Awards

Shining Star Community Partner Award (March 2024)

Tacoma Public Schools (TPS) Community Partnership Office established the Shining Star Community Partner Award in 2014 to recognize and thank community partners and volunteers who go above and beyond in their support of student success.

VISION 2050 Award (2022)

On August 24, 2022, THA won a VISION 2050 Award from the Puget Sound Regional Council for the Arlington Drive Youth Campus. The VISION 2050 awards recognize innovative projects and programs in the central Puget Sound region that help ensure a sustainable future.

Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association Award for Excellence in Planning (2021)

THA received the Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association’s award for Community Involvement for our work on the Arlington Drive Campus.

Jack Kemp Excellence in Affordable and Workforce Housing Award – Chairman’s Award (2021)

Gold Nugget Award (2021)

PCBC’s 58th Annual Gold Nugget Awards presented its Grand Award for Best Supportive/Transitional Housing to Arlington Drive Youth Campus, “a superior example of how housing can be combined with supportive services at a large scale and effectively serve as a solution for young people in crisis who are in need of a helping hand.”

AMOCAT Arts Award (2017)

The Tacoma Arts Commission awarded THA the 2017 AMOCAT Arts Patron Award for art projects at Bay Terrace. The AMOCAT Arts Awards honor the people and organizations that positively impact the community with their passion, innovation and commitment to the arts.

Sustainability Award (2016)

Affordable Housing Consortium – Tacoma Housing Authority and Heritage Bank received recognition for the Children’s Savings Account program by the Affordable Housing Consortium (AHC) at the 6th Annual Excellence in Affordable Housing Awards Celebration, which was held on Oct. 20th at the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma. 

Margaret M. Sevy Affordable Housing Lifetime Achievement Award (2016)

Congressman Denny Heck presented the Margaret M. Sevy Affordable Housing Lifetime Achievement Award to Tacoma Housing Authority director Michael Mirra.

Center for Active Design Excellence Award (2016)

The Center for Active Design recognized the Bay Terrace Community + Education Center for creating a learning environment with many opportunities for movement.

Forterra Award (2013)

On May 29, 2013 Tacoma Housing Authority and Walsh Construction received an award from Forterra (formerly Cascade Land Conservancy).  The award honors Salishan for its features promoting the environment, growth management and social justice.

VISION 2040 Award (2013)

Puget Sound Regional Council – On April 25, 2013, Tacoma Housing Authority’s McCarver Program was recognized by the Puget Sound Regional Council’s VISION 2040, its growth, environmental, economic, and transportation vision for the central Puget Sound region.

Excellence in Affordable Housing Award (2012)

Affordable Housing Consortium – Tacoma Housing Authority received the Excellence in Affordable Housing Award on October 24, 2012.  The award recognized THA’s McCarver Education Project.

Excellence in Innovation Award (2011)

Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness – On November 15, 2011 during Homeless Awareness week, Tacoma Housing Authority was recognized by the Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness specifically for THA’s McCarver Education Project.

Certified LEED for HOMES Platinum Award for Salishan Redevelopment (2010)

This award recognizes THA’s commitment to building in a sustainable fashion with particular attention being paid to: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Platinum is the highest rating a project can receive under the LEED system.

Award for Excellence in Sustainable Community (2010)

Home Depot Foundation – The Home Depot Foundation’s Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development recognizes THA’s accomplishments toward planning and implementing sustainability in Salishan.

Community Service Construction Award (2008)

A. Philip Randolph Institute (Tacoma Chapter) – This award recognizes THA’s successful efforts to make construction contracting for the Salishan redevelopment accessible to firms owned by persons of color and women, and to make employment on that project accessible to low-income residents of the City of Tacoma.

Excellence in Fair Housing, Housing Justice Award (2008)

Fair Housing Center of Washington – This award recognizes THA’s efforts, and the success of those efforts, for a racially diverse pool of home purchasers in Phase I of the Salishan redevelopment.

Excellence in Construction, MultiFamily Category (2008)
International Place for Seniors at Salishan, Korean Womens Association

Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington – This award recognizes the Korean Womens Association for the high quality of construction of International Place, its 55-unit apartment building for seniors at Salishan.

