Northwest Housing Alternatives Receives $300,000 Grant From KeyBank To Support Its Climate Resiliency Program

PORTLAND, Ore., July 19, 2024 /3BL/ —Northwest Housing Alternatives(NHA) has received a $300,000 grant from KeyBank to provide education and outreach for climate-related disaster preparation and emergency supplies directed to the low-income households living in NHA properties.

As the leading not-for-profit developer of affordable housing in Oregon, NHA serves some of the most vulnerable populations in the state, including seniors, people of color, people with disabilities and families living on low incomes. NHA notes that these groups are far more likely to be impacted by environmental disasters and emergencies and are less likely to have the necessary supplies and preparations to safely weather them. 

The grant will support the expansion of an existing program to distribute emergency supplies and hold educational events covering emergency preparedness and sustainability initiatives, including ways to conserve water and reduce waste and utility usage. It will also connect residents with utility assistance to free up funds for other essentials, such as rent, groceries and medications.

In addition, it will support more sustainable building, certifying all new housing developments to Earth Advantage standards and reducing energy consumption and cost by up to 30% compared to conventional building standards. 

 “At KeyBank, our mission is to help our communities thrive, and emergency preparedness is a foundational step,” said Josh Lyons, KeyBank Oregon and SW Washington Market President. “Because vulnerable households, such as those served by NHA, have fewer resources to fall back on, the impact of a disaster can be particularly devastating. By providing these families with essential emergency supplies and the knowledge to use them effectively, we are empowering them to protect themselves and their loved ones in times of crisis.”

“Over the past several years, we’ve seen the devastating impact of climate-related disasters such as ice storms, heat waves, and wildfires on the residents living in NHA properties,” said Trell Anderson, Executive Director of Northwest Housing Alternatives. “We know that these once rare events are becoming increasingly commonplace in our region. This grant will help us extend our reach to ensure that residents know what to do to stay safe in the event of a natural disaster and help limit the impacts of our changing climate.” 

About Northwest Housing Alternatives

Founded in 1982, Northwest Housing Alternatives (NHA) is a leading not-for-profit developer of affordable housing in Oregon. Our mission is to create opportunity through housing. To that end, NHA develops, builds, and manages rental housing designed for Oregonians with extremely limited incomes; most NHA households earn less than $22,000 per year. These homes help families live healthy and stable lives, allow older adults to age in place, and give people with disabilities a dignified residence. Along with providing affordable housing, NHA provides services that connect tenants to critical health and community resources, work to prevent homelessness before it begins, and offer emergency shelter and services for families experiencing homelessness.

About KeyCorp 

KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at March 31, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC. 

###