Thank You for Joining Us at the Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Fair!
It was a great day of community connection, conversations, and learning about the affordable housing opportunities coming to the Duwamish Valley. From swinging hammers at Habitat SKKC’s Riverbend Comunidad site to exploring housing resources, attending educational sessions, and supporting local restaurants, there were plenty of ways to get involved.
A special thank you to our community partners, resource providers, local businesses, volunteers, and everyone who helped bring this day together. Your collaboration helps connect more neighbors with the information, resources, and opportunities they need to explore affordable housing.
We’re grateful to everyone who spent part of their Saturday with us and look forward to continuing these important conversations in the Duwamish Valley!
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Town Hall Seattle for The Future of Affordable Housing Panel, part of Habitat SKKC’s 40th Anniversary celebration!
Builders, elected officials, affordable housing leaders and community members came together to explore the challenges facing our region, share ideas and look ahead to what’s possible through collaboration.
We’re grateful to our panelists, attendees and everyone who helped make this conversation possible.
Habitat SKKC proudly recognizes U.S. Bank as the Signature Sponsor of this event and thanks them for their generous support as we commemorate our 40th Anniversary in 2026!
Panelists
Heidi Groover is a reporter covering housing and real estate for The Seattle Times. Her work demystifies complex market trends and policy debates to help everyday Seattleites navigate rising costs and understand how proposed solutions could affect their daily lives. She recently completed the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship at the University of Michigan, where her research focused on America’s housing affordability crisis. Before The Seattle Times, Heidi covered Seattle City Hall for The Stranger. She is a graduate of the University of Montana and a proud member of the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild, the union representing journalists across the Northwest.
In his position as CEO of Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties (Habitat SKKC), Brett D’Antonio oversees the organization’s strategic direction, vision, growth, and operations, collaborating with an extensive network of partners, volunteers, and staff to create lasting solutions to the affordable housing crisis in Washington state. Brett began his career with Habitat as a Construction Manager at Habitat for Humanity Bay Waveland in Mississippi before becoming the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Island County in Washington state. After leading the affiliate for eight years, Brett joined Habitat SKKC in 2018 and was named CEO in 2019. Under his guidance, Habitat SKKC has expanded its reach to serve thousands of families and create vibrant, inclusive communities. Brett actively engages with policymakers, corporate leaders, and community influencers to promote policy changes and mobilize resources for affordable housing initiatives.
Tiffani McCoy is the Interim CEO at the Seattle Social Housing Developer. Prior to this, she was the Co-Executive Director and Co-Founder of House Our Neighbors. She served as campaign manager for the Yes on I-135 campaign, which established the first social housing developer in the United States, and for the Yes on Prop 1A campaign, which secured funding for the Seattle Social Housing Developer. Before co-creating HON, she worked at Real Change as the organization’s Advocacy Director. She is a Board Member of Washingtonians for Public Banking.
Tony Pickett is CEO of Grounded Solutions Network, a national nonprofit organization with more than 250 members throughout the U.S. Grounded Solutions leads nationwide efforts to expand inclusive affordable housing policies and programs, such as community land trusts (CLTs) and other forms of shared equity housing. Over the course of his 35 years in the community development field, Tony has successfully developed permanently affordable shared equity housing, provided thought leadership, promoted inclusive housing policies, and expanded the use of community land trusts for racial equity impact. Under his leadership, Grounded Solutions has successfully launched multiple national initiatives, including a multi-city land bank/land trust partnership (“Catalytic Land Cohort”); an inclusive policy focused multi-city cohort (“ForEveryoneHome”); and the Homes for the Future initiative, which blends public, philanthropic, and private capital to invest in and keep single-family homes affordable for renters and buyers in growing American cities.
Senator Emily Alvarado was elected to the Washington state House in 2022 to represent the 34th Legislative District, which includes West Seattle, Vashon Island, White Center, and west Burien. Since then, she has led on issues such as housing access and affordability, economic opportunity, high-quality public education and child care, reproductive justice, and breaking the cycle of poverty. Before joining the Legislature, Alvarado served as the director of the City of Seattle’s Office of Housing, an executive with a national affordable housing nonprofit, and as professional staff at Planned Parenthood. She is an attorney who graduated from the University of Washington School of Law and has also worked as a community organizer. In the Senate, Alvarado serves as vice chair of the Housing Committee and a member of the Labor & Commerce and Transportation committees.
Liberty Commons Block Party & Home Dedication Ceremony
Thank you to everyone who joined us as we dedicated Liberty Commons, celebrated the families who will soon call this community home, and marked another incredible milestone in Habitat SKKC’s 40th anniversary year.
Thank You for Celebrating With Us!
What an unforgettable day.
Together, we honored years of partnership, perseverance, and community support while looking ahead to the future of affordable homeownership in Seattle. From heartfelt homeowner stories and the dedication ceremony to home tours, music, food, and family activities, it was a day filled with joy, connection, and hope.
To our partner families: congratulations. We can’t wait to see the memories you’ll build at Liberty Commons.
To our volunteers, sponsors, donors, staff, community partners, and everyone who celebrated alongside us: thank you for helping make this community possible. Liberty Commons stands as a reminder of what’s possible when a community comes together.
We’re so grateful you were part of this historic day. 💙
Rising on Martin Luther King Jr. Way S, Liberty Commons is redefining what’s possible for affordable homeownership in Seattle. This new Habitat community brings permanently affordable condominiums to Columbia City, a neighborhood known for its culture, connectivity, and sense of belonging, offering a place to settle in, build stability, and stay.
By the Numbers
58 homes across 41,151 square feet
5 studios | 26 one-bedroom | 27 two-bedroom homes
2,000 sq. ft. shared courtyard designed for connection and community
Delivered in partnership with Exxel Pacific, this project represents a bold step forward, using a general contractor–led model to build at greater scale while maintaining Habitat’s commitment to quality, safety, and long-term durability.
Construction began in September 2024 and will reach completion in summer 2026, bringing years of planning and collaboration to life.
The name Liberty Commons honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and his leadership in the fight for housing justice, commemorated in partnership with Dr. Bernice A. King in 2025.
A Full House for Habitat Gala: Boots, Brims and BBQ
Saturday, September 26, 2026 White Barn Retreat | Cle Elum
On Saturday, September 26, our community came together at White Barn Retreat in Cle Elum for our second annual A Full House for Habitat Gala, an unforgettable evening in support of affordable homeownership in Kittitas County.
Together, supporters, partners, sponsors and community members enjoyed an evening filled with fundraising games, live and silent auctions, dinner, powerful stories and plenty of boots and brims.
And what a night it was: together, we raised $300,000 to help build homes, opportunity and a stronger future for families across Kittitas County.
To everyone who joined us, donated, sponsored, volunteered, bid and helped make the evening possible: thank you. Your support is what turns a full house into lasting impact.
