2011 HUD Secretary's Opportunity and Empowerment Award Winner

The Department of Housing and Urban Development partnered with the American Planning Association to present the 2011 HUD Secretary's Opportunity and Empowerment Award to Sherwood Village Senior Apartments in Salinas, California. Sherwood Village is recognized for overcoming challenges, such as poverty, homelessness, and unemployment through investments in affordable housing, job creation, and other social services. The emphasis of the award is on how creative housing design, economic development, and public-private partnerships have been used to produce tangible results.

Originally an abandoned motel that was a haven for crime, Sherwood Village transformed the property into an affordable housing development for seniors, who participated in each step of the planning and development process. To meet the goal of allowing residents to peacefully age in place in a non-institutional setting, all of the 124 apartments have wheelchair access, roll-in showers, adjustable kitchen sinks and stoves, and modern bathrooms. Onsite services include a community room with space for recreation; a library; a lounging area; a nonprofit clinic that offers health screenings; and counseling, job training, and resident activities from the Alliance on Aging. Sherwood Village is a walkable community with access to a grocery store, coffee shop, restaurants, a park, and a neighborhood pool, thus reducing or eliminating the need for a car. Bus stops also link the apartments to the city of Salinas, hospitals, jobs, and other amenities.

Transformed in collaboration between nonprofit developer CHISPA, Inc. and the Salinas City Council, the development incorporated sustainable building practices. Seventy-five percent of the original structure was reused, and the developer installed innovative heating and air conditioning systems, dual flush toilets, solar tubes that bring natural light into the units, ENERGY STAR^®-rated appliances, and solar panels to reduce electricity load and green house gas generation. The project was completed with funds from the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, HOME, and Community Development Block Grant programs, as well as a loan from CHISPA. The city amended its zoning code, allowed a generous density bonus, and relaxed parking and open space requirements.