At Meridian Manor today, I awarded housing grants to help seniors and people who are struggling to make ends meet. Our city has made a real commitment to house its people and we are using dollars from Seattle’s Housing Levy passed in 2002, and leveraging additional federal stimulus dollars. Specifically, the money will help build 70 new affordable apartments in the Rainier Valley for working families—people who may be cooks, child care workers, or work in our retail stores—folks who have had an increasingly difficult time finding affordable housing. We will also preserve and rehabilitate 179 units of low-income senior housing, including Reunion House on Capitol Hill and Willis House in Greenlake.

Meridian Manor in the Northgate neighborhood is another project that we’re investing in. When it went up for sale and there was the potential of it being converted to market rate housing, we wanted to make sure that we didn’t lose this asset. So we’re very pleased to be working with the Housing Resource Group to make sure seniors will have a roof over their heads for many years to come. With a new roof, boiler, windows, carpet and furniture, the building will be energy efficient and a good place to continue to call home.

Eunice Smith, one of the residents of Meridian Manor, told her story today:

“In 2001 I lost my job. I had not been making that much that I had it all set aside so I would be able to afford another place to go. Immediately, I thought, I am going to be one of the homeless. I just didn’t know which way to turn. I had a friend who lived here–she is now 91–and she said let’s look into Meridian Manor. And it was a very short time, and I was able to move in here. The relief of that, you just cannot express. I have been here for eight years, and we have seen changes in the building…new lighting, new hallways, we all have brand new toilets, that’s important. And indeed, we have new refrigerators and the promise of much more to come. I can assure you, it gives us hope, and I do consider this my home. It is in such a lovely spot in Seattle, we have all the things all around us… this has made me feel positive for my future and things are really getting done around here…all I can say is thank you.”

You can read more about the funding grants.