On an empty lot in South Seattle on Monday, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for its largest single-building multifamily project in the U.S.
The five-story, 58-unit condominium development at 5022 Martin Luther King Jr. Way is intended for first-time homebuyers making less than 80% of area median income.
Brett D’Antonio, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas Counties, called it the most complicated project the organization has done in the Puget Sound region.
“We spent a lot of time over the last two years during pre-development figuring out what changes we need to make to fit our business model to make sure it was successful,” D’Antonio said.
On Monday, September 16, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties broke ground on 5022 MLK in the Columbia City neighborhood. With 58 affordable housing units, 5022 MLK is our largest endeavor to date, surpassing the Miller’s Creek 40-home project underway in Burien, where we broke ground in August.
Slated for completion in Spring of 2028, 5022 MLK is also the largest Habitat for Humanity single building multi-family project in the country—surpassing the previous largest single building project, the 56-unit Sydney House in the Bronx borough of New York.
In attendance and speaking were Lt. Governor Denny Heck and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, both champions of affordable housing, as well as Lily Kim with Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund and Habitat Homebuyer Elena D.
5022 MLK capitalizes on smart density design with five stories of condominiums, including five studios, 26 one-bedroom units, and 27 two-bedroom units with homes ranging in size from 370 to 690 square-feet. The project will also include a 2,000 square-foot outdoor courtyard designed to encourage a sense of shared community within the project.
Located in Seattle’s culturally and economically diverse Columbia City neighborhood, 5022 MLK is a Transit Oriented Development (TOD). The site is located just two blocks from the Columbia City Light Rail Station for easy access to jobs, schools, restaurants, and services. Legislative work conducted by Habitat SKKC in 2023 helped to make the project possible by securing a $6 million investment from Washington State.
As with all new home projects developed by Habitat SKKC in King County, this community will offer families making less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) affordable homes with mortgages set at no more than 35% of their incomes. The property will be placed in a Land Trust ensuring permanent affordability for future generations. In an area with average home prices at $850,000 and rising, these homes will ensure that families with low incomes continue to have a place to build lives in Seattle for generations to come.
The 5022 MLK project was made possible through the support of Washington State, The City of Seattle, Washington State Department of Commerce, Amazon and the National Housing Trust, Washington Trust Bank, and the Washington State Department of Ecology.
More than 120 devoted Habitat for Humanity SKKC fans spent a beautiful summer evening at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, August 8 for our annual Volunteer Appreciation Night. Habitat staff, volunteers, and donors came out to soak up the sun and get to know so many others with whom they share a commitment to build safe and affordable housing for all in the Puget Sound region.
It was also an opportunity to celebrate this year’s exceptional volunteers and generous donors. Enthusiastic applause punctuated the Volunteer Awards presentation with Jim O’Farrell earning this year’s Volunteer of the Year award for his tireless work on this year’s Interfaith Build – the largest to-date in our affiliate’s history.
More outstanding volunteers who earned recognition:
Jerry Haas earned the Construction Lifetime Achievement Award
Kayla Shuster Sasaki is this year’s Advocacy Volunteer of the Year
Paul Gustie was awarded Homeowner Services Volunteer of the Year
Addison Hawk, is the Habitat Stores Volunteer of the Year
Habitat’s Volunteer Program Manager Caroline Keck reported, “We all made our way to the ballgame to see the Mariners face off against the Detroit Tigers.” With plenty of popcorn, beer, and laughter, she said everyone had a blast. The excitement continued when the Mariners clinched a dramatic win in the bottom of the 9th inning, capping off a fantastic evening with a thrilling finish!
If you, your family or company would like to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity SKKC, please contact Caroline Keck at caroline.keck@habitatskc.org
BURIEN, Wash. — Construction crews were busy Tuesday continuing work to build new, affordable homes in Burien.
The Miller’s Creek Community, located on S. 136th Street along Highway 509, already has water, sewer, power and curbs installed.
The next steps include pouring foundations to create 40 new homes, which Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas Counties (Habitat SKKC) told KOMO News will be priced in the low $300,000 to mid $400,000 range, in a neighborhood where the average home price is more than $800,000.
August is Make-A-Will Month, and Habitat for Humanity SKKC is celebrating by partnering with an organization called FreeWill to encourage our supporters, volunteers and homeowners alike to get their wishes in writing for their heirs. Last August, over 40,000 people used this online
estate planning tool to create their wills and even support the causes they love. You can use this month as an opportunity to plan for your future on your own terms.
Nearly 67% of American adults don’t have a will, but we’d like 100% of our Habitat SKKC community to protect the people love. Over a million people have used FreeWill to do just that and to have a profound impact on the causes that are dear to them— such as Habitat’s mission of making sure everyone has a safe, affordable place to live.
By creating your will this month, you can get peace of mind for the future, protect your family, and even support the future of Habitat SKKC. Completing your will with FreeWill’s tool can take just 20 minutes; it’s time well spent for your loved ones’ future. Remember, planning for tomorrow starts with our actions today.
