SYRACUSE, NY – Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc., a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, is proud to announce that it received the 2015 Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Awards (The Edson Awards) for Best Special Needs Housing. The award recognized Housing Visions’ VanKeuren Square, a supportive housing development providing permanent housing for homeless veterans.
The 
Edson Awards are presented by the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition (AHTCC) to recognize the most outstanding Low Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit) developments at the forefront of creating stronger, healthier communities nationwide. This year, the Coalition received more than 60 applications from 24 states and the District of Columbia for the award competition. A panel of five judges selected seven first place finishers and seven honorable mentions for seven categories: Metropolitan/Urban Housing; Rural Housing; Special Needs Housing; Senior Housing; Green Housing; Public Housing; and HUD Preservation Properties. Receiving the top award in the Special Needs category, Housing Visions’ VanKeuren Square is the only award winner from New York State. Congressman John Katko presented the award to Kenyon Craig, president and CEO of Housing Visions, and Rebecca Newman, executive vice president and COO for Housing Visions, at a national awards ceremony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, June 10, 2015.
“Housing Visions is honored to have VanKeuren Square recognized with this excellence award from the affordable housing community,” said Kenyon Craig. “This award is a testament to the industry’s commitment in developing innovative solutions to the housing crisis. We are proud that VanKeuren has been recognized as a leader of supportive, affordable housing and a replicable model for future supportive housing developments.”
VanKeuren Square, at 2223 East Genesee Street in Syracuse, is the result of the successful and comprehensive collaboration between Housing Visions and the Syracuse VA Medical Center and is built to provide a full range of services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of being homeless. VanKeuren Square was designed to create a “one-stop” service to provide housing and supportive services in one building to enable the veterans to retain their housing and move toward self-sufficiency and independence. The 40,500-square-foot, LEED Platinum-certified building features VA case management offices, a resident leasing office, and 44 one-bedroom and 6 two-bedroom furnished apartments, as well as resident amenities including a resident lounge, training and education rooms, computer lab, on-site laundry and resident outdoor space. The building includes a variety of common gathering areas, offering the residents a supportive environment that both respects individual privacy while simultaneously encouraging community integration and socialization.
About Housing Visions
The mission of Housing Visions is to be the catalyst for sustainable positive change in neighborhoods through real estate development and community collaboration. The organization was borne out of a community-based effort in 1990 to rehabilitate and stabilize a declining neighborhood on the east side of Syracuse, NY. Since then, the nonprofit development, construction, and property management company has expanded its scope of work to include 13 cities throughout Upstate New York and Pennsylvania and nearly 1,300 units of affordable housing across Upstate New York, with a total community investment of more than $300 million. It serves a diverse group of residents, including families, special populations and seniors. For more information, visit www.housingvisions.org
PRESS RELEASE CONTACT
Jennifer Creighton, marketing manager
Housing Visions
jcreighton@housingvisions.org
315.472.3820