Beacon Projects Recognized for Excellence

Posted by beacon on Thu, Sep 15, 2022 at 11:23 AM

Awards & Recognition, Beacon, Construction, Special Needs, Urban/Mixed Use, Washington

Beacon Development Group is proud to be the recent recipient of two different awards for exemplary service to the community: the Award of Excellence from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the Award of Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO).

Beacon and Hopeworks Social Enterprises are proud to be the recipients of ULI’s “Award of Excellence 2022” for Hopeworks Station North. Hopeworks Station North provides 65 units of housing for homeless and low-income individuals, with 57 dedicated to those facing homelessness. On the ground floor, multiple job-training programs provide pathways to employment and economic stability. Hopeworks additionally offers an internship program for 75 low-income individuals annually. Internships include their culinary food service program called FoodWorks, a retail training center, and a youth career center.

Additionally, Beacon and the Yakima Housing Authority are proud to be the recipients of the “Award of Merit 2022” for Community Revitalization from NAHRO for Chuck Austin Place (CAP). CAP provides 41 supportive housing units focused on ending veteran homelessness in Yakima through affordable housing and multi-faceted social services. These services include a full-time Resident Services Coordinator which works closely with residents to establish goals and connect resident to their goals, a weekly food pantry, and Veterans’ Benefit Coordinators who work with veterans to secure their VA benefits. CAP’s holistic model is unique to Yakima, to veterans, and to service collaboration.

Beacon Development Group is proud to be recognized for their service to those facing homelessness and housing instability in our communities.

HumanGood awarded $5.25M for affordable housing from the Department of Treasury

Posted by beacon on Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 6:15 PM

Awards & Recognition, California, Pennsylvania, Senior Housing, Washington

We are pleased to announce that Beacon has helped its parent company HumanGood in securing an award from the Capital Magnet Fund of $5.25 million to finance the development of affordable housing in California, Washington and Pennsylvania. The Capital Magnet Fund (CMF) program supports financing for the preservation, rehabilitation, development or purchase of affordable housing for low-income communities. This is the first CMF grant award ever received by HumanGood, and one of the largest grant awards allocated in this recent round of funding.

Beacon and HumanGood will use the grant award to address the challenges facing extremely low-income and very low-income senior households. Nationwide, there is a significant shortage of age-restricted affordable housing. According to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, the number of households aged 65 and older will grow from 48 to 79 million over the next two decades. In addition, the number of households aged 75 to 79 will increase 49% to 8.9 million by 2028 and increase another 20% to 10.7 million by 2038, a trend that also continues with households ages 80 and older. This increase in aging communities has produced an increased demand for age-restricted affordable housing. It is projected that by 2038, demand for affordable housing for low-income seniors will significantly outstrip the supply of these units.

Beacon and HumanGood have created a pipeline of ten projects that will preserve and create more than 700 affordable age-restricted rental units in California, Washington and Pennsylvania

More information on the awards can be found on the CDFI fund website at https://www.cdfifund.gov/node/1003286

Financing closes on $170M on Two California Projects to Renovate 200 Units

Posted by beacon on Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 5:57 PM

Acquisition/Rehab, Awards & Recognition, Beacon, California, Construction, Family Housing, Historic Buildings, Occupied Rehabs, Senior Housing

Starting in Northern California and in partnership with Third Baptist Church, Beacon Development Group and HumanGood Affordable Housing successfully closed on a $100M low income housing tax credit financing for the renovation of 104 units at Frederick Douglas Haynes Gardens Apartments. This redevelopment will improve the quality of living for the residents and preserves the community’s affordability for years to come. Frederick Douglas Haynes serves low-income families in the heart of San Francisco’s Filmore district.

Rendering of Community Room at Frederick Douglas Haynes by Paulett Tagartt Architects.

The Third Baptist Church of San Francisco was founded in 1852 and has been a staple in the San Francisco community for 168 years. As the first African American congregation west of the Rockies, Third Baptist Church has continuously worked with their community to address the rapidly growing need for affordable housing and equity. The preservation of the Frederick Douglas Haynes Gardens Apartments was critical for the large families and communities of color that have been disproportionately displaced in a quickly gentrify urban core of San Francisco.

In Southern California, Beacon Development Group and HumanGood Affordable Housing closed on $70 million in total financing to preserve and rehab 96 units of senior housing at Castle Argyle Apartments. This project will have major upgrades of all systems and a complete seismic retro-fit.

Originally constructed in the 1920s as an apartment-hotel serving the silent film industry, it housed movie stars such as Clark Gable, Howard Hughes, Ronald Reagan and Cecil B. DeMille. The design intent of this renovation is reveal the building’s classic character and re-introduce its orgins of the Golden Era. Along with rehabbing all units and addition of service spaces, the restoration of the grand lobby and office space will bring the building back to its classic Hollywood style.

These accomplishments in the middle of a pandemic and social unrest are a testament to our team’s professionalism, commitment, and love of the mission.

