By BRIAN MILLER
Real Estate Editor
Sound Transit began the process a few years ago to dispose of surplus property in the Rainier Valley, with the intent of creating affordable housing. Ten small sites with about 1.6 acres were later conveyed to the city of Seattle in the fall of 2021. Under what’s known as the Rainier Valley Affordable Homeownership Initiative, the goal is to create some 100 permanently affordable units — all owned, not rented.
The city more recently issued a series of requests for proposals, and affordable housing developers have since begun filing some plans. Most are small, meaning townhouse-scale development.
However, two nonprofits have been working with two architects on a pair of mid-rise projects to total 62 units for the sales market — i.e. affordable condos. Three townhouses are planned on a different site, which we’ll ignore for now. Thus, 65 affordable in total. Design review isn’t required for such entirely affordable housing.