Mercy Housing Northwest and Open Doors for Multicultural Families celebrated the groundbreaking of their newest affordable housing community in South King County, the Kent Multicultural Village (MCV). The groundbreaking celebration featured speakers and partners who have been instrumental in making this development possible.

The Kent Multicultural Village will feature more than 230 apartment homes for residents earning between 30% and 60% of the area’s median income. 20% of those apartments will be set aside for the intellectual and developmental disability community. The community will also feature an inclusive Early Learning Center, the Open Doors for Multicultural Families Resource Center, and retail space. We are developing 233 affordable apartment homes Additionally, residents will have direct access to onsite services through our Family Services and Mercy Scholars programs.

Inclusive community designed for people with disabilities

Once complete the Multicultural Village will be an inclusive community designed with and for people with disabilities and their families. Codeveloped by Mercy Housing Northwest and Open Doors for Multicultural Families, the MCV will provide 233 affordable apartment homes adjacent to the Kent/Des Moines Light Rail Station. 20% of the apartments will be designated for individuals with disabilities and their families, alongside an inclusive Early Learning Center and a Family Resource Center.

Too often, members of the intellectual and developmentally disabled (IDD) community struggle to find accessible, culturally responsive spaces where they can truly be at home. MCV addresses this gap by creating a welcoming, multi-generational neighborhood built on connection, support, and the value of diversity. Through thoughtful design conversations, focus groups, and direct input from those MCV will serve, the MCV ensures that accessibility, services, and belonging are at the heart of its foundation.

Kent Multicultural Village overview

Mercy Housing Northwest and Open Doors for Multicultural Families were selected by Sound Transit to develop the site adjacent to the Kent/Des Moines Link Light Rail Station. Sound Transit offered the site for this development at a reduced cost through a competitive selection process in support of Transit-Oriented Development. King County pre-committed $5 million to the selected project and $14.8 million for housing and $1.2 million for non-residential. The Washington State Department of Commerce committed $8 million toward housing and $16.8 million toward non-residential. Amazon’s housing fund contributed $23.3 million via a loan to the development.

Open Doors for Multicultural Families will operate on the basement and ground floors of the project. This space will include an inclusive Early Learning Center focused on meeting the needs of diverse families and children with developmental and intellectual disabilities, and a new Family Resource Center with office space for Open Doors for Multicultural Families and other nonprofit organizations.

Ground floor retail specifically designed to cater to transit users coming to and from the adjacent Sound Transit and Metro bus facilities will also be a part of this brand-new community.

Meeting the diverse housing needs in Kent, Washington 

In Washington State, 37,000 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) face housing insecurity. The Kent Multicultural Village will advance an equitable solution by setting aside 47 affordable apartment homes and specially designing them to be inclusive and accessible for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and caregivers.

Kent Multicultural Village will also focus on providing much-needed affordable housing and services for families. Over 50% of the homes have two or more bedrooms, including some four-bedroom units, meeting a critical need for affordable family-sized rental housing. Developing housing for large households aligns with the City of Kent’s Housing Options Plan, which prioritizes developing housing for large, and intergenerational households. Furthermore, the location of the Kent Multicultural Village will help prevent displacement of low-income renters, as redevelopment activities continue adjacent to new transit facilities.

 

Finally, the community will feature a spacious public plaza adjacent to the north entrance of the transit station. The plaza will feature public art and flexible space to accommodate community events and gatherings.

Thank you Funders and Partners

Funders: JP Morgan Chase Bank, WA State Department of Commerce, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Amazon Housing Fund, South King Housing and Homelessness Partners, King County, National Equity Fund, Senator Patty Murray, Stolte Family Foundation, SYL Foundation, Norcliffe Foundation, Joshua Green Family Foundation, Fidelity Charitable

Partners: Sound Transit, Open Doors for Multicultural Families, Project Feast, Lotus Development Group, Walsh Construction Company, Schemata Workshop, CAST Architecture, Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Latitude 48, Geoengineers, Berger Partnership, La Union Studio, Studio Pacifica, Headwater Peoples