Research & Innovations

From the King County Housing Authority's press release:

The King County Housing Authority (KCHA), joined by the City of Issaquah, US Representative Kim Schrier, public officials, funding partners, development partners, and community stakeholders, today celebrated the groundbreaking for Trailhead Apartments, a new transit-oriented housing community that will bring 154 affordable rental homes to the heart of Issaquah.

Trailhead Apartments will provide affordable homes for households earning up to 40% and 60% of Issaquah’s Area Median Income (AMI), addressing the growing need for affordable housing on the Eastside. Developed by KCHA, the eight-story community will feature a mix of family-sized apartments and amenities designed to support long-term housing stability and quality of life.

The development is part of a broader mixed-income community that includes affordable homes developed by KCHA and market-rate housing developed separately, connected by public open space and pedestrian pathways. Plans for the site include a public plaza, restored wetlands, and a multimodal trail, and community-serving commercial space owned by the City of Issaquah.

Resident amenities will include a community room, exercise room, study room, fourth-floor courtyard, bicycle storage, and other shared spaces. The development is located next to the Issaquah Transit Center and across from Tibbetts Valley Park, and is designed to support a vibrant, walkable, mixed-income neighborhood centered around transit access and community connection.

Trailhead Apartments will also include several homes operated by Life Enrichment Options (LEO) for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, creating additional opportunities for inclusive community living.

Construction is now underway, with leasing and occupancy anticipated in 2028.

From the Cambridge Housing Authority's website:

Standing tall on the banks of the Mystic River in the heart of historic Medford Square, Saltonstall Apartments has been part of the community’s fabric since 1968. On Wednesday, June 24, a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the beginning of a new chapter in the nearly six-decade-old residence. 

That new chapter began in 2019, when Cambridge Housing Authority Deputy Executive Director of Development Margaret Donnelly Moran and former Executive Director Mike Johnston concluded a presentation on the impact of Cambridge Housing Authority’s redevelopment efforts to protect, preserve and transform its public housing properties. The first person to greet them afterward was Medford Housing Authority Executive Director Jeffrey Driscoll asking how he could implement a comparable plan in Medford. 

The task was to evaluate MHA’s federal housing portfolio for repositioning, as well as its state portfolio for redevelopment. Assessing options for Saltonstall while considering options and available funding sources, the CHA team’s experience with similarly aged properties helped inform MHA that the property would qualify for HUD’s Section 18 disposition and trigger the tenant protection vouchers that would help fund the rehabilitation. It was not clear in the early stages that Low-Income Housing Tax Credits would be needed or that the CHA’s work with MHA would evolve from acting as a development consultant to becoming a development partner. In late 2022, after the project received no equity proposals, a unique co-development arrangement between the two agencies became necessary for the redevelopment to move forward. 

To tackle a project of that scale, MHA needed a partner with a track record of success with large-scale renovations and navigating the complexities of LIHTC development financing. The conversation quickly turned toward a potential partnership. Soon after, Cambridge Housing Authority staff visited the property to assess how they could help. While the aging brick building faced significant challenges, both housing authorities recognized an opportunity to create something transformative, and an agreement between MHA and CHA was formalized in early January 2020 and entered a three-year planning phase. 

During her remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, CHA CEO Clara Fraden recalled, “When MHA approached CHA, they brought vision, commitment, and a deep responsibility to their residents and to the Medford community. MHA’s leadership knew Saltonstall needed a comprehensive renovation, and they were determined to do it in a way that preserved their public stewardship and strengthened the housing authority’s capacity for the future. That matters. Continued public stewardship is not easy in today’s economy, but it’s worth fighting for.” 

Construction began in May 2023 to modernize all 200 existing apartments and add 22 new units, while preserving the property’s long-term affordability. The renovated one- and two-bedroom apartments feature central heating and air conditioning, accessible walk-in showers, and modern kitchens. Designed with community in mind, the building also includes welcoming gathering spaces throughout the first-floor lobby, a second-floor rooftop terrace, fitness and community rooms, and other flexible uses of space and amenities to support residents who wish to age in place. 

From its thoughtfully designed apartments with modern amenities to its communal spaces, the renovated Saltonstall Apartments presents a vision of the future of affordable housing in Medford and stands as a testament to what is possible when neighboring communities work together toward a common goal. Together, two housing authorities have ensured that Saltonstall residents will have access to safe, modern, and dignified housing for generations to come. 

Through the collaboration of two public housing authorities, Medford and Cambridge, the redevelopment of Saltonstall Apartments demonstrates the power and potential of the public-public partnership. Working together, CHA and MHA were able to maintain public control of the property, create financial resources for the public entities that can be reinvested into the property or mission, and allow for truly public accountability and transparency. And as part of that unique co-developer arrangement between the two housing authorities, CHA will eventually exit the deal, leaving MHA the property’s sole owner. 

“When two housing authorities succeed together, the entire public sector succeeds.” Fraden concluded. “And, Saltonstall is proof of what is possible when public agencies choose to stand together, learn from each other, and stay focused on the people and communities we are here to serve.” 

From the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh's press release:

This school year marks a major milestone for the Clean Slate E3 Scholarship Program and our valued partners at NEED. Scholarship investments in HACP youth have now exceeded $1 million since the program’s 2009 inception.

Clean Slate and NEED have awarded funds to 24 new Clean Slate E3 Scholarship recipients (which equals up to $480,000 over four years), and 14 returning students for the 2026-27 school year. This school year’s total contributions for the 38 scholarships is $187,500.

Clean Slate awards up to $4,000 and NEED awards up to $1,000 a year for four years to each recipient, with total awards of up to $20,000 to recipients who are chosen by representatives at NEED. 

Monies from the scholarship fund come from HACP employee donations and other contributions; it is not funded with federal dollars.

“The HACP is committed to investing in its youth,” HACP Executive Director Caster D. Binion said. “This commitment is evident by the ongoing efforts of the Clean Slate E3 Scholarship Program, and our own employee donations and other contributions that have helped us to surpass such a monumental milestone with more than $1 million in funding since 2009. We are proud of our youth who are putting in this hard work to secure bright futures, and are happy to help them by being a place to live and a path to launch.”

HACP residents — in both Low-Income Public Housing and the Housing Choice Voucher Program — who are either graduating high school or continuing their college education with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher — are eligible to apply.

“We’ve reached two milestones this year. This is the largest group of scholarship recipients that we’ve had since the inception of the scholarship program in 2009 and we’ve surpassed the $1 million dollar mark in scholarships funded to HACP youth!” Susan Lofaro, Clean Slate E3 program manager, said. “I’m excited by the momentum that this Clean Slate E3 program has made in the past year and we’ll continue our outreach efforts.”

She added Clean Slate wants families to know scholarships are given to students attending traditional four-year institutions, as well as those wishing to attend trade or technical schools. 

“We continue to be grateful for our partnership with NEED to ensure a seamless process when working with both the students and schools,” she said.

“Receiving this 20,000 scholarship would help me pay for my education and reduce the stress of paying for college,” Housing Choice Voucher resident Heaven-Marie Green said. “It would allow me to focus more on my classes, learning and reaching my goals instead of worrying about money. This scholarship would also help me buy books, supplies and cover other school-related expenses, making it easier for me to succeed.” Heaven-Marie is majoring in education at Duquesne University.

“This scholarship would help with books and any supplies needed for my education, which would greatly ease my family’s financial burden, allowing them to focus on my siblings while I continue studying,” Samara Freeman. Samara, a Low-Income Public Housing resident, is majoring in psychology at Cheyney University.