Excellence in Green Affordable Senior Housing
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Enterprise) and MetLife Foundation recently recognized the winners of the 2009 MetLife Foundation Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing at the annual meeting for the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) in Chicago. The awards, which have been given out for the past 14 years by Enterprise and MetLife Foundation, honor exemplary models in affordable housing. This year, the competition focused on best practices in the field of senior housing, with special consideration for properties that incorporate green components.
"With the growth of the country's older population, the need for affordable, well-maintained housing for seniors is more vital than ever," said Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "We are pleased to join Enterprise in recognizing the winners, who are meeting this need through affordable, green housing that promotes seniors' health and well-being and strengthens communities."
Each winner receives a $50,000 unrestricted award to further its mission. The winners are:
- Lytton Gardens I - Located in Palo Alto, Calif., Lytton Gardens I is home to 417 seniors with low incomes and provides 24-hour care for its residents. Owned by Lytton Gardens Senior Communities, the 35-year-old property offers an extremely creative approach to green rehabilitation that includes extensive improvements for energy efficiency and water conservation. Lytton Gardens I is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recognized property, providing an extensive array of services to support aging in place. It also provides on-site experience for physicians enrolled in the Stanford University Fellowship in Advanced Geriatrics.
- The Marvin - Located in Norwalk, Conn., The Marvin is owned by 60 Gregory Boulevard Limited Partnership with Under One Roof, Inc.(TM) acting as the general partner and managing agent. A unique intergenerational facility, The Marvin provides 52 seniors with affordable, interactive housing and offers three- and four-year olds affordable, early childhood education at The Marvin Children's Center, located on The Marvin campus. The Marvin, which recently celebrated its 12th anniversary, fosters strong connections between the senior residents and children, and provides an innovative approach to providing a breadth of supportive services that promote aging in place, as well as independent living.
- Mission Creek Senior Community - Located in San Francisco and owned by Mercy Housing California, Mission Creek Senior Community is located on an acre of a former industrial site and is part of the Mission Bay North redevelopment project. Near extensive public transportation services, the seven-story building offers 139 affordable apartments for seniors, including seniors who are formerly homeless, those living with HIV/AIDS and others with special needs; an on-site adult day health center; and support services specifically designed for the most frail. The building was constructed with green building techniques and materials to minimize the depletion of natural resources and increase energy efficiency and water conservation.
- Station Place Tower - Located in Portland, Ore., and owned by REACH Community Development Corporation, the 14-story building was constructed in 2005 and offers active seniors a convenient, green living experience near downtown. With 176 affordable apartments, Station Place Tower caters to the specific needs of the aging through tailored supportive services and a healthier, greener environment with rooftop gardens, a rainwater harvesting system and other energy-efficient technologies that are intended to lower the use of gas, electricity and water by 30 percent.
"It is a pleasure to continue our partnership with MetLife Foundation, and to continually see such dynamic and innovative work coming from leaders in the community development field," said Naomi Bayer, senior vice president, National Initiatives and Innovation, Enterprise Community Partners. "By recognizing strong housing opportunities from our peers, we are helping to highlight some of the very best practices in the industry for serving seniors."
Enterprise is a leading provider of the development capital and expertise it takes to create decent, affordable homes and rebuild communities. For more than 25 years, Enterprise has introduced neighborhood solutions through public-private partnerships with financial institutions, governments, community organizations and others that share our vision. Enterprise has raised and invested more than $10 billion in equity, grants and loans to help build or preserve more than a quarter million affordable rental and for-sale homes to create vital communities. Enterprise is currently investing in communities at a rate of $1 billion a year. Visit www.enterprisecommunity.org and www.enterprisecommunity.com to learn more about Enterprise's efforts to build communities and opportunity.
MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 by MetLife to carry on its longstanding tradition of contributions and community involvement. Grants support education, health, civic and cultural programs. MetLife and MetLife Foundation have supported Enterprise's neighborhood revitalization activities with grants and loans of almost $60 million. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.metlife.org.
