The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara has been chosen as a winner of a prestigious National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials Awards of Excellence in Project Design for Bradley Studios, a 54- unit development built in 2012 serving some of the community’s most vulnerable populations.

The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara served as developer of Bradley Studios, with McGillivray Construction as builder and Peikert Group Architects LLP as designer. An infill project that replaced blighted buildings, Bradley Studios’ street side presence was designed to appear as a group of small homes, but is actually one structure, with separate buildings connected by walkways.

Bradley Studios is not only an innovative and environmentally responsible design, but a community-minded project that caters to those in need. It is home to low- and extremely low-income residents, including special needs and Santa Barbara’s downtown workforce, earning less than 60 percent of area median income ($33,480 for one person), that are seeking an affordable and supportive community in which they can thrive independently.

On-site amenities include community and recreation rooms as well as social service offices for mental health treatment, addiction counseling, job training and life skills classes.

Contenders for the Awards of Excellence are nominated from among the Award of Merit winners each year. National juries then choose the winning developments, and the awards are presented at NAHRO’s annual National Conference and Exhibition. Awards of Excellence winners represent the very best in the nation for innovative programs in assisted housing and community development.

— Jennifer Schipa is a public information coordinator for the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara.