Salem, Ore. – Salem has been awarded a national NOVOGRADAC award for Residential Development that Best Exemplifies Major Community Impact for the adaptive reuse of Yaquina Hall using historic tax credits.
Yaquina Hall, located at 2720 B Street NE, was built in 1947 and formerly served as an Oregon State Hospital Nursing building. The restored building reopened in 2023 as a 52-unit supportive housing development designed to address the needs of vulnerable populations, including those with serious and persistent mental illness. Yaquina Hall is managed by the Salem Housing Authority and the apartments are subsidized through project-based vouchers, with residents paying 30% of their income for rent.
“My goal is a home for every neighbor, and the completion of Yaquina Hall moves us towards that,” said Salem Mayor Chris Hoy. “These units, and the services that come with them, are a lifeline to those in our community experiencing significant challenges finding stability and a home,” said Salem Mayor Chris Hoy.
Yaquina Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places. Salem’s project prioritized preserving and revitalizing as many historic elements of the building as possible. As part of the project, windows were replaced with those that are energy-efficient and sound resistant, as well as met the National Park Standards for historic rehabilitation. Financing for the project included $2.8 million in historic tax credits and was a crucial piece for funding the project.
“We are thrilled Yaquina Hall was chosen for this prestigious national award. It’s rare for projects to receive national attention. It speaks to the impact historic preservation can have when repurposing buildings to meet a community need!” said Jessica Blakely, Salem Housing Authority.
The award will be presented to Salem’s Community Planning and Development Director, Kristin Retherford and Salem Housing Authority’s Nicole Utz and Jessica Blakely at the National 2024 Historic Tax Credit Conference in Kansas City in October.
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