Amazon invests $23M to build 568 homes in Seattle as part of affordable housing initiative – GeekWire

Amazon is investing $23 million to guidance the design of 568 residences in Seattle as section of its Housing Fairness Fund to make or protect housing for average- to very low-profits earners.

The $2 billion fund, announced previous year, aims to produce 20,000 affordable properties in Nashville, and the Seattle and Arlington, Va. parts, locations exactly where the organization has a substantial existence and cash flow disparities are escalating.

The freshly-allotted funding will go to genuine estate development companies led by Black, Hispanic, and Asian men and women, and are the initial in Seattle to be supported by the Housing Fairness Fund. Much of the housing will be found in close proximity to mild rail stations in Southeast Seattle, which has a higher percentage of very low-cash flow people.

“In supporting these projects, we are focusing on fairness by not only rising entry to economical housing but also being intentional about whom we decide on as growth partners,” claimed Catherine Buell, director of the fund, in a assertion Thursday announcing the new assignments. “Diverse views are necessary to enable generate definitely inclusive and flourishing communities.”

The announcement comes as the price to very own or hire in the Seattle area continues climbing — as do tech salaries, which are triggering problem that the housing price tag developments will continue on. In February, Amazon doubled utmost pay out to $350,000 for corporate and tech personnel. Microsoft also a short while ago boosted salaries to attract and keep personnel.  

The median sale selling price for Seattle houses was up 7.9% in Might, to $890,000, according to Redfin. The overall median rent in Seattle right now is $1,745, up far more than 14% from $1,531 one year back, according to Condominium Checklist.

Microsoft has also fully commited to addressing the very affordable housing crisis, pledging $750 million to efforts in the greater Seattle space the enterprise has preserved or established 9,200 cost-effective housing units in the region considering the fact that 2019.

The new Amazon assignments bring its fund’s determination to additional than $360 million and 3,400 residences in the Seattle area. These commitments involve new housing earlier slated for areas in the vicinity of gentle rail stations in North Seattle and by Seatac airport.

Here’s additional facts about the new planned developments.

• Amazon is working with 3 housing associates: the Black-owned growth enterprise Gardner Worldwide and two nonprofit neighborhood companies, the Mount Baker Housing Authority and El Centro de la Raza.

• One task, Grand Street Commons, will develop 204 new apartment models close to the long term Judkins Park light-weight rail station. The job, slated for completion by summer months 2024, is designed to be very affordable to tenants at or below 60% of region median earnings. People today of coloration are about 68% of the neighborhood’s inhabitants, according to Amazon.
• Other tasks will create 87 models in Columbia Metropolis, 122 units at the website of a former African American Baptist Church, and 155 models in close proximity to the Mount Baker light rail station.