Housing

About Firwood

Firwood is a 20 bed DSHS licensed boarding home purchased by Community House in 1998. Firwood like Spring and Hilltop Manor is a 24 hour staffed facility purchased from private sector owners. Firwood had been in the Greenwood neighborhood since the 1940’s as a home for the aged. Community House was interested in the property because the site had room for additional expansion of housing.

Acquisition or Construction Funding

In 1998 Community House purchased Firwood from private owners under owner financing. In 2004 Community House submitted to City of Seattle and State of Washington application to rebuild Firwood Group Home and also build an 8 bedroom “cluster house” on the site known at 110th St. Operations at the rebuilt 20 single room Firwood DSHS licensed boarding home began in 2007.

Operating Subsidies

Firwood does not receive subsidies for operation. All operations are supported by client monies and service dollars from DSHS Operations are therefore vacancy sensitive.

Loan Terms

Loan with State of Washington of $920,146 at 4% interest simple interest accrues at 1% for SO years. Payments of 50% of net cash flow if available. To date there is not cash flow and will not be based on type of operations. Loan will renew or be forgiven in 2054. Loan with City of Seattle of $975,589 at 4%. This note bears no interest and will convert to grant in January 2044 if property continues as low-income housing.

About Hilltop Manor

Hilltop Manor is a 35 bed DSHS licensed boarding home purchased by Community House in 1998 and refinanced in 2004. Hilltop Manor, like Spring Manor, is 24 hour staffed facility purchased from private sector owners. Hilltop Manor was different than Spring Manor in that it had a DSHS contract for clients who had medical issues or were aging. Community House clients were aging but wanted to still receive services from Community House and the Hilltop Manor purchase allowed the agency to do this. Community House was evolving to provide a full continuum of services to meet a variety of client needs. Board of Directors felt that it was imperative that these places continued to house our clients rather than being sold and redeveloped.

Acquisition or Construction Funding

In 2004 Hilltop Manor was most purchased in combination with refinancing and rehabilitation of Spring Manor under the HUD 232 Guaranteed Loan Program. The Federal Home Loan Bank also contributed to the refinance purchase of Hilltop Manor.

Operating Subsidies

Hilltop Manor does not receive subsidies for operation. All operations are supported by client monies and service dollars from DSHS Operations are therefore vacancy sensitive.
LOAN TERMS: Loan of approximately $1.4 million dollars at 6.55% payable principal and interest of $9,174 monthly through October 2028.

Grants

Federal Home Loan Bank grant of $184,815 that is completely forgivable after 15 year term ending September 30, 2020 as long as project serves people below 50% median income. All clients served at Hilltop are well below this at 30% of median and below because these are only clients referred under DSHS contract.

About Spring Manor

Spring Manor was originally a 55 bed DSHS licensed boarding home purchased by Community House in 1996. It now has 57 beds licensed beds. Spring Manor was first 24 hour staffed facility purchased from private sector owners and Community House would continue to purchase from private sector over the next several years as private sector owners were leaving the business because of lack of profit.

Community House clients lived in many of these homes and the Board of Directors felt that it was imperative that these places continued to house our clients rather than being sold and redeveloped in the hot real estate that was Seattle in the late 1990’s.

Acquisition or Construction Funding

Original purchase of Spring Manor occurred in 1996 through owner financing. In 2004 Spring Manor was most recently refinanced in combination with Hilltop Manor under the HUD 232 Guaranteed Loan Program. The Federal Home Loan Bank also contributed to the refinance purchase of Spring Manor.

Operating Subsidies

Spring Manor does not receive subsidies for operation. All operations are supported by client monies and service dollars from the King County Mental Health Division. Operations are therefore occupancy sensitive.

Loan Terms

Loan of with HUD of approximately $1.4 million dollars at 6.55% payable principal and interest of $9,014 monthly through October 2028.

Grants

Federal Home Loan Bank grant of $274,725 that is completely forgivable after 15 year term ending September 30, 2020 as long as project serves people below 50% median income. All clients served at Spring Manor are well below 30% of median income so regulatory requirements are easy to meet.

About 110th Place

110th Place is an 8 bedroom home built on the excess land that was part of the original Firwood Group Home.

A “cluster house” is a shared housing situation whereby each client is provided an individual bedroom, but shares common living room space, kitchen, and laundry facilities. The clients at the cluster house are provided service on-site, but this is not a 24 hour supervised living situation.

Daily contact is provided to each client that ranges from just check-in services to intensive case management depending on their needs. Most clients entering 110th are coming from Western State and local hospitals.

Acquisition or Construction Funding

In 1998 Community House purchased the Firwood site from private owners under owner financing.

In 2004 Community House submitted to City of Seattle and State of Washington application to rebuild Firwood Group Home and build an 8 bedroom “cluster house” on the excess land that was short-platted as its own parcel known as 110th St. Operation began 2007.

Operating Subsidies

This location does not receive subsidies for operation. All operations are supported by client monies. Operations are vacancy sensitive.

