A row of golden shovels with white hard hats, each adorned with orange ribbons, is stuck into a mound of dirt at a groundbreaking ceremony. Next to them, a large display board on a tripod shows a rendering of a future housing project by Habitat for Humanity, featuring details about unit sizes and residence profiles.
The rendering and build site of Habitat for Humanity's 5022 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. condominium project during the groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 16, 2024.(Photo: Alex Garland)

Habitat for Humanity Breaks Ground on Its Largest-Ever Multifamily Project, Located in Columbia City

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by Alex Garland

Habitat for Humanity is building in South Seattle. Just a block from the Columbia City light rail station, a series of Habitat homes are almost complete. If you travel one block farther south along the light rail line, you’ll see the site of the largest single-building, multifamily development in the history of Habitat for Humanity. 

The groundbreaking ceremony for the 5022 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. condominium project took place on Sept. 16, and construction on the site is slated to begin before Oct. 1. When completed, 58 families will reside in the largest, multifamily Habitat project “in the history of the world,” according to Lt. Gov. Denny Heck.

A man in a suit and striped tie speaks into multiple microphones at an outdoor event. He wears glasses and a lapel pin.
Washington Lt. Gov. Denny Heck addresses the crowd during the groundbreaking ceremony for Habitat for Humanity's 5022 MLK Way condominium project on Sept. 16, 2024.(Photo: Alex Garland)

By spring 2026, 5022 MLK will be a 5-story, transit-oriented development, consisting of five studios, 26 one-bedroom units, and 27 two-bedroom units with homes ranging from 370 to 690 square feet. With its location two blocks from the Columbia City light rail station, it will offer families making less than 80% of the area median income an opportunity to own a home with mortgage rates no higher than 35% of their income. Additionally, this property will be placed in a land trust, making sure affordable housing exists for future generations.

MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, was key in securing this property. An email from Scott’s representatives in April of 2022 led to an influx of liquidity and capital, allowing Habitat for Humanity to close on the property in June of 2022. Amazon is separately providing “great terms” on construction lending, according to Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties CEO Brett D’Antonio.

A man speaks at a podium with the Habitat for Humanity logo during a groundbreaking event. Two display boards on easels show renderings of future housing projects. Behind him, a row of golden shovels with white hard hats and orange ribbons are placed in a dirt mound.
Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties CEO Brett D’Antonio speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the 5022 MLK Way condominium project on Sept. 16, 2024.(Photo: Alex Garland)

This large project is joined by several other Habitat for Humanity projects in the area. “This is an area where there's a huge need for affordable housing, and there's been significant community investment in transit, which is a huge benefit to homeowners that can live and buy right here,” said D’Antonio in an interview with the Emerald. “It's really exciting that we're going to be able to take a single project and provide first-time homeownership opportunity for 58 families. But in addition to that, to be able to show the community at large that we can do homeownership at scale, and that we hope this is just the first of many buildings of this size, and hopefully bigger because the needs are great.”

Heck agreed that housing needs are significant. In his address to the crowd, Heck remarked, “Our state needs 1.1 million new units in the next 20 years. We're going to have to scale up our current efforts. Today is a prime example of that.”

A man in a blue suit with a dark tie and lapel pin speaks at an outdoor event, standing behind a podium with multiple microphones. He looks to the side while addressing the audience.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell speaks about affordable housing needs during the groundbreaking ceremony for Habitat for Humanity's 5022 MLK Way condominium project on Sept. 16, 2024.(Photo: Alex Garland)

With additional funding of $7.4 million from the City of Seattle’s housing levy, recently renewed by Seattle voters, the project taps into public and private funds in an attempt to address housing needs in Seattle. Mayor Bruce Harrell added, “As the lieutenant governor stated today, it’s estimated over 16,000 people are living in homes funded by the housing levy. The new levy that was passed is estimated to create over 3,000 units of affordable rental and for-sale homes. While Habitat for Humanity’s 300 units in the next few years is a small dent in that enormous need, it’s a dent that allows first-time homeowners the opportunity to get a foot in their own door.”

A group of seven people, some wearing white Habitat for Humanity hard hats, pose at a groundbreaking ceremony, each holding a shovel with dirt. They are smiling and dressed in business or formal attire, with shovels adorned with orange ribbons. A mound of dirt is in the foreground, with houses and trees in the background.
Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties CEO Brett D’Antonio (fourth from right), government officials, including Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell (third from left), Washington Lt. Gov. Denny Heck (fourth from left), and Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales (third from right), as well as others pose for a quick picture during the groundbreaking ceremony for the 5022 MLK Way condominium project on Sept. 16, 2024.(Photo: Alex Garland)

Alex Garland is a photojournalist and reporter. With a degree in emergency administration and disaster planning from the University of North Texas, Alex spent his early professional career as a GIS analyst for FEMA. Follow him on Twitter.

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