Salem Housing Authority Earns National Recognition for Historic Yaquina Hall Restoration
The Salem Housing Authority (SHA) has received its second prestigious award for the transformation of Yaquina Hall, a historic building repurposed to provide supportive housing for the community. The project, which offers 52 residential units for individuals experiencing homelessness and those with disabilities, is situated on the former Oregon State Hospital Campus in what was once a nurses’ dormitory.
In June 2023, Yaquina Hall was honored with the Ben Maxwell Award during Historic Preservation Month, celebrating its “excellence in historic preservation for residential use.” The building’s historical significance is reflected in its listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and the renovation has preserved its legacy while adapting it to serve current community needs.
More recently, SHA achieved national recognition at the 2024 Historic Tax Credit Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. The award, which was presented to the City of Salem’s Community Planning and Development Director Kristin Retherford, SHA’s Nicole Utz, and Jessica Blakely, recognizes the innovative adaptive reuse of Yaquina Hall. The project exemplifies how historic tax credits can be leveraged to address housing needs while revitalizing historic spaces. The Salem Housing Authority is the first housing authority to receive this national honor.
“We couldn’t have done it without the help of our partners in the project,” SHA representatives noted, underscoring the importance of collaboration in bringing the project to fruition. In addition to the Salem Housing Authority and the City of Salem, the project benefited from partnerships with US Bank Bancorp, Oregon Housing and Community Services, Oregon Health Authority, NOAH (Network for Oregon Affordable Housing), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), AC & Co. Architecture, and Walsh Construction.
The redevelopment of Yaquina Hall aligns with Salem’s broader efforts to address homelessness and disability housing by providing supportive, permanent housing options. The facility includes 51 one-bedroom units and one studio unit, alongside on-site services tailored to residents’ unique needs, making it an innovative model for housing solutions within the community.
The historic tax credits were crucial in financing the project, enabling SHA to rehabilitate a cherished landmark while creating housing solutions. This dual impact—preserving a piece of Salem’s architectural history while also addressing pressing social needs—highlights the importance of such initiatives.
The success of Yaquina Hall is seen as a model for how historic structures can be repurposed to meet modern needs while retaining their heritage. This accomplishment underscores SHA’s commitment to preserving Salem’s history and addressing its housing challenges, offering a blueprint for similar projects nationwide.