Strong demand for new apartments at White Center HUB
(WCN/WSB photo, earlier this month)
This Saturday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially celebrates the grand opening of the White Center Hub. But it’s already open, having served as the venue for events such as County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda‘s recent re-election campaign kickoff. And an announcement this morning notes strong demand for the apartments that are part of the project:
Community Roots Housing (Community Roots) with White Center Community Development Association (WCCDA) today announced the official opening of Canopy Apartments and the White Center HUB, a long-envisioned affordable housing and community services campus rooted in partnership with the local residents.
The development (located at 10821 8th Ave SW) delivers 76 new affordable homes, including 59 apartments with two to four bedrooms, serving households earning between 30% and 60% of area median income. Twenty-four of the homes are set aside for large families of four or more people. Canopy Apartments responds directly to the region’s shortage of deeply affordable, family-sized housing and reflects years of community-led planning and collaboration.
Adjacent to the housing, the two-story White Center HUB opens as a vibrant neighborhood anchor designed around “Hope, Unity, and Belonging.” Operated by the WCCDA, the HUB brings together trusted local organizations offering health, youth, food, and family services. The tenants include Southwest Youth and Family Services, HealthPoint, FEEST Seattle, and the YES! Foundation. The new space allows these organizations to expand their programming through an onsite medical and dental clinic, a coffee shop, recording studio, event hall, commercial kitchen, maker space, playground, and gathering areas designed to bring people together.
“Canopy White Center is an example of what the future of affordable housing can look like,” said Colleen Echohawk, CEO of Community Roots Housing. “When affordable housing is shaped by shared vision, we can truly meet the needs of the community. This project goes above and beyond an affordable place to call home; it’s a place where White Center families can put down roots and access the resources they need to thrive.”
“The White Center HUB and Canopy Apartments are the result of years of White Center community members organizing and forming partnerships. This project is built by and for the people who call White Center home,” said Aaron Garcia, Executive Director of the WCCDA. “We brought affordable housing together with childcare, small business space, and essential services so families can stay rooted, build stability, and help shape what comes next together.”
The project reflects White Center’s long-standing advocacy for development that meets local needs and protects the neighborhood’s cultural fabric amid rising housing costs. King County responded to this need and is a committed partner in bringing the White Center HUB to life, supporting the community’s vision from its earliest stages through long-term investment and coordination. The County provided early funding to help community leaders plan, organize, and build the foundation for this ambitious development, and later leveraged publicly owned land to make the project possible — transitioning the site from interim family shelter use to a food bank and public health clinic, and now affordable housing and community space.
“The White Center HUB is a celebration of community leadership and what’s possible when affordable housing is shaped by the people it’s built to serve,” said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. “King County made early investments, stayed at the table, and brought together housing, climate, and equity resources to help turn a community vision into a permanent home for families and neighbors in White Center. This project shows how affordable housing, rooted in place and culture, strengthens communities and creates lasting stability.”
Community Roots Housing developed the project in close partnership with the White Center Community Development Association, residents, and community stakeholders, ensuring the campus reflects neighborhood priorities and strengths. Southwest Youth and Family Services also played an integral role in the HUB’s creation, helping guide what services it would provide based on community needs and input.
Leasing activity for the building has been exceptionally strong. Applications opened in October 2025 and as of January, 84% of the apartments are occupied with applications or leasing pending on 9 of the 12 remaining units.
On Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., the organizations will host an official ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring special guests Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, and Washington State Director of Commerce Joe Nguyen. A community breakfast will follow on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., welcoming residents, neighbors, and community members to celebrate together.
The official opening of Canopy Apartments follows a significant year for Community Roots, which delivered 311 new affordable apartments and broke ground on an additional 84 new units in 2025. The nonprofit also distributed more than $250,000 in rent relief to 150 Community Roots Housing households in the region.
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