By Ann Savageau

According to Executive Director Rachel Iskow of Mutual Housing California, her organization combined forces with Mutual Housing Yolo in 2008 to improve housing for lower income families in Yolo County.

As a local non-profit, Mutual Housing Yolo’s primary goal is to revitalize low-income communities by providing safe and sustainable affordable housing, and strengthening residents’ basic life skills, educational opportunities, and employment.

Staff organizers provide leadership development training and support to resident leaders. Through resident councils, they encourage the involvement of all residents in operating their sites so that they can work together to find solutions and resources that will provide them with safe, healthy neighborhoods.

Mutual Housing is committed to green construction and renovation, and it is now on the cutting edge of green affordable housing. Its five multifamily properties in Davis are all solar energy producers, and their New Harmony Mutual Housing is designed to produce energy equivalent to 80 percent of the electricity used on-site.

They are renovating older communities with energy efficient and healthy improvements. Mutual Housing’s most recent project, Spring Lake in Woodland, is the nation’s first certified zero net energy rental development and has been certified as LEED Platinum.

Mutual Housing also has piloted a Green Leaders program at two locations in Davis for its residents.  Resident Green Leaders are trained to identify topics, create community outreach and training, and hold meetings and events to share green information.

Cool Davis is pleased to honor Mutual Housing Yolo with a Climate Solution Award.

Learn more about Mutual Housing at: http://www.mutualhousing.com/

2016 Climate Solutions Award: Energy

2016 Cool Davis Award Recipients

Eco Heroes: Lisa Baker, Steven Wheeler, Parvaneh Keivanfar and Dana “Alex” Gray, Mike Hart

Climate Solutions: Mutual Housing Yolo, Davis Bicycles!, UC Davis Aggie Reuse Store

Each year Cool Davis recognizes individual Davis residents as Eco Heroes. The winners are residents who model how to incorporate sustainable practices into their work, civic, and everyday lives. Acting out of personal conviction, they do “the right thing” for themselves, our community, and our planet.

The Cool Davis Climate Solution Awards go to local businesses, groups, or organizations for exemplary efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  As they model ways to reduce their environmental impact, they become leaders in creating options to conserve resources, reduce fossil fuel dependence, and stabilize the climate.

In its efforts to work with our community on carbon reduction and sustainability, Cool Davis awards focus on Energy, Transportation, and Consumption.