This past weekend, Washington State lost a good legislator and a good man with the sudden passing of Senator Bill Ramos. We at Habitat SKKC are saddened by his passing and grateful for the time we spent with him as a collaborator on our work in North Bend.
The state lawmaker represented the 5th Legislative District, which includes North Bend, where we built our Tyler Town neighborhood. Senator Ramos spent three terms in the House of Representatives before being elected to the senate in November of 2024. We worked with him while he was in the House as we were building our seven homes in North Bend.
Habitat SKKC’s Chief Advocacy Officer Ryan Donohue remembers him fondly: “I walked him through the site twice: once when it was mostly a dirt lot with pipes sticking up, and a second time when we were almost done. He was incredibly supportive of the work we were doing and always happy to help. He also joined us for our North Bend Community event that we held towards the end of the project, and he was incredibly warm and welcoming.”
Donohue remembers a conversation they had during the senator’s first site visit when he offered effective tips to get the legislature to fund Habitat projects—advice he uses to this day. Ramos’s generosity was felt by his many colleagues and collaborators.
Transportation systems, the state’s natural resources, and tribal relations are among the many issues he was passionate about as a public servant. In his personal life, he built a community in his residence of Issaquah as a dance instructor and organizer of community dance nights.
Habitat SKKC staff will remember him as a kind and happy man. Washington and the world are lessened by his too early departure, but he leaves behind a legacy of service, goodwill, and community-building. May we all be inspired by his work and life.
This past weekend, Habitat SKKC staff, volunteers, and community members gathered on a sunny day to celebrate the new homeowners who will soon move into the Olympic Ridge building. It was a quiet morning in Seattle’s usually bustling Capitol Hill neighborhood, but the crowd that formed on the closed down residential street buzzed with energy and excitement for the opportunity to cheer on the newest Habitat homeowners.
The Rev. Terry Kyllo opened the program with the invocation. Rev. Kyllo is a Lutheran Christian pastor and Executive Director of Paths to Understanding, a nonprofit with a mission is to bridge bias and build unity through multi-faith peacemaking. He began his speech by reminding attendees of the Indigenous people who are stewards of this land, people who have “found homes here for over 20,000 years.”
Rev. Kyllo recognized the staff, volunteers, and even the providers of the materials and tools that made the Olympic Ridge building possible.
“Today is the culmination of many dreams,” he said as he looked out at the eager faces of the new homeowners.
Habitat SKKC CEO Brett D’Antonio took the stage next, using his opportunity in front of the crowd to congratulate the Olympic Ridge residents on the relationships they’ve started forming with each other: “Everyone moving into Olympic Ridge has already begun building a sense of community within Habitat and, more importantly, with each other as neighbors. You have volunteered in Habitat Stores, traveled to Olympia to advocate for affordable homeownership, and gathered with each other at Habitat-sponsored social events. The next steps are yours to choose, and we trust that those bonds will continue to grow. You are more than neighbors; you’re a community.”
The day’s program welcomed two special guests from Habitat SKKC’s network. In her address, Maiko Winkler-Chin, Director of the Seattle Office of Housing, reminded the crowd that, “Olympic Ridge shows what’s possible when we invest in affordable homeownership.”
Winkler-Chin, who praised the immediate sense of community that Olympic Ridge will bring to Capitol Hill, went on to add that, “homeownership is about creating stability and a sense of belonging.” As homeowners in the audience smiled and waved hello to each other, it was evident that her words rang true to their homebuying experiences.
Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck stepped onto the stage next and marveled at her commute to the day’s festivities—living in the neighborhood, she only had to walk a few blocks to make it! As a newly elected official (she was sworn in on December 3, 2024), Mercedes Rinck credited Olympic Ridge and projects like it as one of the reasons she ran for city council.
A renter herself, Mercedes Rinck emphasized that, “Housing is a fundamental right, not a privilege.”
Next up to the stage was one of the new residents of Olympic Ridge, Sarah D. Along with her wife, Mayan P., Sarah was a transplant to Seattle who fell in love with the city but feared she would never be able to stay for the long term. Habitat SKKC made it possible for them to envision and realize their dream of homeownership.
When Mayan joined Sarah onstage to accept their homeowner certificate, they added, “It took community, time, and resources to make this project come together.”
