A housing complex for senior citizens and disabled individuals will benefit from improvements paid for with $2 million in federal stimulus money.
The 80-unit Southridge House complex will be made more accessible, comfortable and affordable with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money awarded to the King County Housing Authority (KCHA) in April. Contractors began work at the site last month. Along with improved living conditions for low-income tenants, the project will bring jobs to Federal Way through December 2010.
The funding is much-needed, as there has been little federal funding available to restore, maintain and operate public housing in the past decade, said Rhonda Rosenberg, KCHA Director of Communications.
“In the past eight years or so, public housing was really being starved of funds, so to some extent there is some playing catch-up,” she said.
The stimulus money came in two forms. A total of $1.5 million awarded to KCHA is a small chunk of the $4 billion in stimulus funds that was dished out to housing authorities across the nation, with the intent to preserve and enhance public housing. The money is a formula grant and will be mostly utilized to improve conditions of Southridge’s structure.
The Southridge House, 30838 14th Ave. S., already accommodates senior citizens and the disabled, but the 40-year-old building is in dire need of renovations. The building was erected in 1970, and has been owned by the KCHA since that time. Energy-efficient windows will be placed and cable television will also be upgraded.
The brick of the building’s exterior allows moisture to permeate into the building’s structure, which is causing erosion. The building is not currently to a point at which it is unsafe, Rosenberg said. A weather-resistant barrier method, including an exterior facade, will be applied to the building to protect it from future weather conditions.
“This basically allows us to ensure that the building stays structurally intact so it doesn’t deteriorate further and cost more money,” Rosenberg said.
An additional $495,660 in stimulus funds was awarded to the King County Housing Authority on a competitive basis, Rosenberg said. This funding will be used to convert traditional units into units that fit standards identified by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The process will begin this summer and include renovations to kitchens, bathrooms and living areas. The housing authority is unsure at this time how many units will be converted, Rosenberg said.
The project is intended to make the living conditions more affordable and pleasant for residents. The KCHA will also contribute roughly $500,000 in capital funds to complete the project, Rosenberg said.
“It’s not going to be quite as institutional looking as it is now,” she said.
The improvements are expected to create upwards of 40 jobs. At least six contracting companies will be employed.
“This initiative will provide good paying jobs for the community, improve the appearance and extend the life span of this public asset, reduce energy costs, and convert several existing apartment units into homes that are fully accessible to persons with disabilities,” said King County Housing Authority Executive Director Stephen Norman.
Southridge House last saw improvements in 2007. At that time, interior upgrades were performed, Rosenberg said. Fire and life safety equipment, such as sprinklers, were installed and common spaces and corridors were renovated, she said. That work cost approximately $2.5 million, Rosenberg said.
Learn more
The King County Housing Authority partners with communities and non-profits to create affordable housing opportunities in King County. It serves more than 17,000 households on a daily basis. To learn more about King County Housing Authority and its projects, visit www.kcha.org.
Check it out
On Jan. 15, KCHA will celebrate the expansion of its common space at King’s Court, another public housing facility owned by KCHA. The expansion more than doubled the space, permitting for a computer lab, classroom and room for private counseling. Parenting classes and English as a Second Language classes will also be offered there, Rosenberg said. King’s Court is located at South 333rd Street and 22nd Lane South.
