Summary
King County’s $8.375 million funding commitment helps expand affordable workforce housing in a community facing longstanding housing shortages.
Story
VASHON ISLAND, WA — King County Executive Girmay Zahilay joined Shelter America Group, community leaders, and housing partners today to celebrate the grand opening of Creekside Village, a new 41-unit affordable housing development that will help address Vashon Island’s longstanding shortage of rental housing.
Supported by $8.375 million in King County and County-sponsored state infrastructure funding, Creekside Village provides affordable homes for individuals and families earning at or below 50% and 60% of area median income (AMI). The development includes 11 one-bedroom, 21 two-bedroom, and nine three-bedroom apartments, with approximately 70% of the homes reserved for households earning no more than 50% AMI.
The opening marks a significant milestone for Vashon Island, where limited rental housing and rising housing costs have made it increasingly difficult for working families, seniors, and people employed in local businesses to remain in the community. As a rural island accessible primarily by ferry, Vashon faces unique development challenges, including limited land and infrastructure capacity.
“Affordable housing is needed in every corner of King County, including rural and island communities like Vashon,” said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. “The people who teach our children, serve our neighbors, grow our food, and keep our local businesses running deserve the opportunity to live in the communities they help sustain. King County’s investment will create 41 more affordable places for local workers, families, seniors, and residents to call home. Creekside Village shows that even in communities where affordable housing is especially difficult to build, progress is possible when government, developers, and community partners work together.”
“Affordable housing is essential to keeping Vashon a place where working families, seniors, and people of all incomes can continue to live and thrive,” said King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. “Creekside Village represents a meaningful investment in the island’s future, creating affordable homes near transit, jobs, and essential services. This development shows what we can accomplish when we work together to address housing needs, support local workers, and preserve the vitality of our communities.”
King County’s Department of Community and Human Services supported the development with $6.375 million in Transit-Oriented Development funding and received an additional $2 million award through King County Council sponsored funding via the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP). The project also received financing and support from the Department of Commerce and other partners.
Since 2016, King County has invested more than $270 million in transit-oriented affordable housing, helping open more than 3,900 homes across the region, with additional developments underway. These investments are part of the County’s ongoing efforts to expand housing affordability by connecting residents to reliable transportation, employment, education, and essential services.
More than a decade in the making, Creekside Village overcame significant development barriers, including limited access to water shares, which have constrained new housing construction on Vashon Island for decades. The development’s location near public transportation, employment, shopping, and essential services offers residents greater access to the resources they need.
“Over several years, the strength and growing support for our proposed affordable housing development, Creekside Village on Vashon, inspired a number of financing applications and discussions with our public funders,” said Christopher Bric, President of Shelter America Group. “King County was the first to step forward with its funding commitment and for that I must thank former Councilmember Joe McDermott for his support, and Tina Ilvonen from King County’s Housing Finance Program who worked tirelessly to see us get funded. And now with the completion of Creekside Village, it’s a special honor and privilege for me to welcome King County staff members and Executive Girmay Zahilay to our ribbon cutting”.
Developed by Blue Ridge Cascade, formerly Shelter Resources, Inc., and sponsored by Shelter America Group, Creekside Village includes shared community spaces, a playground, community garden, and on-site access to services through Vashon Youth & Family Services. The development is designed to support residents of different household sizes while fostering community connections and long-term housing stability.
The project received broad support from local employers, housing advocates, service organizations, and elected leaders, reflecting a shared commitment to addressing the island’s critical housing needs.
Creekside Village is part of King County’s broader commitment to expanding affordable housing opportunities throughout the region, recognizing that housing affordability is essential to the economic vitality, stability, and diversity of both urban and rural communities.
About King County Department of Community and Human Services
King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) works to strengthen communities and improve the lives of King County residents by expanding access to housing, behavioral health care, and other essential services. Through its Housing and Community Development Division, DCHS partners with nonprofit housing developers, local governments, and community organizations to create and preserve affordable housing throughout King County.
About Shelter America Group
Shelter America Group is a nonprofit affordable housing organization and the project sponsor of Creekside Village. The organization works to expand access to quality, affordable rental housing and create stable communities for individuals and families.
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