San Diego CA— The San Diego Housing Federation today announced the partial list of 2015 Ruby Awards winners. As the county’s largest affordable housing industry recognition event, the Ruby Awards are given annually to honor the best people, projects and overall achievements during the past year.
The winners in all awards categories will be recognized at this year’s dinner event on Friday, April 24 from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at The Westin Gaslamp Quarter (Horton Plaza), 910 Broadway Circle in downtown San Diego.
The first round of Ruby Award winners are listed below. Nine additional award recipients – including awards for Housing Projects of the Year, Outstanding Advocate, and Outstanding Resident Leader will be announced live during the event on April 24th.

• John Craven Memorial Award: Karl Schwarm, Director of Housing & Neighborhood Services for the City of San Marcos, oversaw the creation of 3,500 quality affordable homes for seniors, families, veterans and residents with special needs.
• Outstanding Development Partner: North County Lifeline, a nonprofit human resources organization, who along with development partner Community Housing Works, built the North Santa Fe Apartment project in Vista for young adults transitioning out of the foster care system.
• SDG&E Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Award (New Construction): Paseo at COMM22, a 130-unit apartment complex in San Diego’s Logan Heights neighborhood, developed by BRIDGE Housing and MAAC Project, in partnership with San Diego Unified School District.
• SDG&E Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Award (Retrofit): Rio Vista Apartments in San Ysidro, for its environmentally responsible renovation by Standard Management Company.
• San Diego Housing Federation Volunteer of the Year: Bree Wong, Vice President of Business Development at SWS Engineering, Inc., for her passion and drive to support the San Diego Housing Federation’s mission to create and preserve affordable housing for lower-income San Diegans.
• Special Recognition Award: San Diego City Council-member Myrtle Cole and former Council-member Ed Harris, for their effective policy-making efforts resulting in significant local funding for developing workforce housing.
• Special Recognition Award: Carlos Flores, Executive Director, San Diego Regional Center; Nathan Schmid, Executive Director, Southern California Housing Collaborative; and Mike McSweeney, Board Chairman, Southern California Housing Collaborative; for their leadership on the 32-unit Independence Point in San Diego designed specifically for the developmentally disabled community that broke ground in 2014.
• Outstanding Rising Leader: Megan Kirkeby, Policy Director, California Housing Partnership Corp., for her advocacy efforts to secure state Cap-and-Trade funds for affordable housing developments.

“These and all of our Ruby Award winners are leading the way to innovative and proactive solutions in the region’s affordable housing industry,” said Bruce Reznik, Executive Director of the San Diego Housing Federation. “It is truly amazing what can be accomplished when the community all works together in partnership.”
In addition to honoring the successes of 2015 Ruby Award winners, this year’s event is particularly significant, said Reznik, as the nonprofit San Diego Housing Federation is celebrating its 25th anniversary of working countywide to promote the financing and creation of quality affordable housing focused primarily on lower-income families and people in need.
Presented by US Bank, the 2015 Ruby Awards and 25th anniversary celebration will feature special guests and friends of the affordable housing industry, including: California State Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego); Emcee Todd Gloria, San Diego City Councilmember representing District 3; and Event Chair Frank Urtasun, Regional Vice President of External Affairs for SDG&E and San Diego Housing Commissioner.
Tickets are now on sale with “early bird” pricing rates until April 1: $100 for members; $125 for nonmembers; $50 for affordable housing residents; and $800 (member) or $1,100 (non-member) for 10-person table. Ticket and sponsorship information are available online at http://housingsandiego.org/ or contact San Diego Housing Federation Events and Membership Coordinator Katy Lillig at (619) 239-6693.