On Saturday, April 4, 2026, Habitat SKKC welcomed its newest partner homeowners and families to celebrate the completion of the new Miller’s Creek community in Burien. The event, part of Habitat for Humanity International’s Home is the Key initiative, brought together families, partners, volunteers, and supporters to mark the milestone completion of 40 homes during Habitat SKKC’s 40th anniversary year.
This project is part of an ongoing commitment to creating abundant affordable housing across King and Kittitas Counties. Miller’s Creek will be added to Habitat SKKC’s portfolio of homes utilizing the land trust model, maintaining permanent affordability for future generations. If a homeowner chooses to sell their home, Habitat SKKC ensures the home remains affordable for the next income-qualified buyer.
At the neighborhood dedication, over 170 people gathered to hear from a lineup of speakers that included Habitat SKKC CEO Brett D’Antonio and Habitat for Humanity International’s (HFHI) Amy Dunham, who both reflected on the need for collaboration to address the housing crisis. Dunham, HFHI’s Chief Communications Officer, put it succinctly: “One in three humans wake up without a safe, decent home. Partnership is how we address this problem.”
During his speech, D’Antonio thanked all the community, governmental, and corporate partners who helped make this neighborhood a reality, again acknowledging how crucial our network is to bringing these projects to fruition. He also remarked upon the relationships that have already formed between homebuyers: “Miller’s Creek is more than a neighborhood. It represents forever homes for 40 families. Everyone moving into Miller’s Creek has already begun building a sense of community within Habitat and, more importantly, with each other as neighbors.”
During his remarks, Burien’s Deputy Mayor Hugo Garcia reminded the new residents of Miller’s Creek that he is not only an elected official, but also their neighbor. Garcia reflected on his adolescence in Burien and how he wouldn’t have risen to his role as Deputy Mayor if it hadn’t been for the stable home he grew up in. He ended his remarks to the Miller’s Creek community, “You chose Burien, and Burien is glad you’re here.”
New Habitat homeowner Tiffany F. shared her deeply personal story of facing homelessness when mold was discovered in her home. After she and her children lost nearly all their belongings, Tiffany’s resilience led them to Habitat SKKC and turned her into a first-time homeowner. In her speech, she triumphantly addressed the other Miller’s Creek residents, saying, “To the other families here: We are not just neighbors. We are a community. We share a unique bond because we understand what it means to fight for stability and to finally achieve it.”
Before Ali Sheibani, Director of Homeowner Services at Habitat SKKC, led the dedication of the neighborhood, he reflected on the journey that turned homebuyers into owners: Preparing their finances, volunteering with Habitat, getting to know each other at “Meet Your Neighbor” events, and taking homeownership workshops. He added, “They have been a part of our growth just as we have been a part of theirs.”
Growth is evident in the 40-unit Miller’s Creek neighborhood. In the early days of Habitat SKKC, home dedications were held for a single house instead of an entire neighborhood. Back when the affiliate completed its first home, the construction goal was to finish another 40 houses over the next 20 years. Fast forward to the present day at Miller’s Creek: 40 built homes from the ground up in under two years!
The rest of the event gave guests the opportunity to meet fellow Habitat supporters, volunteers, and staff. They also had the chance to explore the new neighborhood and tour two model units. That sense of community was immediately recognizable as new neighbors mingled after the program while their kids laughed and ran around the playground donated by Symetra. Neighbors from the houses nearby Miller’s Creek joined the festivities, helping the new neighborhood blend seamlessly into the one already established there.
