Unity Village celebration: Now home to 30 families
30 new apartments have officially joined the White Center community, now that Unity Village has celebrated its grand opening. You might recall the affordable-housing project at 13th SW/SW 100th for its previous name, “Strength of Place Village”; the name change, says project sponsor White Center Community Development Association, came from its new residents as well as other White Center community members. Wednesday’s celebration included tours:
And of course, a celebratory cake:
Though the weather was a little too drippy for anyone to be using it, visitors got a good look at Unity Village’s sparkling playground.
Blessings for the ceremony were given by ministers from Seattle’s Choeizan Enkyoji Nichiren Buddhist Temple, Revs. Kanjin Cederman and Ryujin Sorenson:
Among the dignitaries on hand: White Center/West Seattle’s County Councilmember Joe McDermott:
Also involved in the $9.5 million development along with WCCDA are Capitol Hill Housing and Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. You can read more about it here.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
November 18th, 2011 at 11:36 am
Great, just what we need, more low income housing and the criminal activity that eventually overtakes it. Where in the heck did this nonprofit organization get all this money to dictate where they are going to put places like this to devalue our neighborhood? People, keep your eyes open for organizations like this that prey on community members who have their head in the sand.
November 18th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Really WCLN? Have you noticed how attractive this place is? Devalue?! I would encourage you to check out the CHH website. They have more strict application criteria than most of the market rate slum lords in WC and Burien, and they actually CARE about their properties, instead of letting them fall down around their tenants. This place will have an on site manager keeping watch 24 hours a day, also something most other market rate buildings don’t have. I don’t disagree with your hatred of criminal activity, but you are targeting the wrong property owners.
November 18th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
I know this makes me a jerk, but that picture of the two ministers makes me giggle so much it is hard to type.
November 19th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
Wow, can’t beleive what I have read.First of all what a great opportunity to live in a diverse area. My daughter was lucky to be chosen, after a long interview and credit check to be able to live there. Her and her husband and two children are all white and because of the recent economy her husband has lost his job and they went from a two income family to one income and they are now low income. Three years ago they owned their own place so living in an apartment would not be their first choice but they are grateful they have a nice place to live. They are not felons or drug addicts. I hope when you moved into your place your neighbors gave you a warmer welcome than you are giving these people that you know nothing about. I will pray for you that one day you can see beyond the color of someone’s skin and will talk with them and get to know them before judging.
November 19th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Sorry, hadn’t previously seen the comment generalizing wildly and denigratorily toward people who need rent assistance. It’s been deleted. Congratulations, Family, on your daughter’s new home. – TR
November 21st, 2011 at 8:44 am
…I guess the truth hurts to listen on our neighborhood bias to people. Censorship is sad that people cannot listen to views on others being hurt by bias and just ignore the problem. By the way, Joshua, our prayers go out to you.
November 21st, 2011 at 8:47 am
by the way, I believe the question placed to Unity Village was the equal percentage to all races of people, and to treat all races fairly. However,you need to carefully read emails also for the facts and questions they contain instead of censoring, maybe we hit a truth nerve.
November 21st, 2011 at 9:08 am
i also think there was a question about the buying of buildings from capital hill housing and money used to buy places/
i know that all king countty housing as well as snohomish offers vouchers to those with felons, but not DV and people with treatement for addictions
November 21st, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Family of Tenant….i think you should read emails more carefully and in entirety before acting in haste before making own assumptions, otherwise it comes across as “Do as I say, not as I Do”….
November 21st, 2011 at 1:56 pm
while socialism is beneficial in some ways, it seems our area is saturated with the highest percentage of low income housing. We are at 17 percent verus outlying areas of 11 percent. Is that fair? Why don’t other communities pull together with their fair share? It seems that North Highline is known for low income housing, and what about those homeowners who have been many years in our area, they may also be low income homeowners? Is it fair to hurt them to help others? An elderly couple in White Center have their home for sale after 40 years in our neighborhood. Their home used to be located next to a grassy lot (that could have been turned into a park for children….now it is a huge psychiatric facility, near a school…and their home is not selling. Is there a reason that Redmond does not help? They could offer jobs to poor people at Microsoft, or help with college on the Eastside, there are hospitals and schools, why don’t they help? Is there a reason? Let’s rethink how we hurt others in order to help others. There is a time and place for everything, but putting more social services burden on already taxed neighborhood is just not fair.
November 22nd, 2011 at 2:31 pm
I live on this street. The construction was a nightmare. We received no notice that this project was coming until it was about to start. Some people on 13th did, some did not. I can’t account for the discrepancy, but it was not a pleasant surprise. The project manager was made aware, and did apologize.
The concerns about property values may or may not be relevant; my land/house has dropped like a rock since the recession. I don’t think there is enough data to say that this development had any effect.
My main concerns, which were never addressed by anyone involved with this project, remain the same- parking/traffic increases on 13th. Right now, I’ve seen nothing but the true test will be summer. I am worried about noise, trash, and other nuisances. This street went from being a quiet cul-de-sac to a more metro feel with the completion of the project.
Will it succeed? I hope so, and I hope it does with *minimal* friction between the tenants and the long-time homeowners on this street.