A rendering shows the planned five-story condo development at 5022 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Seattle. (courtesy Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas County)
On an empty lot in South Seattle on Monday, Habitat for Humanity hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for its largest single-building multifamily project in the U.S.
The five-story, 58-unit condominium development at 5022 Martin Luther King Jr. Way is intended for first-time homebuyers making less than 80% of area median income.
Brett D’Antonio, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas Counties, called it the most complicated project the organization has done in the Puget Sound region.
“We spent a lot of time over the last two years during pre-development figuring out what changes we need to make to fit our business model to make sure it was successful,” D’Antonio said.
Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas County CEO Brett D’Antonio speaks at the ceremonial groundbreaking for a 58-unit affordable condo development in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood.
Habitat purchased the 16,807 square-foot midblock site just south of the Columbia City Link light rail station for $1.35 million, according to public records. D’Antonio said a $7.5 million grant from billionaire Mackenzie Scott’s foundation made the deal possible.
“We got that cryptic email from Mackenzie Scott’s representatives in April 2022, and we closed on this property in June 2022. That influx of liquidity and capital let us move really fast on a 60-day close, made possible specifically by that donation,” he said.
Julian Weber Architects designed the project, which will include 26 one-bedroom homes, 27 two-bedroom units and five studios. The units will range from 370 to 690 square feet. Exxel Pacific is the general contractor for the 41,151-square-foot development.
Mortgages will be set at no more than 35% of monthly income, including property tax and insurance. A Habitat spokesperson said in an email studio units will be affordable to someone earning minimum wage working full time in Seattle. For a 1-bedroom unit, the initial estimate of sales price is $255,000, or between $1,800 and $2,600 in terms of monthly payments.
“It’s an opportunity for a family to own a home near where they live and work, and to be able to start putting down roots in the community, not having to worry about their kids’ switching schools when their lease comes up,” D’Antonio said.
The development is expected to be completed in spring 2026.
D’Antonio said Habitat has three additional Seattle condo projects with a collective total of 65 units in pre-development with African Community Housing and Development. All told, the organization has 300 affordable homes in the pipeline that D’Antonio expects to finish in the next five years.
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