Getting to Work

SEDRO WOOLLEY, WASHINGTON - When the Sedro Woolley housing authority about an hour north of Seattle was awarded $189,590 in HUD funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in the Spring of 2009, it knew exactly what to do with it. And it didn't waste any time doing it.

By October authority and the King County Housing Authority which is responsible for day-to-day management of the Sedro Woolley authority’s units had completed plans for and broke ground on the renovation of Hillsview, a 60-unit complex for the elderly and people with disabilities. The work was finished by April.

And it wasn't a small project. Improvements included installation of energy-efficient lighting for and upgrades to interior hallways, lobby areas, and the elevator, and uneven floors were replaced with new plywood and carpeting to assist mobility-impaired residents. All fire and apartment entry doors were replaced. Environmentally-responsible products including low-VOC paints and carpet made from recycled material were used. In compliance with the requirements of the ARRA legislation, all fixtures and other purchased items were manufactured in the United States.

The residents are very pleased. "I love absolutely everything that they have done," said resident Joan Mason. "I'm just so grateful that we had this done for us. I feel like it's a gift to us. It's a pleasure to live here."

The larger Sedro Woolley community also is happy. The renovation "helped to spur our local community and economy," said Sedro Woolley Housing Authority Commission Chair Kacy Johnson with some 14 workers from a variety of trades being put to work. "This project was a boon to our business," noted Michael Strom, owner of Old World Construction which served as general contractor. "Not only did I not have to lay off any workers between October 2009 and January 2010, I ended up hiring six new crew members from the Skagit County area for the duration of the project."

The improvements, added Mr. Norman, "ensure the longevity of this much-needed public resource" and, better still, addressed all of Hills view's capital needs at once. Indeed, had it not been for ARRA funds and the speed with which the Sedro Woolley Authority put them to work, said Norman, "these upgrades would have had to be tackled as three or four separate projects over the course of as many years."

###