Beacon Development Group makes a difference in Judson Terrace Homes residents’ lives

Posted by beacon on Wed, Aug 19, 2020 at 3:54 PM

Awards & Recognition, Beacon, California

Judson Terrace Homes located in San Luis Obispo, CA. Photo by David Lalush Photography.

Earlier this year, Beacon Development Group successfully obtained rental subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for affordable housing residents who were facing a rent increase.

Orest Dolyniuk, development director at Beacon Development Group, led the charge on behalf of residents of Judson Terrace Homes, our affordable housing community in San Luis Obispo, California. He spent the better part of 2019 working with HUD to approve our application for these vouchers, which arrived in January 2020.

“Judson Terrace Homes was the first opportunity we had to pursue an additional rental subsidy, and getting the vouchers and the subsidy for current and future residents is one of the most impactful ways we could assist our residents,” said Orest.

“When the vouchers came through, they were manna from heaven,” said Mary Leizear, a Judson Terraces home resident since 2007. “I was growing increasingly concerned, and I was fairly certain and had nightmares that at some point my rent would go up and I was going to be kicked out.”

Judson Terrace Homes courtyard and community room building. Photo by David Lalush Photography.

The community, originally built in 1970, completed renovations this past January. Improvements included new appliances in the apartments, energy-efficient upgrades, including new windows, and new roofs on all eleven buildings that make up the community.

Beacon Development began planning for the renovation and refinancing of the community in February 2018. The process included obtaining funding by securing tax-exempt bonds and four-percent low income housing tax credits. As part of the refinancing process, rental increases would have impacted the community’s residents if not for the subsidies acquired by Beacon. The refinancing is part of HumanGood’s commitment to preserve the community’s affordability status as originally established when it was built. The renovation project extends Judson Terrace Homes’ affordable housing status another 55 years.

“At times, people think of developers as being solely focused on the financial structure of the deal,” said Cindy Proctor, vice president of Beacon Development Group. “Orest’s tenacity and perseverance for the vouchers reflects the compassion and empathy he and all of the development team possess.”

Ancel Romero, president of HumanGood’s affordable housing, signed the contract with the city of San Luis Obispo’s housing authority for the vouchers, resulting in 92 apartments receiving subsidies.

Rotary Terrace Senior Housing receives Senior Housing News Architecture & Design Awards

Posted by beacon on Fri, Jan 3, 2020 at 11:18 PM

Awards & Recognition, Beacon, California, Senior Housing

Rotary Terrace located in South San Francisco. Photo by Abraham & Paulin Photography.

Rotary Terrace Senior Housing located in South San Francisco, CA. Photo by Abraham & Paulin Photography.

Beacon Development Group is excited to announce that Senior Housing News (SHN) awarded Rotary Terrace Senior Housing as the first-place winner of the sixth Annual SHN Architecture & Design Awards for affordable housing communities.

SHN established the Architecture & Design Awards in 2013 as a way to recognize and celebrate companies utilizing cutting-edge design and innovation to improve the lives of seniors.

Rotary Terrace was among more than 100 communities worldwide vying for the top honors across nine categories which included affordable housing, assisted living, continuing care retirement community (CCRC), hospice, independent living, international, renovation/repositioning, skilled nursing/post-acute care and standalone memory care.

“Winning the SHN design award is a great honor for HumanGood. It reflects our larger organizational commitment to inspire seniors to live their best lives possible regardless of their economic status,” says Cindy Proctor, vice president at Beacon Development Group (BDG), a subsidiary of HumanGood.

Opened in January 2019, this 81-unit senior housing community was developed in partnership with HumanGood Affordable Housing (HGAH) and the South San Francisco Rotary Club. BDG worked closely with HKIT Architects and J.E. Roberts-Obayashi as the General Contractor to create an innovative design.

The design features of this community include comfortable spaces, two-rooftop terraces, a second-floor open-air courtyard and lounge areas. It also has sustainable design features including a solar power system, high-efficiency LED fixtures with sensor controls, EnergyStar appliances and dual-pane energy efficient windows. A fitness center, library and high-speed internet are among the community’s many amenities; and it also houses ground-level office space for the Rotary Club that doubles as a public community space.

Located a quarter mile from a Caltrain station in South San Francisco, CA, this five-story building is a great addition to the city’s downtown redevelopment subarea.

Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute

Posted by beacon on Fri, Aug 24, 2018 at 10:45 AM

Awards & Recognition, Beacon, Special Needs, Washington

Beacon joined Yakima Housing Authority as participants in Enterprise’s annual AHDLI. The AHDLI is a 3-day in-person training program for the country’s leading affordable housing designers and developers seeking to find creative solutions to design challenges in affordable housing projects. It was a great opportunity to participate in interactive design charrettes to share knowledge and expertise with innovators in our industry. This year, eight developers presented projects from across the country and received design feedback from peers and the panel of design experts gathered in Seattle.

