Walls Are Raised at Albuquerque's New Seniors Complex

Community leaders participate in the �Wall Raising� celebration

A special "wall raising" celebration took place recently at the Hibernian House, a new HUD Section 202 multifamily housing complex currently under construction in Albuquerque. The complex is in Barelas, one of downtown Albuquerque's original communities. U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Lt. Governor Diane Denish were among the dignitaries in attendance.

Sponsored by Catholic Charities of Central New Mexico, the Hibernian House will house low-income seniors in a total of 19 one-bedroom units in three one-story buildings. Each building will include a community room, resource center, kitchen, laundry facilities and a courtyard. The $1.4 million complex is being funded by a $1,183,300 HUD grant, $70,000 in city Community Development Block Grant funds, a $150,000 Fannie Mae pre-development loan, and a $20,000 Wells Fargo Foundation grant. Construction is expected to be finished in October.

Catholic Charities' housing programs provide comprehensive and integrated services for low-income individuals and families including counseling, employment, family education, housing, immigration, refugee resettlement and senior support. Hibernian House is the first HUD Section 202 complex the charity has developed.

Michael Griego, HUD's Albuquerque Field Office Director, and Cindy Gorman, Operations Specialist, attended the Wall Raising event for Hibernian House. Bob Salazar, the Albuquerque Operations Specialist, and the Fort Worth Multifamily Program Center's Development Team were all instrumental in bringing this project to fruition. At the wall raising, Robert Vigil, president of the Barelas Neighborhood Association, expressed appreciation for the project. "You look at this block coming to life again, and it's going to serve seniors," he commented. "They're our neighbors and we welcome new neighbors."