FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 13. 2022

Contact: Amy Besunder | Bellwether Housing | abesunder@bellwetherhousing.org or 206-718-5235

Nathan Box | Mercy Housing Northwest | nathan.box@mercyhousing.org or 206-602-3488

SEATTLE — Bellwether Housing and Mercy Housing Northwest will celebrate the opening of Cedar Crossing, their new 254-apartment affordable housing development at 6600 Roosevelt Way NE, this Wednesday, September 14, 2022, from 9:30 to 11:00 AM. Cedar Crossing will be home to an estimated 600 adults and children and is adjacent to the Roosevelt Link light rail station, offering unparalleled access to transit. The development also includes 13,449 sq. ft. of ground floor commercial space.

Cedar Crossing features innovative community partnerships with the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association, Sound Transit, El Centro de la Raza, Mary’s Place, and Seattle Children’s Hospital.

“This development is a beautiful example of what I call profound collaboration – a committed group of neighbors, public agencies, and housing providers listening to one another, developing a shared vision, and dedicating their time, energy, and money to something transformative,” said Susan Boyd, CEO of Bellwether Housing.

Cedar Crossing creates affordable homes for families who struggle to find housing options in the current market. The building includes 91 two- and three-bedroom apartments. Three-bedroom apartments were pre-leased quickly, highlighting the intense demand for larger, affordable apartments.

A public plaza creates a sense of place in the neighborhood and provides pedestrian access to the light rail station. The building features a playground, social service offices, ground floor retail, and a large community room for celebrations and gatherings.

Mercy Housing Northwest will provide robust resident services at Cedar Crossing. Their staff will collaborate with families to identify areas of strength and create programs that support them in their housing stability.

“Mercy Housing is truly excited to be part of Cedar Crossing and helping to support the Roosevelt neighborhood. The glow we see on people’s faces when we are giving them tours of their new homes and amenities is truly priceless,” said Cole Kiser, Resident Services Manager. “The sense of joy and hope is further amplified when hearing residents talk about activities they wish to see at our event programs and how they imagine using the pavilion and community room. We foresee a powerful and purposeful future and are truly happy to be involved in building stronger neighborhoods through connection and engagement.”

El Centro de La Raza operates a 6,443 sf. multi-cultural, bilingual affordable childcare on site, with the capacity to serve 68 children. The childcare was made possible through the generous support of the City of Seattle Human Services Department, the State of Washington Department of Commerce, and the Washington Community Reinvestment Association.

In a partnership with Seattle Children’s Hospital, Mary’s Place, and Ronald McDonald House, 20 apartments are set aside for families experiencing housing instability whose children have received or continue to receive care at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

FamilyWorks will open a Family Resource Center, bringing complimentary services on-site and ensuring additional services vital to the health and stability of residents are available right outside families’ front doors.

Cedar Crossing was made possible by Sound Transit and the Seattle Office of Housing, who partnered by offering the property at a discounted land price and committed $15 million in funds from the Seattle Office of Housing, including Seattle Housing Levy dollars. Cedar Crossing is also financed by The City of Seattle Office of Housing and Human Services Department, King County, the Seattle Housing Authority, the Washington State Department of Commerce, Umpqua Bank, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, federal low-income housing tax credits purchased by U.S. Bank CDC and a tax-exempt loan provided by U.S. Bank and Citibank.

Bellwether Housing and Mercy Housing Northwest invite members of the press to attend the grand opening on Wednesday, September 14th, from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Featured speakers include Susan Boyd, Chief Executive Officer, Bellwether Housing; Joe Thompson, President, Mercy Housing Northwest; Jay Lazerwitz, Land Use Chair, Roosevelt Neighborhood Association; Brooke Belman, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Sound Transit, Dow Constantine, King County Executive, Mayor Bruce Harrell, City of Seattle, and Representative Frank Chopp, Washington State 43rd District. Tours of the property will be offered following the program. Susan Boyd and Joe Thompson will be available for interviews.

About Bellwether Housing:
Bellwether Housing is Seattle’s largest nonprofit affordable housing provider. Bellwether has developed, owned, and operated housing for low-income individuals, families, seniors, and households transitioning out of homelessness since 19802400 households in 35 buildings in King County.

About Mercy Housing Northwest:
Since 1991, Mercy Housing Northwest (MHNW) has provided affordable homes to people with low incomes, including families, seniors, people who have experienced homelessness, and people with disabilities. With 54 properties in Washington and Idaho, MHNW serves more than 5,600 people every day. MHNW supplements much of its housing with Resident Services, programs that help residents build stable lives. MHNW is a regional branch of Mercy Housing, Inc. (MHI), a leading national affordable housing nonprofit headquartered in Denver, CO.

Quotes From Project Collaborators and Partners:

City of Seattle, Office of Housing
“Projects like Cedar Crossing help make us an inclusive and connected City that prioritizes community development and ensures that public investments create opportunities for low-income households,” said Maiko Winkler-Chin, Director of the Office of Housing, “Thanks to our partners Bellwether Housing, Mercy Housing Northwest and Sound Transit, Cedar Crossing delivers new affordable homes with onsite childcare and ground-floor retail space, with easy access to transit at the Roosevelt Light Rail Station.”

The Roosevelt Neighborhood Association (RNA)
“The RNA is very proud of all those in the community who took part in our workshops, through which we created the Community Principles that were the basis for Sound Transit’s Request for Proposal for this site,” says Jay Lazerwitz, Land Use Chair of the RNA. “These principles included strong advocacy for 100% affordable housing, a daycare facility, and other community benefits. Seeing how these have been manifested in the Cedar Crossing development is an amazing sight; a sign of how the community came together to support low-income residents within our larger community and in support of the regional investment in public transportation.”

El Centro de la Raza
“El Centro de la Raza’s Jose Marti Child Development Center is thrilled to be given the honor to engage in a partnership with Mercy Housing Northwest and Bellwether Housing,” said Estela Ortega, Executive Director. “We have a reputation of providing high-quality child-development learning in large part due to our caring and experienced staff. We promote unconditional love for all children, respect for diversity, social justice, and family involvement.”

Seattle Children’s Hospital
“With housing stability, the relief children and parents feel is palpable and greatly impacts their involvement in the medical journey,” said Kathryn Thurber-Smith, LICSW, Social Work Clinical Supervisor at Seattle Children’s. “I believe breaking down barriers to housing will result in more equitable access to healthcare and to other resources that come with being a part of a stable community.”

Mary’s Place
“Families who have lost so much, including their homes, while caring for a medically fragile child need a safe, healthy, stable place to call home,” said Marty Hartman, Executive Director of Mary’s Place, a family homelessness service and shelter provider. We are grateful and honored to be a part of this project that provides much-needed affordable housing and critical supportive services for families in our community.