption by 15% by 2032. We integrate sustainability in all our activities, from building and redeveloping housing to helping tenants save energy. For instance, we use rooftop solar panels, rainwater capture systems, energy recovery ventilation, energy-saving appliances, and innovative technologies to reduce our environmental impact.”