The Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) announced today it will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 12 at 11:30 a.m. to mark the second phase of Salishan redevelopment. According to a statement released today, Senator Patty Murray, Congressman Norm Dicks, Senator Debbie Regala, Deputy Mayor Julie Anderson and Councilmember Rick Talbert will lead the ceremony, which will take place at “Center Park,” bordered by 40th, 41st and East T Streets, at Salishan.

The ceremony will celebrate the completion of 270 units of affordable rental housing and the infrastructure supporting not only those units but also Community Health Care’s Kimi and Dr. George Tanbara Medical-Dental Clinic, that opened recently, parks, common areas and the coming construction later this year and following of 182 single family homes for sale, a 55 unit apartment building for seniors, and the Education, Training and Retail Center.

Phase II shares with the other Salishan phases award winning environmental features, including an innovative system of bio-infiltration swales to keep runoff out of the city’s storm water drainage system and therefore out of Commencement Bay and Puget Sound. It also features award winning designs for its housing, parks, and common spaces.

The construction for the rental housing and the infrastructure in this Phase II is ahead of schedule and within its budget of about $96 million, according to Ken Miller, Chair of THA’s Board of Commissioners.

Plans for Salishan Phase II include construction of 182 for-sale homes by third-party builders. At least 25 per cent of these for-sale homes will be affordable to households earning up to 60 per cent of Annual Median Income. Habitat for Humanity has purchased lots for nine of these homes and plans to build a total of 22 affordable homes for purchase in Phase II. American Baptist Homes of the West will construct a 55-unit senior building starting in 2010. Phase II will also include the Education, Training and Retail Center that is planned to have education and training programming, a child care center, a public library, a green grocer and a bank or credit union.

THA is redeveloping its Salishan public housing community. Sparked by a $35 million HOPE VI grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2000, this project demolished 855 worn out public housing units built in 1942, is replacing 188 acres of old infrastructure and is building a new mixed-income neighborhood of homeowners, renters, commercial buildings and parks. When completed, New Salishan will have new infrastructure, 1,200 – 1,300 dwelling units, including about 390 privately owned single family homes, parks and playgrounds, and a neighborhood core with a medical-dental clinic and an education, training and retail center. Within and adjacent to New Salishan, the Tacoma School District has built a new elementary school and a new middle school. New Salishan has already won numerous awards for its attractive and environmentally responsible design. This project should be completed in 2011.

For more information about New Salishan, go to http://www.tacomahousing.org .