Governor’s Smart Communities Judge’s Merit Award (2007)

Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development – This award honors the Salishan Redevelopment Project for outstanding achievement in creating livable and vibrant communities. The Governor’s Smart Communities Awards Program has been established to recognize outstanding work by local governments and their partners on growth management and community development. Salishan is a large-scale neighborhood redevelopment project that creates 970 attractive rental units and 300 homeownership units for various income levels; education and health centers, parks and open space, while incorporating low impact development techniques; financing impressive; affordability outstanding.

Builder’s Choice Award for Design and Planning (2007)

Builder’s Magazine – Green Sustainable Communities – The revitalization of Salishan has been able to achieve 91% filtration of all storm water on-site, vastly reducing the amount of pollution flowing into Swan Creek. The new design is not only sensitive to the needs of the community, but also the surrounding environment.

Charter Award for Neighborhood Design (2007)

Congress for New Urbanism – An award for Salishan and its use of new strategies to renew deteriorated public housing and damaged natural environment that transformed Salishan’s housing into a desirable mixed-income community that uses infiltrating bioswales as the component in storm water management.

Creating Community Connection Award (2007)

American Institute of Architects and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – This award for Salishan recognizes excellence in affordable housing architecture, neighborhood design and accessibility. Good design is a cornerstone of thriving homes and communities of all incomes and backgrounds. These awards demonstrate that design matters and provide examples of important benchmarks in the housing industry.

Multi-Family Housing Design Award (2007)

American Institute of Architects – In this award for Salishan, the AIA recognizes the best housing design and promotes the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit and a valuable national resource.

This project is a HOPE VI Grant with the goal of creating a livable, vibrant community and restoring/ protecting the natural resources of the neighborhood, particularly Swan Creek. This new revitalization has been able to achieve 91% filtration of all storm water on-site, vastly reducing the amount of pollution flowing into Swan Creek. The architects were able to create a connective, eco-friendly, pedestrian friendly neighborhood through the integration of a variety of parks, paths and swales. The new design is not only sensitive to the needs of the community, but also to the surrounding environment.

The jury said of the Salishan project, “Takes an existing temporary housing for shipyard workers and transforms it to a multi-generational and multi-ethnic population…The project is warm and has a sense of permanence. It is clearly anchored and tied in with the community…fabulous!”

VISION 2020 Award (2006)

Puget Sound Regional Council of Governments – This award for the Salishan Redevelopment Project honors Tacoma Housing Authority, Lorig Associates LLC, Torti Gallas and Partners, CHK, Parametrix, Walsh Construction Company/WA, McGranahan Architects, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, State of Washington Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, and the City of Tacoma for promoting a livable region by helping implement VISION 2020 the regional growth management, economic and transportation strategy.

Community Service Award (2004-2005)

A. Philip Randolph Institute (Tacoma Chapter) – In recognition of THA’s outstanding efforts in developing and implementing community participation for the Tacoma Salishan Hope VI project in 2004-2005.

Appreciation for Partnership in Eliza McCabe Homes and Hillside Gardens (2005)

Intercommunity Mercy Housing – In appreciation of THA’s efforts to help create homes and possibilities for 65 families in Tacoma at Intercommunity Mercy Housing’s communities of Eliza McCabe Homes and Hillside Gardens.

Cross-Cultural Collaboration Award (2005)

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department – The Cross- Cultural Collaborative presents this award to the Tacoma Housing Authority and its staff for adopting a policy that protects residents from tobacco smoke. Thank you for being a leader in providing smoke-free air to senior and disabled residents in Pierce County.

National Award of Merit in Project Design for Hillside Terrace 2300 Block (2005)

National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) – This National Award of Merit in Project Design honors the Tacoma Housing Authority for the Revitalization of the 2300 Block Hillside Terrace from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.

National Award of Merit in Program Innovation: Summer Youth Programming (2005)

National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) – This National Award of Merit in Program Innovation-Resident and Client Services honors the Tacoma Housing Authority for its Summer Youth Programs.