Hardworking Renton continues to lead the region in construction of affordable housing

This coming Monday March 22, a seemingly small “street vacation” item on our Council Consent agenda will usher in construction of another 275 units of affordable housing for households making between 60-80% of area median income.  It’s another typical week for those of us in Renton working hard to build affordable housing.

The latest project in the Renton Housing Authority’s pipeline, Sunset Oaks Apartments, will provide homes to 60 low income families when completed later this year.

Renton’s new Sunset Park will enhance the livability of many hundreds, and potentially thousands, of affordable housing units in the Renton Highlands (along with serving thousands of surrounding and interspersed residents paying market-rate for their homes.)  RHA’s Sunset Oaks is in the background.

The Highland Shopping center redevelopment project above will include 275 new low income units, targeted for incomes between 60 % and 80% median income, along with 275 market rate homes and  30,000 feet of commercial/retail space.  Seattle (7.5 times our population) would need to add 2062 affordable units in 2021 just to keep up with Renton’s per-capita pace on just this one project, nearly 100 units more than the total of 1967 units Seattle is planning next year.  And Renton has additional projects coming online.

In a three-way city-brokered collaboration, Renton is selling an unused access street (upper right) to Solera, while RHA sells the vacant lot across the street to Solera, as additional incentive along with tax incentives to construct 275 units of affordable housing.  The money from the sales will be used to seed construction of even more affordable housing.

Two cities in King County, Renton and Seattle, have Housing Authorities to build and provide affordable housing to people with limited incomes.  King County also has a housing authority which covers unincorporated areas and the other 37 cities which do not have housing authorities.  All three housing authorities, Renton Housing Authority (RHA), Seattle Housing Authority (SHA), and King County Housing Authority (KCHA)  have been working hard for over 80 years, frequently in partnership with one another.  They’ve also developed critical partnerships with countless service providers, charitable institutions, and all levels of government.   In addition to outright owning approximately one unit for every 80-120 residents in their communities, RHA, SHA, and KCHA distribute Housing Choice (formerly Section 8) Vouchers, and they work with the private sector to encourage construction of additional affordable housing using Federal and State Tax Incentives.  While the need has grown faster than they’ve been able to fund and build, these are the agencies with the experience and connections to best help us resolve the affordable housing crisis in our county.

For almost three decades I’ve helped bolster the critical partnership between Renton and our Renton Housing Authority, beginning the year I was first elected to Council when we passed a City-wide bond issue to build the 100-unit Houser Terrace apartments for low income seniors.  In the years since I’ve eliminated barriers for RHA as they’ve completed one cost-effective and lovely affordable housing project after another, most of them right in my north-highlands neighborhood.  Renton Housing Authority is an organization that thinks big, and they have secured the land, obtained the zoning, and built the infrastructure to dramatically expand their unit count.  For instance, in the past 15 years we’ve upsized water mains and built the Hazen High water tower to ensure we have necessary fire-flow for RHA to build taller buildings with more units on their land.  We’ve also built a new park, new roads, a new library, and worked with RHA to turn our old library into a multi-service center so that this Sunset Area would have the wrap-around services needed for low-income residents.  The result has been a steady flow of new affordable units coming into service by RHA, with many more in the pipeline.  The Sunset redevelopment and surrounding tax-incentive affordable housing can easily double our affordable housing, and possibly triple it at build-out.

And there is much more to come.  We are also replanning and rezoning the Renton Village area on Grady Way to accommodate thousands of new transit-oriented affordable and market-rate apartments, within a five minute walk of the new Sound Transit Bus-Rapid Transit Station (and potential future light rail station if there is an ST4).  As Renton’s representative on the I-405 Executive Committee and and as co-chair of Sound Transit’s BRT committee, I’ve helped gather the local and regional support necessary to accomplish this vision, including hosting a Sound Transit BRT committee meeting in Renton to show regional representatives our plans.  Even market rate units in this zone would be less expensive, as we will be reducing parking requirements of transit-oriented development.

