The effects of our nation-wide housing crisis are felt everywhere, but BIPOC women and families are disproportionately impacted by it. YWCA offers various housing programs that help families find and maintain safe, stable housing, but the process of applying for housing, particularly affordable housing, can be a long and arduous.
YWCA’s 800 East Denny Way project was designed to address barriers to affordable housing in Seattle for low-income households at risk of or experiencing homelessness. This acquisition was made possible with $20 million in funding from the City of Seattle, matched by $20 million in Rapid Capitol Housing Acquisition (RCHA) funds from the Washington State Department of Commerce, which help quickly increase access to affordable housing by transforming existing structures into permanent supportive housing.
On June 27, our Denny Apartments officially opened its doors and became the first new YWCA affordable housing location in over 20+ years. We were joined by Governor Jay Inslee and Mayor Bruce Harrell, both of whom spoke about the importance of investing in affordable housing across the region. Highlights of the event were featured on KING 5 News.
“We look forward to the opening of these apartments and making progress toward YWCA’s overall strategic goal of increasing access to affordable permanent housing in the community,” says Maria Chavez-Wilcox, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish.
The completed project has 91 studio and one-bedroom apartments, and is in a vibrant accessible neighborhood with multiple public transit options. Half of the units will be for households earning 30% or less of area median income (AMI), and half for households earning 50% or less of AMI. 54 units will provide permanent supportive housing (PSH), which combines housing placements without time limits with wrap-around services, and PSH residents will receive individual case management services from a Resident Life Coach who will connect them to a network of supportive services to help meet their needs and realize their goals.
Denny Apartments is YWCA’s first housing development in Capitol Hill and brings the total number of YWCA-owned units to over1,000 across the region. We are dedicated to delivering compassionate, culturally specific, and individualized services, in partnership with on-site staff and residents to create a healthy and thriving community for all.
Learn more about YWCA's housing programs and hear from our community by attending our Inspire Luncheon on September 14, featuring Misty Copeland as our keynote speaker. Limited in-person tickets and virtual tickets are available.
Ana Rodriguez-Knutsen is the Content Specialist for YWCA's Marketing & Editorial team. From fiction writing to advocacy work, Ana works with an intersectional mindset to uplift and amplify the voices of underrepresented communities.
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