A new housing development in Crown Hill is aiming to make homeownership more accessible for those priced out of Seattle’s competitive real estate market. Seattle-based startup reSpace has announced plans to break ground on its first community, “The Grove,” once final permits are approved.
Located on a lot currently occupied by a single-family home at 9215 6th Ave NW, The Grove will be transformed into a community of eight co-owned homes through reSpace’s patent-pending Co-Homeownership model. The concept is designed to reduce financial barriers, such as high prices, steep down payments, and rising interest rates—issues that continue to impact first-time buyers and others seeking stable housing.
Three buildings will make up The Grove, offering distinct living options:
- The Heartwood: A two-level home with four private suites
- The Conifer: A bungalow-style ADU with two private suites
- The Evergreen: A detached ADU with two private suites
Prices will range from $179,000 to $299,900, with each suite offering private bedrooms, bathrooms, walk-in closets, wet bars, coffee stations, workstations, and en-suite laundry. Residents will also share high-end amenities like a fully furnished kitchen with granite countertops and Viking appliances, a living room, pantry, powder room, outdoor spaces, and EV-equipped parking.
The company’s co-founder, Katrina Romatowski, said in a statement that the goal is to offer a path to equity for groups often sidelined in the housing market, including young professionals, teachers, first responders, multigenerational families, and seniors looking to downsize.
Romatowski, who also founded Katrina Eileen Real Estate—the first real estate Social Purpose Corporation in Washington—plans to bring the model to other markets. She points to a recent report from CoBuy, which found that 30% of U.S. home sales now involve co-buyers, with more than 61 million Americans co-owning a home with someone other than a spouse.
The Grove’s virtual launch included an augmented reality tour developed in partnership with Los Angeles-based The Little Things AI, allowing brokers, buyers, and investors to preview the future homes on site.
Research from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard supports the potential of shared equity housing, citing its benefits in preserving affordability, building wealth, and stabilizing communities—goals reSpace says are central to its mission.
Image: reSpace
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