WASHINGTON, DC – April 9, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that Washtenaw County, Michigan is being awarded a $250,000 grant to produce 30 new affordable green rental units in Ann Arbor. The County will use Avalon Housing, Inc., an established community-based affordable housing developer, to create these new apartments which will feature a sustainable site design, water-conserving fixtures, energy-efficient appliances/lighting, and environmentally friendly building materials.
The funding announced today is awarded through HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), the nation’s largest block grant program to support the production of affordable housing.
“This grant will help to create a new generation of housing that will offer residents more than just an affordable home,” said Mercedes Márquez, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development. “Working with our partners at the local level, our goal is to produce more, smarter, and certainly greener affordable housing for future generations of families.”
Washtenaw County and Avalon Housing, Inc. will build 39 new rental units in downtown Ann Arbor that will specifically benefit families earning 50 percent or less of Area Median Income and 14 units to be reserved for special needs tenants. Upon completion, all assisted units will be certified as ENERGY STAR-qualified housing. ENERGY STAR housing units must meet guidelines for energy efficiency established by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, and are at least 15 percent more energy efficient. Washtenaw County will ensure that Avalon uses a sustainable site design; installs water conserving fixtures, energy-efficient appliances and lighting; uses environmentally beneficial materials and practices; implements a construction waste-management plan; uses low VOC paints and sealants and low-emitting formaldehyde composite wood; uses mold prevention techniques; and gives residents an instruction manual that provides information on how to maintain the Green features of their homes.
###
HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation’s fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.
Contact:
Brian Sullivan
(202) 708-0685
