Environmental Issues

Amid unprecedented housing-affordability challenges for low-income families, Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation, a non profit organization that develops affordable housing projects, transformed a blighted vacant hotel in the City of Chula Vista into Los Vecinos. Southwest Strategies was hired to help promote Los Vecinos - which is Spanish for "The Neighbors" - as the first affordable housing community in San Diego County built to achieve LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. To highlight the project features and promote its energy efficiency, Southwest Strategies coordinated a grand opening celebration.

The event introduced the community to the development and its environmentally friendly features, which included an extensive solar power system, the heavy use of ceiling fans and natural ventilation instead of air conditioning, tankless water heaters, Energy Star appliances and high-efficiency lighting fixtures to keep energy costs at a minimum. Landscaping and irrigation techniques were also incorporated to minimize water use.

Leading up to the celebration, Southwest Strategies launched a comprehensive plan that included identifying VIPs to attend and speak at the event, preparing talking points, drafting and placing opinion-editorials for community leaders, developing collateral materials and pitching media coverage through news releases and media advisories.

Chula Vista city leaders and the Mayor led the celebration, which was covered by major regional and community publications, as well as four local TV news stations, and was featured on several environmental online news journals. The Los Vecinos Apartments grand opening was a successful event in all regards and helped to enhance Wakeland's reputation for green, affordable housing developments.