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Accessible Affordable Housing Honored with National Award

PAH! Hiland Plaza fills a crucial gap in affordable housing for the deaf and hard of hearing community.
January 30, 2025

ALBUQUERQUE – The Sol Housing project PAH! Hiland Plaza is receiving the Prestigious Audrey Nelson Award from the National Community Development Association (NCDA) for its outstanding role in developing affordable housing for the Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing. The project is funded through private and public contributions from the City of Albuquerque and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from Housing New Mexico, MFA.

Each year, the award is given to a handful of projects nationwide recognizing innovative and exemplary uses of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding.

The City’s Health, Housing and Homelessness Department’s Community Development Division contributed more than $472K in CDBG funds and nearly $3.6 Million in HOME funding to the development.

PAH! Hiland Plaza is the only apartment community in Albuquerque serving the Deaf community and one of just a few in the country.  The four-story apartment community near Central and San Mateo is comprised of 92 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Deaf-focused design features ensure an equitable living option for residents who rely primarily on visual communication such as American Sign Language (ASL) and visual cues such as fire alarms and doorbells that alert residents through flashing lights. The building is also designed with lighting and paint colors to minimize eye stress. Staff at the facility is also fluent in American Sign Language (ASL), and includes members of the local Deaf community.

PAH! Hiland Plaza which opened in August 2023, achieved 100% occupancy by December 2023, and currently has a waitlist of 172 households.  

Sol Housing partnered with the Deaf Culture Center of New Mexico (DCCNM) to design this unique community that is also home to the DCCNM’s offices and event space. The DCCNM is utilizing the space to offer statewide Deaf services, community events, and a business incubation program to promote Deaf business opportunities and job training.

“This has been the most rewarding project we have worked on in our organization’s 30-plus years of building a better Albuquerque,” says Sol Housing executive director Felipe Rael, the CHDO developer. “The CDBG funds were instrumental in the revitalization of this important stretch of historic Route 66 (Central Avenue) through streetscape and sidewalk improvements.  We are honored to be selected for this prestigious award that recognizes PAH’s innovation and replicability.”

"PAH! Hiland Plaza isn't just housing—it's a breakthrough in inclusive design that directly addresses the unique needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community," said Mayor Tim Keller. "This project sets a new standard for how we think about affordable housing, proving that thoughtful architecture can break down barriers and create real opportunities for underserved populations."

Other features include a food pantry, electric vehicle ride-share, indoor bike storage, a community room, a resident's lounge, a computer lab, a private dog park, and a playground.

“PAH means ‘finally’ or ‘at last’ in American sign language, which is a fitting name because this is a development that has been needed for a long time in our community,” said Health, Housing and Homelessness Division Manager, Monica Montoya. “Thank you to the NCDA for recognizing PAH. My hope is that through this honor, it will inspire similar affordable housing developments across the nation.” 

The 2025 Audrey Nelson Award will be presented on February 7 in Washington D.C.