November 1, 2018

End-of-Year Giving

At Westside Housing Organization, we are working to maintain and manage affordable housing in Kansas City. We are very aware that utility bills can be a challenge for people that are already struggling with the high cost of housing. This is why we work to make our apartment buildings a energy efficient as possible and also why we are interested in solar energy. Major corporations in Missouri are asking for the utilities to invest more in solar energy, and We Agree! That is why we are calling for “Solar Energy For All!”

When you make an end-of-year donation to Westside Housing, you stand with those who desire to see equity in health, housing, and energy-efficiency. We are excited about the new solar panels going on the top of our mixed-use building in the Northeast neighborhood. These solar panels will keep rates affordable for the residence living in the apartments at this new property, just as it has for the residents at our senior living facility, Posada del Sol. At a time when the changing climate means devastation and disruption in the lives of those with the least, this effort to address rising utility rates and increase the capacity for renewable energy is monumental.

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Solar energy is changing the way Americans consume electricity.

  • Elsewhere in the Mid-West, Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) is leading the way with workforce development AND solar energy. Read about it here!
  • Read how CollectiveSun is creating new pathways to allow Community-Based Organizations to take advantage of tax credits! Follow this link!
  • WinnCompanies and the District of Columbia announced the completion of the District’s largest community solar project aimed at reducing energy bills for low-income residents throughout the nation’s capital. Check out the story here or read more about it below!

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Solar for All, a program of the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), seeks to provide the benefits of solar electricity to 100,000 low-income households and reduce their energy bills by 50% by 2032.

After being awarded a $1.3 million grant from DOEE’s Solar for All program, WinnCompanies installed the 651-kWdc community renewable energy facility on the roofs of Atlantic Terrace Apartments, making it the largest community solar project in the District. The company is working to bring additional community solar projects online throughout the District in the near future.

“Community solar projects prove that solar is not just a luxury for those that can afford their own panels, but that solar can also work for renters living in multifamily housing,” said Darien Crimmin, Vice President of Energy and Sustainability, WinnCompanies. “This project will benefit nearly 200 income eligible households over the next 15 years, helping to create jobs, improve local air quality and showcase the success of the Solar for All Program for District residents. WinnCompanies will continue working with DOEE and Solar for All to expand the District’s solar capacity and provide the benefits of solar energy to local communities, helping residents save up to $500 a year.”

The clean energy from rooftop solar panels installed at Atlantic Terrace will be fed into the District’s utility grid through an arrangement known as net metering. The savings will then be passed back to qualified low-income residents through credits reflected on their utility bills.

“Solar for All provides a tremendous opportunity for our residents to take advantage of renewable energy savings, and we’re excited to continue our work with WinnCompanies to expand the availability of solar energy for low- and moderate-income households,” said Tommy Wells, Director, Department of Energy and Environment. “This project brings jobs, clean energy and energy independence to the District of Columbia, and we hope our work serves as a model for success to communities across the country.”

WinnCompanies embraces environmentally responsible decisions, and is recognized in the multifamily industry as a leader in green development and the utilization of renewable energy. In the past decade, the company has invested more than $50 million in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across its affordable housing portfolio, combating climate change while saving money for residents and property owners.

The solar installation at Atlantic Terrace occurred as the company was completing a $69-million rehabilitation project at the community and its sister property, Atlantic Gardens. The two-year effort not only completed modernized 303 apartments but also preserved both communities as critically needed Project-Based Section 8 housing for 750 residents.

WinnCompanies acquired Atlantic Terrace in 1982 and has managed the property since. Built in 1964, it is comprised of 195 units in six three- to four-story garden-style buildings.

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Want to contribute throughout the year?

Sign up for our Monthly Sustainer program by clicking the button below. For more information about joining a special group of supporters– our Monthly Sustainers– click the link here! 

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For a personal visit or more information, please email or call our Director of Strategic Initiatives, Warren Adams-Leavitt at [email protected] or 816-421-8048.

Westside Housing Organization is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit. All charitable donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.