Shaping Our Community
Without the support of partners, CIHA's goals to advance our community's affordable housing needs would be much more difficult. We build our partnerships with the community by taking people and organizations on tours of our developments. Our goal is to provide knowledge of "why we do what we do" along with real data and stories to educate our "tourists". It is amazing what we learn from our "tourists". It seems we always find a connection and opportunity to learn how to improve our work. We are truly fortunate that so many individuals and businesses within our community choose to be a part of our efforts. People like Chris Stephens (CCIM), a commercial real estate broker and partner in the commercial real estate brokerage company Bond, Stephens & Johnson. Carol Gore recently took Chris on a tour of CIHA projects in Anchorage. He wrote the below article to share his experience so that others might better understand the work being done.
By Chris Stephens, CCIM
Bond, Stephens and Johnson
Carol Gore, President of Cook Inlet Housing Authority, recently took me on a tour of CIHA projects in Anchorage. I was very impressed by the quality of CIHA projects and the depth and innovation of CIHA programs. Most importantly, I gained an understanding about the importance of low income and senior housing to Anchorage.
I am a commercial real estate broker and partner in the commercial real estate brokerage company Bond, Stephens & Johnson. I also serve on the Anchorage Economic Development Corp. Board of Directors and the Mayors Economic Panel. I write a monthly column on commercial real estate in the Anchorage Daily News.
Yet, Carol's tour demonstrated to me just how little I know about housing in our community. While I know a great deal about commercial real estate and our economy, I have little experience or knowledge about residential real estate and housing.
I will summarize the tour later on. But first I want to say that the most important thing I drew from the tour is the importance of housing in our community and CIHA's role. I am active in Anchorage's economic development, and I know that how Anchorage develops is every bit as important as the level of economic development.
Anchorage is a successful, vibrant community and a great place to live. We have done well because we invest in the community, and housing is one of the most important investments we make. The ability to succeed is directly affected by an individual's or family's ability to secure adequate housing. Better housing means more successful people. Unfortunately Anchorage's low-end housing has been seriously lacking, but CIHA is showing a way to overcome this.
The other major observation I made on this tour was Carol as a dynamic leader. Talk about an enthusiastic and capable executive. I have known Carol for a long time, starting back when she worked at CIRI. We share a love of fishing, and before the tour I thought we would share some fishing stories. I was able to squeeze in about three minutes on fishing.
Instead, Carol literally bubbled with facts and figures on housing, financing, construction, programs and on and on. She is a fountain of information. I kept asking questions and not once did Carol say she would have to get the answer and get back to me. She knows it by heart.
Most of all Carol is committed to, and believes in, the mission of CIHA. She is clearly a driving force of CIHA. She knows CIHA is making a significant difference to people's lives and to Anchorage. She is thrilled to be in a position to help make that difference. And she does it in a positive way, right down to the hugs for everyone in the organization.
Our first stop was Grass Creek Village. I am familiar with the past attempts to develop this location, from early plans by Home Depot and Sam's Club to put in stores to more recent attempts to make it part of a private town center development. Those efforts did not occur for a number of reasons, but CIHA's Grass Creek Village has gone forward. I attribute CIHA's progress with this to non-profit development combined with innovative financing.
I think Grass Creek Village is terrific. The design — with garages in back and entries facing each other — provides a sense of community. The units are practical, well-planned, well-built and well-maintained. I was impressed by attention to detail, such as stronger cabinet hinges to minimize maintenance. I learned that CIHA has standardized many of the components such as dishwashers and washing machines, so that parts inventory is more efficient.
Grass Creek Village's financing program, which allows tenants to own their units over time, provides a way for low income individuals and families to achieve the American home-ownership dream that would otherwise never be possible. This invests the tenant in the community, which enhances the quality of the development. It also enhances Anchorage's quality of life and makes us a better community.
Next on the tour was senior housing at Kenaitze Pointe. I am embarrassed to admit, I did not know about this housing. I have not only driven through Muldoon many times, but I have researched site locations for business in that area.
What a nice discovery was Kenaitze Pointe. I am a little familiar with senior housing, as my 93-year-old mother lives in a senior community in Massachusetts. Kenaitze Pointe is modern, clean and well run. The setting is spectacular.
I found the same attention to detail here as at Grass Creek Village. The décor was attractive and yet practical. Evidence of maintenance was 100 percent. While this is an independent living community, Kenaitze Pointe offers a number of programs from social events, to crafts and hobbies. I would be very happy to have my mother living at Kenaitze Pointe.
Our last project was a collection of single family homes in Mountain View. Mountain View has had significant housing problems with a highly transient and low income population. It was quite a surprise to see homes constructed in Mountain View by two of Anchorage's top residential developers, John Hagmeier and The Peterson Group. Typically you think of these developers as doing only top end custom homes. But they are contributing to the community by applying their home building expertise to homes in Mountain View that people can afford.
We toured several of these houses. They were practically and attractively designed with quality construction and a warm feel. Again CIHA innovative financing is the key element to the success of these homes.
CIHA's approach and effort towards working with the borrower over time both is compassionate and practical. It recognizes the reality of working with first-time low-income buyers who may need some extra attention and help not normally possible in traditional lending.
I want to thank Carol and her staff for the tour. I learned a tremendous amount about low income and senior housing in Anchorage and CIHA's critical leading role. We are very fortunate to have CIHA.