Presented by the Department and the National Women's History Month Committee, the special guest for HUD's History Month opening ceremony will be Mrs. Kitty Martinez, whose husband Mel Martinez is Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), tasked with providing a large measure of security at the 2002 Winter Olympics, needed housing during the Games. The Housing Authority of Salt Lake City, which wants to expand its stock of affordable and mixed-income housing, saw the Bureau's need as an opportunity. The result was a unique partnership that lead to creation of the Jefferson School apartments - a temporary resource for the ATF and a long-term resource for the community.

The ATF has bid a fond farewell to its secure complex in a quiet West Temple neighborhood in Salt Lake City as well as their low-profile but challenging assignment. But for several months a large group of agents, bomb technicians and bomb-sniffing dogs - an integral part the security provided during the Olympics - lived quietly in a new apartment complex on South West Temple. Financing for this new $7,000,000 apartment complex included tax-credits, a bank loan, loans from the Salt Lake City Corporation and Salt Lake County (both through HUD), the State of Utah's Olene Walker Housing Trust fund - and the ATF's rent payments.

The Housing Authority built 84 large, beautiful, one- and two-bedroom apartments with a clubhouse, hot tub, swimming pool, garages, fireplaces and many other amenities that any resident would enjoy. "The project was a win-win for everyone, especially the neighborhood," said Rosemary Kappes, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City. "It served the ATF for a short time and allowed us to bring a huge investment to the area south of downtown, along the light-rail line. We believe it will encourage further investment in this wonderful, old neighborhood."

The size and location was perfect for the ATF, which rented the complex through January and February. They erected a security fence, guard shack, lots of security cameras and went about their business in their quiet/efficient and inconspicuous way. ATF Special Agent in Charge Virginia O'Brien said, "We couldn't have asked for a better location or accommodations. While other agencies had their employees scattered about, we were able to centrally locate most of our employees, thus providing ease of communication and coordination."