AHDLI partcipants

The YHA and Beacon presented YHA’s Veteran Supportive Housing and Service Center project. The project is the redevelopment of 4.64-acre former United States Marine Corp armory property in Yakima. The project includes rehabilitation of the armory as well as new construction housing to create 41 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans and their families. In addition, the project will include a service center that will be open to homeless veterans in the community. This will include a primary care and dental clinic for homeless veterans. Office space will be created for veteran service providers, including VASH case managers who will provide services for residents onsite.

Our YHA team received insightful feedback on our project design, which we are now integrating into our plans. The knowledge shared at the 3-day workshop has provided us with new ideas and resources, not only for the YHA project, but for our design process on other projects going forward. We are grateful to our team members at YHA, to the other designers and presenters, and to Enterprise for this valuable opportunity.

Plaza Roberto Maestas Honored with 3 National Awards by AIA/HUD, AHTCC, and PCBC

Posted by beacon on Fri, Jun 9, 2017 at 8:48 AM

Awards & Recognition, Beacon, Press, Urban/Mixed Use, Washington

Beacon Development Group is excited to share that El Centro de la Raza’s Plaza Roberto Maestas has been awarded the 2017 AIA/HUD Secretary’s Housing and Community Design Award for Creating Community Connections. In addition, the project has received an honorable mention for the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition’s Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Awards in the Metropolitan/Urban category and a 2017 Award of Merit for Affordable Housing in PCBC’s Golden Nugget Awards.

We are honored that Plaza Roberto Maestas has been recognized as one of the most outstanding affordable housing projects in the country.

Plaza Roberto Maestas is a landmark equitable transit-oriented development project in Beacon Hill, Seattle. The project incorporates the community’s vision into a new mixed-use development in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Completed in September 2016, Plaza Roberto Maestas consists of two six-story buildings that flank an outdoor plaza, which opens onto a Festival Street adjacent to a light rail station.

Through nearly eight years of planning with the community, El Centro de la Raza transformed a surfacing parking lot into a multicultural hub for the neighborhood that incorporates 112 units of affordable housing, local small business retail and office, community space, and a bilingual child development center. Plaza Roberto Maestas directly addresses the urgent need for affordable housing and economic opportunity and is a model for community-inspired transit-oriented development. The project currently houses 291 individuals, including 133 children, and serves a diverse population that includes family, workforce, and senior residents.

Beacon Development Group served as El Centro de la Raza’s development consultant on this innovative project, working alongside SMR Architects and Walsh Construction. Congratulations to El Centro de la Raza and the entire team on this inspiring project and well-deserved recognition!

BDG Honored as Impact Capital’s Community Partner of the Year

Posted by beacon on Thu, Dec 8, 2016 at 11:01 AM

Awards & Recognition, Beacon

Beacon President Paul Purcell with Impact Capital President Judith Olsen and Board President Lowel Krueger

On December 6, Beacon Development Group was honored as Impact Capital’s “Community Partner of the Year” at their annual meeting. Beacon has worked with Impact Capital, a community development financial institution serving community organizations in the Northwest, for nearly two decades. Most recently, Beacon and Impact have partnered on a number of affordable housing projects, including Compass Ronald Commons, Plaza Roberto Maestas, and Mt. Baker Village.

Beacon is proud of our staff for their continued commitment and hard work, and grateful to Impact Capital for their partnership and this recognition. We look forward to continued collaboration with Impact Capital and our many other partners in the future.

Congrats Harbor View Manor!

Posted by beacon on Mon, Nov 2, 2015 at 6:32 AM

Acquisition/Rehab, Awards & Recognition, Occupied Rehabs, Sustainable Buildings, Washington

Harbor View Manor, located in Tacoma, WA, was recently awarded a 2015 Excellence in Affordable Housing Award for Sustainability by the Tacoma/Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium. Harbor View Manor is owned by Beacon Communities. Beacon Development Group served as development consultant on the acquisition and rehabilitation of the project. Walsh Construction Co. was the General Contractor and SMR Architects served as the architects.

Paul Purcell wins Cyber Choice Mirror Ball Trophy at Plymouth’s Seattle Dances!

Posted by beacon on Fri, May 15, 2015 at 1:24 PM

Awards & Recognition, Beacon, Special Needs, Washington

Paul & Deron in Action!

This spring Paul Purcell, President of Beacon, participated in Plymouth Housing Group’s Seattle Dances! Modeled after the national TV sensation Dancing with the Stars, the event matches local leaders with professional dancers to compete and raise funds for Plymouth’s mission of providing permanent homes and services for the homeless in Seattle. Paul trained for 10 weeks with his professional partner, Deron Hayes-Hirschy to prepare for the big night!

Enjoying the Cyber Choice Mirror Ball Trophies!

We are excited to report that Paul and his partner Deron won the Cyber Choice Mirror Ball; for the celebrity dance couple who raises the most money online before the event. Collectively, the eight celebrity dance couples raised over $53,000 in online votes for Plymouth Housing Group. Overall, the 6th annual Seattle Dances gala brought together 460 generous guests who gave an incredible $442,000! Congratulations Plymouth Housing Group on another great event!

Beacon is proud to have worked with Plymouth on the Pat Williams Apartments and on the recently funded 7th & Cherry project.

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