ST. CATHERINE DE’ VIGRI VILLAS
St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas in Tieton, WA won a 2022 Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award in the Rural Area category.
St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas, co-developed by Catholic Charities Housing Services (CCHS) in the Diocese of Yakima and the Office of Rural and Farmworker Housing (ORFH), provides 53 affordable homes serving primarily farmworker households in Tieton, Washington. The 9 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit) was used to finance the property, with financing facilitated by National Equity Fund, Inc.
Affordable homes in the property include 17 two-bedroom homes, 31 three-bedroom homes and 5 four-bedroom homes serving residents earning 30 percent, 40 percent and 50 percent Area Median Income (AMI). All of the residences are 2-story townhomes except for the 3 ADA fully accessible units, which provide an equitable housing option for residents with disabilities. The property is located on 5 acres of land and features community’s amenities including resident meeting spaces, a classroom, resident services and management offices, on-site laundry, and an outdoor playground.
CCHS named the property after St. Catherine De’ Vigri, the Catholic patron saint of the arts, in honor of the developer’s Cultivando Voces (Cultivating Voices) initiative, a collaborative art project that brought together local nonprofit Tieton Arts and Humanities, Mexican-American artist Christie Tirado, and property residents. The Cultivando Voces project will culminate in the creation of 2 large mosaics, an art form which is integral to the largely Latino and immigrant communities of Tieton. One piece will be on display in the property, and the second in a public location in Tieton. Prioritizing the engagement of residents in the property’s design process allowed the chance for resident farmworkers and their families to be recognized and celebrated through the creation of an artistic tribute to their Latino history and culture.
St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas is the largest multi-family housing development in the history of Tieton and the first affordable housing development to be built in the area in over 30 years. With the development of this property and future properties, CCHS hopes to continue the decades-long revitalization of the small rural community in Tieton and continue to inspire the community in recognizing and supporting the workers who are the backbone of America—our nation’s farmworkers.
Read more about St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas in the Yakima Herald.
Congressional Recognition
Remarks from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) presented the 2022 Edson Award to St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas at the AHTCC’s 2022 Fall Meeting and Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Awards on September 20, 2022 in Washington, DC. Bryan Ketcham, Keelan Naasz, and Sandra Aguilar of Catholic Charities Housing Services accepted the award. Senator Cantwell also published a press release announcing St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas’ achievement.
Keelan Naasz, Sandra Aguilar, and Bryan Ketcham (left from right) accepted the 2022 Edson Award for St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas at the AHTCC’s 2022 Fall Meeting and Edson Awards. Senator Maria Cantwell presented the award.
Statement from U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)
“I am so proud that St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas is receiving this year’s Edson award,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA). “This is an inspiring project that will provide real and long-needed help to farmworkers and their families in Tieton. Thanks to the work of Catholic Charities Housing Services (CCHS) and the Office of Rural Farmworker Housing (ORFH), dozens of families will be able to obtain affordable housing in their community. The work being done by CCHS, ORFH, and their partners in the region is critical to tackling the housing affordability crisis, strengthening our communities, and ensuring every family has a safe and enriching place to live. I am going to continue to work to secure federal investments in affordable housing to support more projects like St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas and to ensure every family in Washington can obtain safe, affordable, and adequate housing.”
Statement from U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04)
“Congratulations to St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas on winning the Rural Area Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award for their outstanding affordable housing development in Tieton,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04). ” I am pleased the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition has recognized them as a national leader and model for the nation. By utilizing the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the Catholic Charities Housing Services (CCHS) in the Diocese of Yakima and the Office of Rural and Farmworker Housing (ORFH) are able to provide 53 affordable homes serving primarily farmworker households in Tieton, Washington. Not only is St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas the largest multi-family housing development in the history of Tieton, but it is the first affordable housing development to be built in the area in over 30 years. This development will help revitalize this community while continuing to recognize and support our nation’s farmworkers. Again, I congratulate and commend St. Catherine De’ Vigri Villas and the hard-working men and women behind it for this well-earned recognition.”