Mayan, Sarah, and the other homeowners each took their turn coming onto the stage to accept their certificates and encouraging applause from the audience. Once the presentation of certificates concluded, Rev. Kyllo returned to the podium to lead the crowd in a blessing of the homes.
With outstretched hands, the community gathered to collectively dedicate the home to the new residents. Following the conclusion of the formal program, attendees were invited to tour the units and mingle with each other. The mood was festive and uplifting, a good reminder to all who give their time and resources to Habitat SKKC—whether as staff, volunteers, or donors—that the homeowners are the reason and outcome of this work.
Amidst the celebrations, new Olympic Ridge homeowner Drew L. reflected, “I’ve been looking for places for a year, and I was giving up hope. It’s very exciting to be moving in here.”
Drew, who has many friends already living on Capitol Hill, looks forward to having a patio and outside space to host them. The access to the outdoors right from Drew’s backdoor might seem small, but to a first-time homeowner it represents one of the many ways to make a house feel like a home.
Welcome home to all the new residents of Olympic Ridge.
Roberto G. and Daniela A.G. immigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela just one year ago, and because of the opportunities they found via our partnership with the Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA), they’ve been provided with job training skills and the opportunity to learn English as a second language. ReWA is a nonprofit that offers services including job training, housing, legal services, and more to refugee and immigrant women and their families. It is one of the largest refugee and immigrant service providers in the Puget Sound region, and we’re excited to be one of their nonprofit partners.
Habitat SKKC partnered with ReWA through their Work Experience (WEX) program to bring Roberto and Daniela to the Southcenter Store. The program offers benefits to participants in exchange for working a set number of hours each week. The goal of WEX is for participants to leave with an updated resume, references, and skills that will help with their future job searches.
“It has been a rich experience. Every day is a learning opportunity,” says Daniela.
As our first WEX volunteers, Daniela and Roberto work with staff and other volunteers and learn job skills including pricing furniture and customer service. They have spent six months volunteering with Habitat SKKC. The WEX program generally runs from eight weeks to six months, which means Daniela and Roberto’s time with us is winding down.
“We want to make sure we’re setting them up for success in their next job, especially around translation. When they go to a job, if the topic of safety comes up, we don’t want the words, phrases, and acronyms they may come across to be new to them. We want them to have the best chance moving forward, especially if they’re put in work environments that aren’t as accommodating with translations,” says Southcenter Store Manager Steven Mastandrea.
Southcenter employee Brian Sanchez has been with the store for a month and a half, but he has already proven himself as willing and helpful when tapped to serve as the occasional translator for Roberto and Daniela, an experience he finds as rewarding as the volunteers.
“There are great opportunities here. Everybody communicates, everybody’s kind and has a sense of humor,” he says of his experience as a new employee. His advice to anybody considering applying for a job at the store: “Come in with a good attitude and want to do the work. Don’t just come here for a paycheck. Know that you like the mission here: that’s giving, helping people out.”
Thanks to the dedicated staff at the Southcenter Store, volunteers like Daniela and Roberto leave for new opportunities with job training, new skills, and the support of the Habitat community.
As we head into Earth Day (April 22, 2025), we’re reflecting on what we can do as an organization to make the world a little greener. Did you know that each year, the U.S. throws away nearly 300 million tons of waste? According to the most recent report from the Environmental Protection Agency, that’s nearly five pounds per person per day.
At Habitat SKKC, we’re mindful of our impact on the environment as home builders. All our projects are 4-Star Built Green and built with efficiency in mind to help homeowners manage long-term costs. We orient many of our new projects around transit hubs to make public transportation an accessible option for our homeowners. We also advocate for the need for affordable housing that is built with climate change in mind knowing the disproportionate impact climate extremes can have on lower-income individuals and those living in urban areas.
One way we make a positive impact on the environment is via the retail wing of our organization. In 2024, our Habitat Stores (locations in Bellevue, Auburn, Southcenter, and Ellensburg) processed more than 14,000 donations, which led to the resale of more than 440,000 items. Most importantly, we diverted 3,000 tons of materials from local landfills. Store revenue also supports affordable homeownership programs, promotes sustainability, and provides affordable home products to the community—an environmental win-win!
