Senator Murray Announces $25M in Recovery Funding for Affordable Rental Housing, Improving Energy Efficiency in Washington State Homes

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that $25,269,970 has been released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to allow Washington state housing authorities to build or renovate affordable rental apartments and make existing public housing units more energy efficient. These grants were made available through the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“This Recovery Act funding will create jobs immediately and make critical investments in Washington state’s public housing infrastructure,” said Senator Patty Murray. “Investing in affordable rental housing will help families in Washington state meet one of their most basic needs, and making homes more energy efficient will help them save money on energy costs and reduce greenhouse emissions.”

As Chairman of the Senate Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, Murray worked to ensure that job-creating investments in Washington’s local housing agencies were a key component of the Recovery Act.  Senator Murray voted to pass the Recovery Act on February 13th. The bill was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th.

The funds announced today are divided into two categories: Creation of energy efficient, green communities, and Gap financing for projects that are stalled due to financing.

Creation of energy efficient, green communities:

These funds allow public housing authorities to create more energy efficient public housing units. 

• Seattle Housing Authority: $10,000,000
  
  Denny Terrace
• Housing Authority of King County:           
  
  The Lake House: $1,706,245
  
  Boulevard Manor: $1,467,312
  
  Forest Glen: $1,504,784
• Housing Authority of the City of Vancouver: $1,437,500
  
  Skyline Crest
• Housing Authority of Spokane: $375,000

Gap financing for projects that are stalled due to financing difficulty:

These funds allow public housing authorities to develop or renovate public housing projects stalled due to lack of resources.

• Housing Authority of King County: $6,679,129
  
  Eastbridge (Phase Five):
• Housing Authority, City of Bremerton: $2,100,000
  
  West Park