 Stone Way Apartments, located in Seattle, Washington, is a great example of low-income housing that is also green. This is an important combination of qualities. When it comes to low-income housing, families and individuals have often been forced to live in housing that reflected a low standard, but EnviroCitizen.org has discovered that it’s all starting to change!
The average American probably sees green choices as more expensive. Many argue that organic food, for example, is too costly. They see organic silk shirts as extravagant and believe solar panels are far too expensive for the average person to afford. Even green building practices get criticized, with many claiming that sustainable designs cost too much. Low-income housing has often been seen as something that is necessary, but something that should be basic and cheap. Affordable housing options have been bleak, until now. When asked to visualize affordable housing, most Americans conjure up an image of drab, dark, dirty buildings in bad areas of town. However, many developers are changing this idea; they are transforming affordable housing into modern, environmentally friendly buildings. Now more than ever, affordable housing is joining the green revolution!
Stone Way Apartments, which is a full city block, is an excellent example of modern, green, low-income housing. It consists of seventy affordable apartments that are available to families and individuals earning up to sixty percent of the median income of Seattle. Residents of Stone Way Apartments get more than just affordable housing. They live in apartments that were constructed with sustainable building materials and methods. They get better health through improved indoor air quality and a better living environment. They also get low-flow fixtures, reduced water use and reduced energy consumption.EnviroCitizen.org discovered that residents of Stone Way Apartments actually get some of their energy on-site through solar photovoltaic panels, while the remainder of their clean, renewable energy comes from a green power agreement with the local utility company. Impressive!
The importance of these features is undeniable. Several studies indicate that a good living environment and pride in one’s place of dwelling can inspire families and individuals to achieve more and to increase their incomes so that they can have a better quality of life. To residents of Stone Way Apartments, their apartments reflect just that. Stone Way Apartments has received numerous awards, including the SeaGreen Achievement Award from the Office of Housing in the City of Seattle. They achieved that award for their efforts in including sustainable building materials and methods in their promotion of economic living and living in a healthy environment.
Stone Way Apartments is one of several examples that EnviroCitizen.org has found of how green building really can make a difference, both in terms of the residents that occupy the buildings and in terms of a lighter carbon footprint and environmental impact. EnviroCitizen.org hopes to see other companies and states following their lead and putting forth the effort to promote green living in practical, socially beneficial ways for individuals of all income levels!
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