Finalized Acquisitions

The SIF Request for Proposals was a one-time $30 million funding opportunity for communities at risk of displacement to acquire real estate for community ownership. Proposals could include plans for affordable housing and/or other community uses including, childcare, public open space, and community institutions. Sites in neighborhoods with high displacement risk and near existing or planned transit and parks investments were eligible for funding. In total, over 100 applicants with over $300 million in funding asks applied. A Community Advisory Group evaluated the proposals and deliberated over the course of several months, awarding the funds across 13 applicants to prevent and mitigate displacement in Seattle.

Due to the sensitive nature of real estate transactions, we are not able to disclose the recipients or their proposals. Six of the 13 have finalized their acquisitions and are listed below.

• Cham Refugee Community (Cham Village, Brighton neighborhood, $1.7 million): Cham Refugees Community purchased a 10,800 square foot site in the Graham Street TOD area. They hope to build affordable senior housing as well as ground-floor community serving uses.
• Cultivate South Park and Cultural Space Agency (El Barrio, South Park, $2.3 million): The Cultural Space Agency purchased the El Barrio properties in collaboration with Cultivate South Park in Spring 2022. El Barrio houses community-based organizations and small businesses and is a critical cultural hub of the South Park Neighborhood. In addition to maintaining the existing tenants, the partners are activating additional cultural space uses in the building and adjoining parking lot. The Cultural Space Agency PDA will hold the property while a partnership and/or land trust is created.
• Lake City Collective (Little Brook Multicultural Center, $1.1 million): Lake City Collective (LCC) purchased a 10,800 square foot site in the Little Brook neighborhood of northeast Seattle in 2022. LCC plans to create a multicultural center at the site that will have a variety of community gathering spaces, classrooms, a commercial kitchen, and outdoor spaces where community members will gather, learn, play, garden, and small businesses will receive technical assistance.
• Rainier Ave Radio and Cultural Space Agency (The New Columbia City Theater, $3.5 million): The Cultural Space Agency acquired the Columbia City Theater in partnership with Rainier Ave Radio to preserve as an arts, education, performance and entertainment resource. Renovations will include ADA compliance for venue access and bathrooms, expand the uses to include training space for future production, entertainment, and creative industries workforce. The acquisition was completed in May 2022.
• Shared Spaces Foundation (The Heron's Nest, South Park/Delridge, $900,000): The Heron’s Nest purchased a greenbelt and open space to expand their existing outdoor education facility for environmental education, retreat center, skill-building, and job training. The land will be stewarded by the applicant, with eventual transfer to Duwamish Tribal Services.
• yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective (Land Rematriation, Rainier Beach, $1.6 million plus $700,000 from Equitable Development Initiative): yəhaw̓ purchased 1.5 acres of land in the Rainier Beach neighborhood in December 2022 to create arts and traditional plants programming for Indigenous communities, including community led ecology programs, medicinal plant and food practices, and community gatherings.