Arrowhead Grove in San Bernardino, California. Photo courtesy of Arrowhead Grove.

A recent article in Shelterforce describes how when plans to develop affordable housing units in San Bernardino hit a funding roadblock, Dignity Health, one of the largest health systems in the United States, stepped in with a $1.2 million bridge loan to help fill the gap.

An excerpt from the piece reads as follows:

Dignity Health has a longstanding tradition of lending to affordable housing developers and CDFIs through its Community Investment Program. Seeing the need and potential of the Arrowhead Grove project, the program committed a $1.2 million bridge loan to help fill its funding gap.

Additionally, Dignity Health saw the potential to play a larger role in the local community investment system, recognizing that in the wake of San Bernardino’s recent emergence from bankruptcy, it would take more than local resources to overcome disinvestment and improve opportunity for all residents.

“As a large employer and anchor, we understand that investing in projects like Arrowhead Grove can help bring stability to San Bernardino neighborhoods and transform lives,” said Pablo Bravo Vial, vice president of community health at Dignity Health.

In June of 2018, Dignity Health invited a diverse group of stakeholders from San Bernardino, the Inland Empire, and the greater Los Angeles region, as well as statewide and national organizations—including municipal leaders, foundations, banks, CDFIs, developers, and community-based organizations—to come together. Nearly 50 individuals and organizations attended the meeting and the site visit that followed, where Dignity Health articulated a compelling narrative about the need for more investment in the city; positioned Arrowhead Grove as a clear and immediate opportunity for public, private, and philanthropic capital; and asked participants to join in making the project a success.

One of the entities in attendance was the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC), a cabinet-level committee responsible for coordinating the activities of state agencies to promote more equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities. SGC had previously been aware of the Arrowhead Grove project and the long-standing need for affordable housing in San Bernardino. Impressed by the collaboration among local partners and a strong application by National CORE, SGC awarded San Bernardino $20 million through California’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program. The funds will support the next two phases of the Arrowhead Grove project, adding more than 180 new units of affordable housing. San Bernardino is the first city in the Inland Empire region to receive AHSC funding.

The DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) has been afforded a great opportunity to further expand its work in the Low Income space, via the NEW Low Income Prescriptive Program. This is a prescriptive program that will provide enhanced rebates for qualifying Energy Star or DLC listed Light Bulbs, Fixtures and Sensors installed in a multifamily properties, shelters, or clinics that serves income-qualified District residents.

Ready to apply?
Please submit an application along with supporting documentation for approval to IncomeQualified@dcseu.com

Income  Eligibility:
1) Project site must be located in Washington, DC
2) “Low-Income Housing” is defined as the District’s stock of affordable, low-income housing. It is defined as either:

a.  Households that have annual incomes equal to or below 80% of the Area Median Income (“AMI”) or 60% of the State Median Income (“SMI”)
b.  A multifamily building where at least 66% of the households meet the definition of “low-income households” listed above
c.  Buildings owned by non-profit organizations or government that meet the definition of “low-income households” listed above in (a) , or
d.  Buildings where there are contracts or other legal instruments in place that assure that at least 66% of the housing units in the building will be occupied by low-income households.

If you are interested in submitting a project or projects for consideration or if you would like to know more. Feel free reach out to the DCSEU team by emailing  IncomeQualified@dcseu.com.

Please also forward this email to others in your network who may be interested in taking advantage of this opportunity.

Photos courtesy of Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners and Wesley Housing

Last month several HAND members celebrated the grand opening of The Fallstead at Lewinsville Center, a senior housing community in McLean, VA. The Fallstead offers 72 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom modern, independent-living rental units for persons 62 years of age and older whose household income is at or below 50% of the area median income (AMI), according to a press release.

Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners served as the Architect, Hamel Builders as the General Contractor, and Wesley Housing as the Developer.

Community amenities include an on-site fitness center, business center, library, a landscaped courtyard, and community garden. 10% of the units are fully accessible for individuals with mobility impairments and 2% are fully accessible for individuals with vision and hearing impairments. The community is built to Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) Universal Design and EarthCraft Multifamily Platinum Design standards.

Check out a full profile on the Fallstead here. HAND congratulates all the partners involved!

The District of Columbia Green Finance Authority Establishment Act of 2017 (GFA bill) was unanimously approved by the Council of the District of Columbia (Council) in June 2018 and completed Congressional review on August 22, 2018. The Act will establish the District of Columbia Green Finance Authority (GFA or DC Green Bank) as an innovative quasi-public instrumentality of the District government that will facilitate private investment in clean energy technology and green infrastructure by leveraging private capital, removing upfront costs, and increasing the efficiency of public investment in sustainability.

The District Department of Energy and Environment, Office of the Director is pleased to announce the publication of a Request for Applications seeking one or more grantees to identify, formulate, and develop the critical deliverables necessary to lay the groundwork for the DC Green Bank, building on work completed over the last year. Successful applicants will provide innovative and thoughtful solutions to the following challenges:

What steps, tools, and information are needed to prepare for the successful launch of the Green Bank and how can the grantee assist DOEE and the DC Green Bank in conducting those activities?

The deadline for applications is November 5th, at 4:30pm. The Request for Applications and support documents can be found on the DOEE website, https://doee.dc.gov/node/1360726. Additional information and questions may be emailed to 2018GFAdevelopment.grants@dc.gov.