Carol’s Message
Dear Friends,
This year CIHA has reached a major milestone in our Neighborhood Revitalization Program in Mountain View. The first phase of our Mountain View project is now substantially complete and we’ve moved families into brand new single family residences and nearly new apartment units.
Our goal was to make Mountain View a neighborhood of choice by increasing owner occupied housing, improving the quality of the housing stock, decreasing the rate of absentee landlords and encouraging private and other community investments through redevelopment, while preserving affordable housing opportunities.
Along with our affordable housing partners, Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services (ANHS), Habitat for Humanity - Anchorage, Alaska Housing Initiative, and Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), the residential landscape of Mountain View is slowly transforming to include brand new brightly colored housing, new roofs and windows, fresh paint, attractive landscaping, and new fencing scattered all over the community.
In addition to our work in the community, I truly believe that our collective efforts in Mountain View have "ignited a spark" inspiring local landlords and homeowners to take a closer look at their own properties. All of these improvements have made a big collective impact on the neighborhood. As we worked to construct new homes and renovate older apartments this past spring, summer and fall, we’ve observed some of this activity first hand. Change is happening on all levels… CIHA’s investment is obvious, but change is happening all over the neighborhood giving Mountain View a new energy and vitality.
Let me share some examples:
Next door to one of our new homes on Peterkin Ave. lives a lady who grew up in Mountain View in the very home she currently resides in with her husband, who is semi-retired. As a part of our re-development efforts, CIHA offered to replace a shared backyard side fence. She noticed that we’d already removed some dead trees and overgrown brush, and decided that with such a nice, new section of fencing coming in, maybe she should clean out and remove an old shed in her backyard… or more accurately, make her husband do it.
A neighbor to one of our homes on Klevin Street, a retired mechanic, felt that since we were replacing a shared fence and removing some trees on the property lines, this was probably a good time to get rid of the old vehicles in his back yard and finally have the yard space he’s always wanted.
The neighbor to our home at 341 Taylor St., a gentleman who has occupied the same house for over 30 years, took great interest in the new house we built next door. A few days after the new house was painted he was observed scraping the siding of his house and filling the holes, preparing for paint. A week later, the house had been painted, nearly the same color as our house.
On the corner of Thompson and Flower, at a sizeable apartment complex the entire fence around the apartment complex was sanded, and prepared for re-painting, a job that took over a couple weeks to complete and with remarkable noticeable results.
Across the street from the Price Street 4-plexes, 3 or 4 apartment buildings are being re-shingled. All of the existing shingles were removed and are being replaced with 30-year, high quality shingles.
About 3 lots away from our properties on Bliss, some old, barrack-style apartments were cleaned up and repainted.
The impact of everyone doing their part in sprucing up their properties goes a long way toward changing the face of the neighborhood. It is not enough for Cook Inlet Housing and the other providers to be the change agents. As Hillary Clinton is best known for saying, "it takes a village," and we’re proud to be a part of this powerful effort which has ignited the spark moving Mountain View toward powerful, positive change. As individuals, we can do good things… together we can accomplish great things, and Mountain View is just one great example.
With the idea of "igniting the spark" in mind, I can’t let the moment pass during this holiday season without reminding all of you that one person, one gesture, one good deed really can make a difference in the lives of an individual, a family or a community. The simple things we all do can truly make a difference - speaking words of kindness, seeking the good in people, sharing your food with the hungry, using your hands to help others, and allowing your caring and passion for people show.
As many of you are likely aware, Cook Inlet Housing Authority is supporting the GIFT program this year. We invite all of you to celebrate the grand opening of this first phase of Mountain View Village by taking a driving tour of our homes and finally stopping by our Giving Tree, located at one of our 4-plex properties at 617 and 629 Bragaw. Bring an unwrapped child’s toy and join our staff for some cocoa and caroling. Get into the spirit of the season. Ignite the spark.
Carol