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With community members and local officials in attendance, Housing Hope hosted a welcoming ceremony in Edmonds Tuesday at its newest affordable housing community, Madrona Highlands, at 8215 236th St. S.W.
“This is the model for dealing with the housing crisis in the state of Washington,” U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell said at the ceremony.
Located just off Highway 99 next to Edmonds Lutheran Church, the facility includes 52 units of affordable housing for families and is located next to public transit and a grocery store. Of those apartments, 26 are designated for those who are homeless at entry
Madrona Highlands is permanent supportive housing, meaning families do not have to move out at a certain timeframe. However, Housing Hope’s goal is to help them stabilize and move on to another type of housing.
Other speakers at the ceremony included Housing Hope CEO Donna Moulton, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, Snohomish County Councilmember and State Rep. Strom Peterson, Alicia Crank with the Hazel Miller Foundation and Pastor Tim Oleson with Edmonds Lutheran Church, as well as Kathryn Opina and Joan Penney with Housing Hope.
“Madrona Highlands is a result of many community partners … coming together to break down barriers to affordable housing,” Larsen said.
Event attendees had an opportunity to participate in a guided tour of the housing community and see the configuration of each one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment.
The apartments had a modern style to them. Each unit had a binder on the kitchen counter containing important information, including how to get connected with the Edmonds Food Bank and Homage Senior Services. Each apartment also had bags filled with basic cleaning supplies such as a sponge and rags.
Madrona Highlands has a laundry room, playground areas and two community rooms. Tenants will have access to case management, employment, job training, health care, child development and teen parent services.
“We’re proud that Madrona Highlands features the first ever clinical office in a Housing Hope community, where [Community Health Center] clinicians will offer health screenings and affordable, accessible care right here on site,” Moulton told attendees.
Half of the units are dedicated to families who earn less than 50% of the area median income, which is $57,850 for a family of four. The rest of the units are reserved for families coming directly from homelessness.
Of the 52 units, 34 are two-bedroom units, 12 are three-bedroom units and six are one-bedroom units. It costs $1,150 to rent a one-bedroom unit, $1,370 for a two-bedroom and $2,180 for a three-bedroom apartment.
Rachelle Sims, assistant community manager at Coast Property Management, said those interested in applying can go online at rentcafe.com or contact her at rachelle.sims@costmgt.com.
As of Oct. 15, there were about 15 units remaining, mostly two- and three-bedroom units.
“This project, to us, represents a lot of love from a lot of people,” Edmonds Lutheran’s Oleson said during his remarks.
— Story and photos by Angelica Relente
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network.
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