Loan Terms

Loan is wrapped in as one project with Firwood Group Home. Loan with State of Washington of $920,146 at 4% interest simple interest accrues at 1% for 50 years. Payments of 50% of net cash flow if available. To date there is not cash flow and will not be based on type of operations. Loan will renew or be forgiven in 2054. Loan with City of Seattle of $975,589 at 4%. This note bears no interest and will convert to grant in January 2044 if property continues as low­ income housing.

About Phinney Place

Phinney Place is an 8 bedroom home built on the excess land that was part of the original Brierwood Group Home. A “cluster house” is a shared housing situation whereby each client is provided an individual bedroom, but shares common living room space, kitchen, and laundry facilities. The clients are provided service on-site, but this is not 24 hour supervised living. Daily contact is provided to clients that ranges from just check-in services to intensive case management depending on their needs.

Acquisition or Construction Funding

In 1998 Community House purchased the Brierwood site from private owners under owner financing. In 1999 Community House submitted to City of Seattle and State of Washington application to take excess land on the Brierwood site and build an 8 bedroom “cluster house” on the excess land that was short-platted as its own parcel known as Phinney Place. Operations on the site began in 2002.

Operating Subsidies

Phinney Place has a City of Seattle Operations and Maintenance Contract that as of 2013 is approximately $21K per year.

Loan Terms

Loan with City of Seattle of $316,051. No payments of principal/interest if used for low-income housing. Due 2041 with 5 year extensions thereafter.

Grants

Federal Home Loan grant of $39,960 that is forgivable after 15 year term ending January 2017 as long as project serves people below 50% median income. All clients at Phinney are at or below 30% median income by City of Seattle agreements.

About George B

George B. was named after George Beamon who was a long time client and colorful character on the Seattle landscape. George was known for his ability to successfully “gate crash” local events. Many a mayor, bishop, and legislator met up with George and his mother Patsy at these events.

The George B. was the first residential project that Community House opened back in 1990. The George B. is a 9 large studio unit building with live-in manager, though the live-in manager is not required by regulatory agreement. Currently, the building has had numerous upgrades over past 5 years per age of building.

Construction Funding

The George B. was built with a combination of Washington State Housing Trust Fund and City of Seattle Housing Levy monies.

Operating Subsidies

George B. receives Operations and Maintenance Subsidies from City of Seattle Office of Housing of approximately $32K per year and Operations and Maintenance Subsidy from State of Washington or $15,000 per year.

Loan Terms

Loan with City of Seattle of $531,606 Due January 2030. 5 yr. extensions available thereafter if Community House chooses. Forgivable Loan as no principal/interest payments are due as long as property continues as low­income housing.

About Brierwood

Brierwood is a 24 unit residence that was built on land that was part of the original Brierwood Group Home. Brierwood is technically a “congregate residence” under Seattle zoning code. The zoning allowed Community House to maximize the number of units on the site. Each client has an individual “hotel style” room. This room has private bathroom, microwave, and small refrigerator. Each of the 3 floors of the building has a shared kitchen. The building has one full unit with individual kitchen for a resident manager unit.

Acquisition or Construction Funding

In 1998, Community House purchased the Brierwood site from private owners under owner financing. In 2008 Community House submitted to City of Seattle, King County, and State of Washington application to remove the old dilapidated Brierwood Group Home and build the 24 unit parcel known as Brierwood. Operations on the site began in 2010.

Operating Subsidies

Brierwood has a 20 year City of Seattle Operations and Maintenance Contract that as of 2013 is approximately 27K per year. Brierwood also receives a State of Washington Operations and Maintance Contract that as of 2013 was $25,000 per year.

Loan Terms

Loan with State of Washington of $1,207,853. No payments of principal/interest required if low-income housing. Matures December 2059. Loan with King County of $2,177,094. No payments of principal required if used as low-income housing. Matures December 2059. Loan City of Seattle of $1,139,842. No payments of principal and interest if low-income housing. Matures December 2059 with 25 year extension available.

About Caroline W

The Caroline W. Apartments provides housing to 44 homeless adults living with chronic mental illness with one additional unit for an on-site apartment manager. The apartments are named after a long time Board member who passed away in 2010 and bequeathed money to the agency for this project.  CHMHA’s core client group is single chronically mentally ill adults who are homeless, formerly homeless or in urgent need of permanent supportive housing as a result of mental illness or behavioral health issues.

Many CHMHA clients or future clients will have suffered from mental illness from a young age, and have exhausted family and support networks by the time they reach CHMHA or coordinated intake systems in urgent need of supportive housing and mental health services.

Acquisition or Construction Funding

This site was the original outpatient offices for Community House Mental Health.  It was purchased in 1982 and the agency day program, meal program, and support services operated out of this site until 2013.   In 2007 the agency purchased the adjacent site at 429 Boylston Ave. E. in order to build the Caroline W.  Funding for the project came from capital dollars City of Seattle Housing Levy, State of Washington Housing Trust Fund, and 9% tax credit private investors.

Operating Subsidies

The Caroline W. receives annual subsidy for operations from City of Seattle of approximately $125,000 per year, and $50,000 per year from the State of Washington.

Loan Terms

There are no loans that Community House pays on the project but at a 9% tax credit project the agency will have right of first refusal in 15 years to purchase or recapitalize the project.