November 2009 | Download & Print PDF | Current Issue | Archive
My View KIM HERMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A unique, "inside" perspective on housing and
community development
from
the executive director of the Washington State Housing Finance
Commission
Award-Winning Affordable Housing in Washington State
-
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE - Avondale site, Redmond
- Broadway Crossing, Seattle
- Artspace Hiawatha Lofts, Seattle
- Riverwalk Point I & II, Spokane
- Tepeyac Haven, Pasco
- The Wilson Hotel, Anacortes
- More Award-Winning Properties
Tepeyac Haven, Pasco
Energy-wise, sustainable features target needs of farmworker families
AWARD
First Gold-Certified LEED for Homes project in the nation, U.S. Green Building Council, 2007
PROPERTY DEVELOPER
Catholic Charities Spokane, with Beacon Development Group as development consultant
FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL FUNDING
Low Income Housing Tax Credits; Washington State Housing Trust Fund; Franklin County Public Utilities District rebate (based on energy-saving features)
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
Federal Home Loan Bank
In 2004, Catholic Charities Spokane (CCS) set out with an ambitious vision. In creating a neighborhood of 44 affordable rental homes for low-income agricultural workers and their families in Pasco, CCS’s goal was to build homes that would cost less for residents to maintain, with features that would pay for themselves over time, while also reducing the project’s environmental footprint.
“We had a simple idea,” says CCS Executive Director Rob McCann. “How can we build compact, energy-efficient structures that have sustainable attributes?” Prior to Tepeyac, CCS had built several affordable housing developments for farmworkers in eastern Washington, and “what we’d learned is that saving even $50 or $60 a month, although it may not seem like a lot to you or me, makes a difference for these families,” says Rob. “It’s the difference between being able to get new clothes for the kids to go back to school—or do things around the holidays. We figured, if we can build something that will save the residents about that much on their energy bills, and also create a structure that will be solid for a long time for us, it’s a win-win.”
“Tepeyac Haven is the nicest rental housing anywhere in Pasco, Washington.”
Rob
McCann
Executive Director,
Catholic Charities Spokane (CCS)
That’s exactly what Tepeyac Haven has accomplished. Rob credits Paul Purcell of Beacon Development Group, Mark Lundgren of M.C. Lundgren Construction, and Bill Zeck of Zeck Butler Architects with envisioning sustainable and green as a cornerstone for the project. “The three of them came to us and said, ‘we’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is it’s going to cost a little more. The good news is you’re going to be very proud of this for many, many years.’
“We’re social workers who don’t like to spend money, so of course our initial reaction was, ‘no way!’” Rob laughs. “But it wasn’t long before we all realized it was the right thing to do from an environmental standpoint, and it was the right thing to do in terms of setting a high bar. Most importantly, it was the right thing to do for the families who live there.”
No stone was left unturned in scrutinizing every detail to wring out energy
savings, improve the quality of life of residents, and limit environmental
impact in both design and construction. All appliances are energy- and
water-efficient, as is the entire complex. The homes were built on an infill
site, making use of existing roads, utilities, and other infrastructure.
Innovative design methods kept the units small and the density high, while
maintaining livability. There’s a playground on the site, and schools,
playfields, shopping, and a transit center are all within walking distance. On
average, Tepeyac Haven’s resident families are paying $60-$70 less in monthly
utilities costs than the average apartment residents in Pasco. Tepeyac Haven’s
44 apartments range from two- to four-bedroom units; the total project cost was
$7.6 million.
“To this day, Tepeyac Haven is the nicest rental housing anywhere in Pasco, Washington,” says Rob. Two months after it opened in 2007, every apartment was occupied—and there were 100 families on the waiting list. It’s so successful that Rob and CCS and the same design, development, and construction team plan to break ground next spring on Bishop Topel Haven: a sister residence in Pasco, two miles from Tepeyac Haven, with a similar size, scope, and structure. (Each of CCS’s farmworker housing developments has “Haven” in the name, explains Rob. And each is named by the local parish that helps to sponsor it. Tepeyac Haven pays homage to Tepeyac Hill near Mexico City, the site of the miraculous appearance of the Virgin Mary in the 16th Century.)
Tepeyac Haven is an exemplary green community; one that strives to meet the needs of its residents and is mindful that “affordability” encompasses total costs to all stakeholders, over the scope of many years. Under Rob’s leadership—and that of former executive director Donna Hanson—CCS has built a number of affordable housing developments in eastern Washington for low-income and disadvantaged families and individuals, including 900 units in Spokane, and farmworker housing in Othello and Yakima as well as Pasco. “There was so much that was new and valuable with Tepeyac Haven,” Rob says. “All of our housing is probably going to look like that from now on.”