Seattle City Council has just passed legislation to turn Fort Lawton into an affordable housing community.
The plan includes creating 238 new affordable homes on over half of the 34-acre site, including permanent supportive housing for seniors, apartments for low-wage individuals and families, and home ownership opportunities.
The legislation also includes using a substantial portion — up to 22 acres — of the land for park and park-related uses, and preserving existing natural areas that support wildlife.
Here’s a breakdown of the housing in the plan:
- 85 supportive housing units for seniors, including veterans, who have experienced homelessness;
- 100 one-, two-, and three-bedroom flats or rowhouses for renter households with incomes up to 60% of AMI ($42K-60K for 1- 4-person household)
- 50 three-bedroom rowhouses and townhomes for homebuyers with incomes up to 80% of AMI ($64K-86K for 2-5-person household)
“We must continue to act to address our affordability and housing crisis,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a statement. “This plan builds on our commitment to create hundreds of more affordable homes at Fort Lawton on a piece of public property while ensuring that our neighborhoods can be vibrant, livable spaces today and for the next generation.”
*Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly featured the wrong area of Fort Lawton. The above photo is from the parcel of land to be redeveloped.