HISTORY

 

1971

• April 1: Snohomish County Commissioners receive a petition signed by 278 citizens calling for the creation of a public housing authority.  In response, the Board of County Commissioners authorizes the creation of the Housing Authority of Snohomish County as an independent public corporation, under the State of Washington Housing Authorities Law

• May 6: HASCO is incorporated and enters into a contract with Washington Housing Services

• November 4: First contract with HUD is approved; provides funds to lease 75 units of housing

• Housing voucher program is run by King County Housing Authority

1973

• Leased housing program is expanded to 200 units

1977

• Leasing housing program is further expanded to 300 units

1978

• Snohomish County Board of Commissions asks a consultant to analyze ways HASCO can expand its services beyond the leased housing program.  The consultant recommends that HASCO be considered for receipt of CDBG funds

• Housing voucher program no longer run by King County Housing Authority

• December 12: Hires first employee, Executive Director Stephen Holt, using Snohomish County CDBG funds

1980

• August: In conjunction with Snohomish County, begins administration of the Snohomish County Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program, to provide low-interest and deferred loans to eligible County citizens outside Everett city limits for home repairs

1982

• Begins working with Snohomish Senior Services on the Minor Home Repair Program, to assist the County’s low-income seniors with home repairs

1984

• Forms a partnership with Everett Housing Authority and Snohomish County Human Services Department to form Project Self-Sufficiency, which helps low-income families become self-sufficient

• Purchases 4 single-family homes in the Historic District of Snohomish built prior to 1890, part of Soap Suds Row, for the purpose of restoring them and using them as low-income elderly housing, with tenants paying $160/month in rent

1985

• Awarded 100 Project Self-Sufficiency program housing vouchers in a national competition

• Begins admitting participants to the Project Self-Sufficiency program

• Receives Washington Trust for Historic Preservation Award for Soap Suds Row

• Launches Rental Rehabilitation program, which provides funds for investor/owners to upgrade rental housing

1986

• Awarded 50 additional Project Self-Sufficiency vouchers in a national competition
• Working with Counterpoint Mental Health Service, constructs Aurora House

1987

• Awarded 40 additional Project Self-Sufficiency vouchers in the HUD Region X Competition

1988

• Receives National Recognition Program for Urban Development Excellence Certificate of National Merit for Soap Suds Row

1990

• Awarded 40 additional Project Self-Sufficiency certificates in a national competition

1991

• Begins development of Center House Apartments, a 44-unit building in south Snohomish County

• Snohomish County Project Self-Sufficiency receives achievement awards for excellence in service delivery from the National Association of Counties, and a HUD Sustained Performance Award

• Receives 28 certificates for Project Self-Sufficiency from HUD through the community-based initiative Operation Bootstrap

1992

• Initiates a first-time homebuyer program with the construction of 4 homes in Arlington

1993

• Moves beyond its original mission of serving very low-income families and begins to purchase and renovate existing multi-family complexes for low-income working families

• May: Purchases Raintree Village Apartments, a 112-unit building in south Snohomish County

• December: Purchases Valley Commons Apartments, a 51-unit building in Marysville

1994

• Purchases Thomas Place (formerly Thomas Lake Mobile Home Park), with support from the State and County, to preserve it as a manufactured home community

1995

• Purchases and rehabilitates Whispering Pines, a rundown 240-unit 1960s apartment building in Lynnwood

1996

• Purchases office space, using rental income from leasing another part of the building to pay debt service

• May: Forms Rural Development Division after acquisition of six complexes of USDA 515 Rural Rental housing in north Snohomish County

1998

• Original Commission Vice Chair Leo Gese appointed Commissioner Emeritus

1999

• Receives a NAHRO Award of Merit for Program Innovation in Affordable Housing for the Thomas Place Manufactured Home Community

• Receives a NAHRO award for Program Innovation in Resident and Client Services for the Rental Assistance Program for Working Families

• Acquires Millwood Estates, a 300-unit building near Martha Lake

• November: Purchases two 24-unit buildings: Woodlake Manor in Snohomish, which is targeted for seniors and the disabled, and the Fairview Apartments in Monroe, intended for families

• Receives $525,000 as part of the Sound Families grant program to provide 21 units of housing to single parent homeless families at the Fairview and East Terrace buildings, with Pathways for Women YWCA partnering to provide services

2000

• January: Begins its Welfare-To-Work program in partnership with Everett Housing Authority and 13 service-partner agencies after being awarded 700 program vouchers

2001

• HASCO celebrates its 30th anniversary on May 6, 2001

• Acquires Edmonds Highlands, a 120-unit building in Edmonds

• Awarded $330,000 from Sound Families to provide 12 units of transitional housing for women and children at Edmonds Highlands, with Pathways for Women YWCA partnering to provide services

2003

• Receives a NAHRO award for Program Innovation in Affordable Housing for Markland Woods Affordable Condominiums

• Receives a NAHRO award for Program Innovation in Affordable Housing for Project Based Vouchers Supporting Sound Families

• December: Purchases Ebey Arms Apartments, a 54-unit building in Marysville

2005

• Receives $175,000 from Sound Families toward rehabilitation of Autumn Leaf, which provides transitional housing to homeless families; partner Catholic Community Services of Western Washington provides services

• September: Acquires the Autumn Chase Apartments, a 120-unit complex near Bothell

2006

• May: Purchases Olympic View and Sound View, two adjacent buildings in Edmonds comprising 86 total units, to preserve as housing for low-income senior citizens

2007

• Receives a NAHRO Award of Merit in Housing and Community Development for Kokanee Creek, an affordable mixed-income condominium community located in south Everett

• May: Acquires Kingsbury East and The Squire Mobile Home Parks in Lynnwood, preventing the land from being redeveloped and allowing current senior citizen residents to remain