Skyway Affordable Housing Projects Update
Two affordable housing projects have advanced through several planning stages. Each was awarded $2.5 million last spring from King County’s biennial budget. We were excited to host this community update event that shared progress on both projects.
Skyway Coalition and Homestead CLT partnered on a proposed project on a parcel of land known as Brooks Village, located just north of Grocery Outlet. The site also has a great green space with a land stewardship opportunity led by Community Land Conservancy.
The other project is an affordable rental development and early learning classrooms. This development is led by the Coalition’s Stewardship organization, Childhaven, and Low Income Housing Institute. This project will include early learning classrooms. It will be near 7-11, at 76th Avenue South and Renton Avenue.
Both projects result from hundreds of community members planning and visioning homeownership options for our community. Your voices continue to be critical to informing the level of affordability and how each development can best serve our community.
Please continue to engage and share questions to ensure we help keep our partners and developers accountable to our community’s needs and vision. Community-driven development is vital to growing Skyway without displacing or pricing out those already here.
Below are questions we’ve received from our community before and during the event. Skyway Coalition will continue to work reply as we are able.
Community Questions Collected with Registration
What is needed to qualify for possible housing?
Will the future growth plans for Skyway include permanent affordable housing
How can folks get their name on the list for the homeownership/affordable housing opportunity?
Why is my rent $168 less than my total bring home pay? Why can't I get any help like all the people that weren't born in the United States? It's like no one cares about me and my family.
Assistance Programs
Any new info on the Gardener Global project?
Help for first time homeowners
How are our legislators helping? King County Council?
Are there any efforts to put a county ordinance to have developers meet with the community or community led organization like Skyway coalition prior to them purchasing the land or shortly after they purchase, prior to developing? This document is also known as a Community Benefits Agreement that is done with community and the developer. it holds them accountable to the community.
Can you address the lack of sewer availability in skyway.
Income restrictions
Do you have resources for low income big family units available?
Sec.8? Rent-to-own homes? Long wait list? 😞
Do you have resources for 1st time homeowners that are looking to purchase in Skyway?
Affordable Rental Housing & Early Learning Project - Childhaven/LIHI presentation questions
Property Management Questions:
What is the timing & process for when people can apply for housing?
How does the community preference policy work? (Yasmin?)
What will be LIHI’s policy for background checks on potential residents? Will formerly incarcerated people be eligible for housing….assuming they meet other eligibility criteria?
What is your estimate for how much the monthly rents will be for the various unit sizes?
Housing Questions:
Will there be laundry facilities on site? If so, what will they look like?
Tell us more about the desire to serve residents between 30% and 60% AMI (as opposed to 50%). Why would 60% AMI be helpful for the community? Is serving up to 60% because it helps the project financing? Or, is it to serve a broader income mix…or both?
I would like to know if do I need to have a good credit score in order to participate or approve in affordable housing project?
Preschool Questions
Could there be a garden area or raised beds in the outdoor play area? (I CAN REPLY TO THIS ONE)?
When are you anticipating for the housing development to start and complete?
Would it be possible to have some type of gardens for kids to help grow their own food?
What is the process for community engagement, when will people be able to contribute, how can people participate in decision making?
What is the process to ensure that Skyway residents are prioritized for the Low Income Housing Institute project?
Why up to 60%? There is a lot of support to keep the range at 30-50% b/c there is enough need in that range. Need a good reason why you would consider going up to 60%.
How do you decide between two potential renters–if the project did go up to 60%, would you automatically choose the potential renter who can pay a higher amount?
How do you ensure that SKyway families have priority to child care slots?
Who is the property manager of the LIHI project and are they connected to / from Skyway? OR will they be?
Are there any restrictions for people to rent who have a background? Such as those who were in prison for marijuana charges.
Homestead Community Land Trust - presentation questions
When people go to sell, does Homestead get a cut? No - the homeowner gets the full appreciation that the home sells for.
Your program is for first time homebuyers or if they haven’t owned within the last three years, do they qualify as first-time homeowners when they go into market rate homes?
Why do so few banks participate? Banks don’t make as much money.
If people are paying 1% down, are they paying a higher mortgage rate like mortgage insurance?
Do you have a contractor with this project? To support small and minority contractors to successfully bid to participate in the project/provide their services. Workforce development for young folks getting pathways to trades so young people in our community.
Community Land Conservancy presentation questions
How do you get in contact to support and get involved?
Will these gardens look like the people who live in Skyway and what the Black and Brown residents want?
How will the gardens get enough sun?