AVHA Update - 2019

New Projects

This year has seen several maintenance and repair projects at the Boonville Apartments and at Ray's Road. The single men's housing at Ray's Road got a flooring upgrade with new vinyl tile to replace the chipped and peeled up flooring. This makes it much easier for the guys who live there to keep the floor clean, and helps to create a sense of pride in the shared areas of the house. At the Boonville Apartments we've been working on getting trees limbed so they don't hang over the apartments - resulting in longer lasting roofs as well as a safer living space. We've also been exploring ways to keep the Boonville Apartments septic system in good operating condition as it ages and as we experience normal-to-above-average rainfall.

We're also looking at our role as a community based non-profit and wondering how we can do more than manage the two properties we presently own. We'll be exploring ways to effectively advocate for local policies that support affordable housing, as well as ways to support local land owners who wish to contribute to the long-term rental inventory in the area. This is an ongoing project that will benefit from many perspectives and areas of expertise/interest. If you feel you can make a difference, consider working with AVHA as we solidify these ideas.

Past Improvements

Thanks in part to a 2015 Community Benefit Fund grant from the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, we've recently replaced eight water heaters at the Boonville Apartments. Thanks to Rich Khel for doing excellent work. We particularly appreciate the support of Supervisor Dan Hamburg in making this possible. (2016)

RC Clark Construction has replaced old siding on at both properties and replaced it with newer, more durable materials. At Ray's Road, we've also worked on mitigating termite damage to the buildings, adding insulation, and building a trash/recycling enclosure. Robert Clark has worked on many of AVHA's construction projects over the years, and we appreciate his making time for us. Thanks to the Bradford Foundation and to the Frederick E. and Anne R. Barstow Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation making these improvements possible with their on going support. (2016)

Turbid, rusty water and inadequate storage at the Ray's Road property compromised the tenant's access to clean, safe water. The concurrent maintenance issues were also a consistent drain on our financial and manpower resources.

Kelvin Wells, of Revolution Ozone in Philo, donated his time and many key components toward a new ozone filter system of his design. A grant from the Community Foundation of Mendocino County paid for the tank and installation. Thanks to the Community Foundation, Kelvin Wells, and Jeff Pugh for helping us to address this water quality issue.

In the fall of 2012, AVHA embarked on a long-term maintenance plan for the Apartments. Our goal was to deal with peeling paint, and to improve the appearance of the Apartments while responsibly managing our long-term maintenance costs. Also, this project improved tenant's comfort and lowered their utility bills.
Facelift at the Boonville Apartments

The Apartments are consistently fully rented. However, there is a waiting list. If you or someone you know is interested in applying for the waiting list, please contact AVHA at 707 895-3525. Assistance is available to help applicants complete the required forms. Sometimes the wait is long, and sometimes not, but the affordable rent makes the wait well worth it.

The Boonville Apartments has been the site of major upgrades over the years. In 2011, thanks to the Community Development Commission of Mendocino County (CDC), we were able to both refinance our existing loan with CDC and add to the loan using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program income funds, all at 0% interest, to pay for these much-needed improvements.

This project, completed during the winter of 2011-2012, included completely reworking the drainage system at the complex and repaving the driveway. Both of these improvements were desperately needed and will add to the longevity of the facility. At the same time, Ferrellgas installed all new propane lines, regulators and meters for the individual tenants and replaced the large propane tank with two smaller ones.

The Ray’s Road facility now enjoys a newly paved commercial driveway, improved drainage, and a repaved surface on Ray’s Road. This improvement, completed in 2011, was required by the County Department of Transportation. At our request, it agreed to repave Ray’s Road and improve the ditching above and below our driveway in conjunction with our improvements. We want to thank the generous community members and foundations whose donations covered the entire cost of this project: The Pratt Family Trust Fund, The Sandy Mailliard Fund, The George and Ruth Bradford Foundation, Milla Handley, Peter Booth Wiley, Brad and Linda Wiley, Lyman and Carol Casey. We’d also like to thank Linda MacElwee for her generous donation of consulting on the landscaping and erosion control.