Home

Maxwell Awards Recognize Affordable Housing Projects

Tierra del Sol - a $53 million apartment Los Angeles complex that includes a charter school - has been dubbed by some as the “Club Med of Affordable Housing.” After opening its doors in October 2005, Tierra del Sol, a project developed by the New Economics for Women has received many accolades.

Recently, the project was named the most successful public/private partnership by The Maxwell Awards of Excellence, presented by the Fannie Mae Foundation. The Maxwell Awards honor outstanding work by nonprofit agencies in the area of affordable housing. This year’s awards, co-sponsored by the National Vacant Properties Campaign, had a special focus on affordable housing projects that also revitalized vacant properties.

The three other winners of the 2006 Maxwell awards include:

• Most impressive overall housing benefit: Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation for the Harold Washington Unity Cooperative in Chicago;
• Most innovative partnership: The Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development for the Acushnet Commons project in New Bedford, Massachusetts; and
• Most effective catalyst for community revitalization: Lawrence Community Works for the Riviviendo Family Housing project in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Selection was based on creativity in addressing housing needs, design quality, innovation in financing, and successful implementation of the projects. Each of the award winners will receive a $50,000 grant for their work. Case studies for each of the winning projects are showcased on the Fannie Mae web site.

Copyright © 2006, MuniNet Guide