Affordable housing winners honored for intelligence, courage, heart
The Daily Transcript
June 15, 2012
Every San Diegan deserves a place to call home, and the San Diego Housing Federation honored those working to make that happen at the 2012 Ruby Awards on Thursday.
“[The Ruby] embodies Dorothy’s mantra, ‘There’s no place like home,’” said Susan Riggs Tinsky, executive director of the San Diego Housing Federation. She said the organizations and individuals at the ceremony all have what the characters in "The Wizard of Oz" were seeking: intelligence, courage and heart.
Winners took home Ruby trophies for their efforts to build and advocate for affordable housing in San Diego.
Five projects were awarded Housing Project of the Year. Taking home the trophy for Housing Project of the Year with more than 50 units was the Crossings at Escondido by the Urban Housing Communities LLC. The City and Urban Housing Committees acquired 13 properties at the beginning of the foreclosure wave and developed at 55-unit, three story family development.
The Ruby for Housing Project of the Year with fewer than 50 units was awarded to the Affirmed Housing Group for Riverwalk Apartments, Nestor. Riverwalk was transformed from an abandoned property with a creek running through the site into 50 one-, two- and three-bedroom homes with a restored creek bed.
South Bay Community Services took home the Ruby for the Housing Project of the Year — Special Needs category for its Muncey Manor project in Chula Vista. Eleven young adults aged 18 to 24 who have aged out of the foster care system live at Muncey Manor, which was financed by the County of San Diego, City of Chula Vista and a gift from Fred Muncey.
The Housing Project of the Year — Rehabilitation category was awarded to Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation for Vista Grande Apartments in Valencia Park. Existing structures in the 49-unit large family apartment development were improved, outdoor spaces were restored and accessibility features were added to the community.
Richard Lawrence was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Lawrence founded the Affordable Housing Coalition in San Diego and supported low-income households with advocacy efforts. He is known for his civil rights activism, including marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mary Jane Jagodzinski presented the award to Lawrence after singing a song with the lyrics, “People like you help people like us go on, go on.”
In accepting his award, Lawrence said he worked with several inspirational men in the nation including Jesse Jackson and King.
“Dr. King is the best example in that group, but all of them inspired thousands of us to be bigger and tougher and more determined than we ever believed we could be. Consequently, we were able to do things we never expected we could do,” said Lawrence. “As you are not surprised to hear, we have not done enough. San Diego needs leadership — leaders willing to say and do whatever is needed to address the shortcomings we face as a city. My biggest wish is that something I have done may have inspired you to show up and speak up and stand up for an unpopular cause and fight until you have nothing left. To address the inadequacies and the injustices that make our city less than it ought to be and much less than it can be and much less than it will be.”
Other awards given out Thursday night included: 15th & Commercial received the Innovation Housing Project of the Year for Father Joe’s Villages; Margery Pierce from the City of Oceanside was presented the John Craven Memorial Award; Outstanding Advocate was presented to Murtaza Baxamusa from the San Diego Building Trades — Family Housing Corporation; The City of Escondido Community Services Department won the Outstanding Government Agency award; the Multi-Cultural Contractors Group was presented with the Outstanding Development Partner Award; The Resident Services Team from the San Diego Community Housing Corporation was awarded the Ruby for Outstanding Service to Residents; The Special Recognition Award was presented to Caroline Epps from the San Diego Interfaith Housing Foundation; and the CSH Supportive Housing Award was presented to the Lead Provider Organizations for Ending Homelessness in the Downtown San Diego Campaign.
June 15, 2012
Every San Diegan deserves a place to call home, and the San Diego Housing Federation honored those working to make that happen at the 2012 Ruby Awards on Thursday.
“[The Ruby] embodies Dorothy’s mantra, ‘There’s no place like home,’” said Susan Riggs Tinsky, executive director of the San Diego Housing Federation. She said the organizations and individuals at the ceremony all have what the characters in "The Wizard of Oz" were seeking: intelligence, courage and heart.
Winners took home Ruby trophies for their efforts to build and advocate for affordable housing in San Diego.
Five projects were awarded Housing Project of the Year. Taking home the trophy for Housing Project of the Year with more than 50 units was the Crossings at Escondido by the Urban Housing Communities LLC. The City and Urban Housing Committees acquired 13 properties at the beginning of the foreclosure wave and developed at 55-unit, three story family development.
The Ruby for Housing Project of the Year with fewer than 50 units was awarded to the Affirmed Housing Group for Riverwalk Apartments, Nestor. Riverwalk was transformed from an abandoned property with a creek running through the site into 50 one-, two- and three-bedroom homes with a restored creek bed.
South Bay Community Services took home the Ruby for the Housing Project of the Year — Special Needs category for its Muncey Manor project in Chula Vista. Eleven young adults aged 18 to 24 who have aged out of the foster care system live at Muncey Manor, which was financed by the County of San Diego, City of Chula Vista and a gift from Fred Muncey.
The Housing Project of the Year — Rehabilitation category was awarded to Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation for Vista Grande Apartments in Valencia Park. Existing structures in the 49-unit large family apartment development were improved, outdoor spaces were restored and accessibility features were added to the community.
Richard Lawrence was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Lawrence founded the Affordable Housing Coalition in San Diego and supported low-income households with advocacy efforts. He is known for his civil rights activism, including marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mary Jane Jagodzinski presented the award to Lawrence after singing a song with the lyrics, “People like you help people like us go on, go on.”
In accepting his award, Lawrence said he worked with several inspirational men in the nation including Jesse Jackson and King.
“Dr. King is the best example in that group, but all of them inspired thousands of us to be bigger and tougher and more determined than we ever believed we could be. Consequently, we were able to do things we never expected we could do,” said Lawrence. “As you are not surprised to hear, we have not done enough. San Diego needs leadership — leaders willing to say and do whatever is needed to address the shortcomings we face as a city. My biggest wish is that something I have done may have inspired you to show up and speak up and stand up for an unpopular cause and fight until you have nothing left. To address the inadequacies and the injustices that make our city less than it ought to be and much less than it can be and much less than it will be.”
Other awards given out Thursday night included: 15th & Commercial received the Innovation Housing Project of the Year for Father Joe’s Villages; Margery Pierce from the City of Oceanside was presented the John Craven Memorial Award; Outstanding Advocate was presented to Murtaza Baxamusa from the San Diego Building Trades — Family Housing Corporation; The City of Escondido Community Services Department won the Outstanding Government Agency award; the Multi-Cultural Contractors Group was presented with the Outstanding Development Partner Award; The Resident Services Team from the San Diego Community Housing Corporation was awarded the Ruby for Outstanding Service to Residents; The Special Recognition Award was presented to Caroline Epps from the San Diego Interfaith Housing Foundation; and the CSH Supportive Housing Award was presented to the Lead Provider Organizations for Ending Homelessness in the Downtown San Diego Campaign.