“At Habitat Stores, sustainability isn’t just a goal—it’s at the core of everything we do. By giving new life to donated items, we’re not only reducing landfill waste but also creating a cycle of reuse that benefits both the environment and our communities. Diverting more than 3,000 tons of materials from landfills in 2024 is a testament to the power of conscious retail. Every donation, every purchase, and every dollar generated helps us build affordable housing and promote a more sustainable future,” says Chief Retail Officer Cydnie Horwat.
Later this month, you can celebrate Earth Day all week long with huge savings at our Habitat Stores! Our biggest sale of the season coincides with Earth Day. From April 21-26 (April 22-26 in our Ellensburg Store), we’re celebrating Earth Day with 50% off on select product categories each day, including furniture, appliances, building materials, and more.
Adding to the festivities, you can join the fun at an in-store-only event: at the Golden House Scavenger Hunt, golden houses will be hidden throughout the store every day from April 21-23 (April 22-23 in Ellensburg), each containing a reward of $25, $50, or even $100 off your purchase.
Mark your calendars to score amazing deals while shopping sustainably and supporting a great cause! Learn more and shop online here.
This past week, Habitat SKKC launched our inaugural Housing Impact Day. Nearly 30 staff members, homeowners, and volunteers traveled to Olympia for a full day of meetings with legislators to lobby for affordable housing and homeownership.
“This is an opportunity to bring the lived experience of our homeowners, volunteers, and staff directly to lawmakers and transform abstract policies into human realities. These aren’t just statistics walking into the state house—they’re parents, essential workers, and community members who dream of having a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home,” said Ethan Robinson, Habitat SKKC’s Advocacy & Policy Manager.
That included homeowners like Tiruwork A. and Daniel S., a couple moving into one of our Columbia City builds.
“We were the beneficiaries of this program, so we want to advocate to support it and help others who are looking for affordable housing,” Daniel said of their decision to take part in Housing Impact Day.
The group spent the day talking to more than 20 legislators, including Representative Davina Duerr and Senator Rebecca Saldaña, about the need for prioritizing affordable housing in the state budget. Habitat SKKC doesn’t focus on the operations budget; we focus on the capital budget. For background: The operations budget covers everyday expenses that the government needs to run its services and programs. The capital budget is used for one-time investments, such as long-term investments in infrastructure as well as affordable housing projects.
It has only been in the last three to four years that the legislature has invested in affordable housing. Habitat SKKC can’t build if the state doesn’t invest in affordable housing, which is why we asked that the budget set aside 20% of the Housing Trust Fund for competitively awarded affordable homeownership projects.
More funding equals more housing, or as Chief Advocacy Officer Ryan Donohue puts it, “If we can fund it, we can build it.”
We also advocated for HB 1516, which asks for a study of insurance coverage options specifically for affordable homebuilders. This would have a big impact on our work. Right now, insurance companies treat us the same as for-profit builders, despite our very different business models. If passed, HB 1516 would help bring down insurance costs for building permanently affordable homeownership units, which means we can build more condos at a lower price point.
A recent example of our work is Olympic Ridge. Multiple soon-to-be residents of this new building traveled to Olympia to advocate for affordable housing and HB 1516. That included homeowners like Ha T. Originally from Vietnam, Ha and her mother immigrated to the US over a decade ago. She considers Washington her second home, but she worried she would have to move in order to be able to afford a house. Moving into her new home at Olympic Ridge means she can focus on her career and remain the sole earner for her family. She attended Housing Impact Day because she believes affordable housing is essential.
“It provides the opportunity for stability and dignity,” Ha added.
Ha’s soon-to-be-neighbor Amir Y, who moved to Washington from Minnesota in 2019, attended Housing Impact Day for similar reasons. Despite working hard in the healthcare technology industry and saving money by renting a room in a shared home, he said that buying his condo wouldn’t have been possible without Habitat for Humanity, which he called, “A beacon of hope.”
When asked why he participated in Housing Impact Day, Amir reflected on the new opportunities that will be afforded to him as a homeowner, from stability to equity-building. With a door newly opened to him, he added, “I can hold that door open for those coming after me.”
Habitat Young Professionals member Clayton Shuster Sasaki, who has been on the HYP Board since 2019, explained that HYP is growing their advocacy work, so participating in Housing Advocacy Day was a natural fit for their goals. He said, “It’s important to spread awareness about these bills, and it was inspiring to deliver that message.”
Habitat SKKC builds strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. Meeting with legislators and hearing their support of our work reinforced the importance of our mission.
