Flipping the Switch to Go Green

The Green Power is On

Maryann Leshin, Karen Kho, Linda Mandolini, and Ophelia Basgal

On a sunny day in May, Friday the 13, HUD Regional Administrator Ophelia Basgal spoke to the gathered audience at the Eden Housing event in Hayward, California in celebration of Affordable Housing Week. Eden Housing is a successful nonprofit housing developer and owner dedicated to building affordable housing for very low, low and moderate-income families. This includes seniors, people living with physical, developmental disabilities or mental illness, and the formerly homeless. Eden Housing has been the beneficiary of HUD neighborhood stabilization grants and awards.

After her keynote address, Ms. Basgal moderated a panel discussion with Eden Housing Executive Director Linda Mandolini; Northern California Programs Director Maryann Leshin of Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.; and Senior Program Manager Karen Kho of StopWaste.org. They discussed the topic of greening the affordable housing portfolio, and took questions from the audience.

Ms. Basgal said, "Investments in green energy efficiency retrofits will aid economic recovery efforts by making investments that will generate green jobs and generate greater spending at the community level and lead to lasting neighborhood benefits." She added, "HUD has instituted a public commitment - the first ever made by HUD - to complete cost-effective energy and green retrofits of public, assisted, and other HUD-supported affordable homes and reduce the share of household income spent on the combined costs of housing, inclusive of utility costs, and transportation."

Eden Housing concluded the morning event with a 'flipping of the switch' on the new solar photovoltaic system and green upgrades at the 100-unit residence for low-income seniors living largely on social security. Hayward Mayor Michael Sweeney, HUD Regional Administrator Ophelia Basgal, the Eden Housing team, and the diverse, senior residents joined together for the ceremony. The facility was constructed in 1984 and was in need of major energy-saving renovations. With the new state funding programs Eden Housing was able to complete extensive rehab of the 27-year old building. It saved both a lot of energy and a lot of money.