Elsewhere in our city we’ve created low-income housing, including low-income home-ownership opportunities, by allowing density bonuses for developers who include such housing in their projects.

I’ve also helped create our ground-breaking new Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance, which provides free building plans, and waives building permit fees and most development impact fees to single-family property owners who want to build a backyard cottage to house another individual or family.  Our literal  “yes in my backyard” answer to house thousands of additional people at affordable cost in our existing neighborhoods.

There is of course much more to do and we can all see many unmet needs.  Additional short term emergency sheltering is obviously front and center, (we’re in talks with the county), and there are many others.  To guide our future work and maintain our vital partnerships with other agencies and governments we’ve commissioned a Renton Housing Action Plan.  This will form a blue-print for the next five years as we continue to lead the way in working on housing issues.

Like the rest of the county, we’ve just implemented a tenth of a percent sales tax to provide new funding to reduce homelessness.  We’ve chosen to locally manage the money raised in Renton, expected to be about $3,000,000 per year initially.  We’ve directed a large portion of our first year funding to Renton Housing Authority to help advance Sunset Gardens Apartments (a new project that will provide 75 homes for homeless and chronically homeless low-income residents, veterans and seniors), and the remainder toward basic needs, mental health counseling, and other services we desperately need for unhoused Renton residents. (See the full list in the link below).

I’m attaching a list from a recent Renton staff retreat about the many ways that we in Renton have worked to help reduce the region’s housing crisis.  With a tenure longer than most of our staff, I’ve been involved in all of this work from inception until now.

For those interested in how they can apply for some of this new housing, please phone 211 if you are in urgent need or contact the Renton Housing Authority here.

For those interested in more details about all our work on housing please see the list below:

City of Renton’s Work Across Affordable Housing, Homelessness, Mental Health: Listing of Ongoing Projects, Efforts, and Initiatives

Compiled March 2021

Community Revitalization

Sunset Area Community Revitalization and Transformation: The City of Renton has worked with the Renton Housing Authority, Renton School District, and numerous other public and private partners over the past 15 years to revitalize the Sunset Area and Renton Highlands.  Initially envisioned as the Sunset Area Community Revitalization, the project has now become known as the Sunset Area Transformation Plan.  The community is one of the most diverse and lowest-income neighborhoods in Renton and much of the housing is substandard.  In the last decade, Renton has invested more than $30 million of city funds in the Sunset Area to: 1) construct a new accessible playground (in partnership with the School District), the new Renton Highlands Library (in partnership with the King County Library System), and the new 3.2-acre Sunset Neighborhood Park; and 2) make various neighborhood infrastructure investments, including the Sunset Terrace regional stormwater facility, road and utility upgrades, and additional park improvements.  The Renton Housing Authority (RHA), Renton School District, and our other partners have invested more than $100 million of funds in the Sunset Area neighborhood in the past 10 years. 

Affordable Rental Housing Projects

• June Leonard Place: Renton worked with the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) on this 48-unit project, which opened in Spring 2019 in a new 5-story building in downtown Renton. The project houses lower-wage earners and formerly homeless families including homeless veterans and families with children.
• Sunset Court Apartments: Opened in Fall 2018, the $20 million, 50-unit Sunset Court project became RHA’s third affordable housing replacement project for the former Sunset Terrace public housing project in the Sunset Area.  Renton assisted RHA with acquiring property for the project and in securing a critical 9 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocation from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission as part of the City’s 2016 HUD Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant application.
• RHA Modernization Projects: In 2020, RHA completed a three-year effort to modernize all of its older affordable housing projects in Renton, most of which are in the Sunset Area/Renton Highlands community.  The modernization work included nine (9) projects with a total of 643 affordable apartments.  RHA completed more than $57 million of renovations to update building systems, apartment units, common areas, and sites to improve the quality, energy efficiency, livability, and long-term viability of the affordable housing projects.
• Sunset Oaks:  Renton took an advocacy lead in assisting RHA in securing $5 million in countywide lodging tax/work force housing funds for the 60-unit Sunset Oaks affordable housing project adjoining the new Sunset Neighborhood Park.  The City also provided a $700,000 grant and about $100,000 in impact fee waivers in 2019 to help complete financing for this $27 million project.  RHA is scheduled to complete the project in Summer 2021.
• Charting total investment in units from Sunset Courts, Sunset Oaks, and modernization projects:  Here is a chart showing that the projects above represent a total investment of more than $100 million the last five year to construct 110 new units of affordable housing and to rehabilitate and upgrade 643 more units:

• Solera:  Renton is working with Devco on this project to redevelop the former Greater Highlands Shopping Center in the heart of the Sunset Area.  The developer is completing land-use entitlements for the project and plans to start construction in fall 2021.  The Solera project includes 275 affordable housing apartments, 275 market-rate apartments, 102 for-sale townhomes, childcare facilities, and commercial retail space.
• Sunset Gardens:  Renton is helping RHA to secure funding to redevelop its current headquarters site in the Sunset Area into a proposed 76-unit mixed-use project with permanent supportive housing for homeless, seniors, disabled, and veteran members of our community.  As noted below, the City plans to use part of its HB 1590 funding to support the project and help leverage additional funds.
• Confluence Renton:  Renton is working with GMD Development on a 156-unit affordable housing project at the corner of Grady and Williams in South Renton across the street from the Renton City Hall.  The project received funding support for land acquisition from Microsoft’s Affordable Housing Initiative.

Shelters 

• Center of Hope: Renton partnered with the Renton Ecumenical Association of Churches (REACH) on this emergency shelter project, supplying space in the basement of its City Hall facility to make the project possible. The City has also been a direct financial contributor to REACH and the Shelter – $120,000 in 2020 and $120,000 in 2021.
• Renton Community Church (formerly Harambee Church): The City has partnered with RCC (ex-Harambee Church) on emergency shelter operations to feed the hungry and those in need.

Funding of Affordable Housing, Homeless Services, Human Needs, and Mental Health Services

• “1590” Funding: Renton is among several cities imposing a new .1 percent sales tax to address affordable housing, homelessness, and mental health needs. The funding through authority granted by the 2020 Legislature (HB 1590) will generate close to $3 million a year. The Mayor’s Office presented the first “Early Action Plan” for use of 2021 funds.  The plan includes $1.5 million in 2021-22 funding for RHA’s Sunset Gardens permanent supportive housing project.
• SHB 1406: Renton enacted the implementing ordinance for its use of SHB 1406 state sales tax credit funding for affordable housing and in 2020, contributed its initial funding toward sub-regional housing and homelessness efforts led by the South King Housing and Homeless Partnership (SKHHP). Renton also helped lead the lobbying effort to get 1406 passed and enacted by the State Legislature.
• Affordable Housing:  Renton has provided more than $1 million in funding for affordable rental and homeownership projects since 2019.  The City also has a generous fee waiver policy for new affordable housing projects which allows the City Council to waive building permit and plan review fees, system development charges, and transportation, parks, and fire impact fees — resulting in substantial project savings for affordable housing developers.
• Emergency rental and food assistance:  In 2020, Renton utilized $650,000 in CARES Act funding to provide food assistance and emergency rental assistance to those in need and to serve free meals out of its Senior Center.
• Human Needs Funding:  Renton is allocating just over $562,000 in human needs funding that will be allocated to 51 programs to address basic needs; housing and homeless services; economic opportunity; domestic violence/sexual assault prevention; and health and wellness. The Renton City Council has directed that the City ramp up this funding level in years to come.
• Mental Health Services: Renton is allocating a minimum of $350,000 from its first-year HB 1590 funding toward mental health professionals and navigators to assist those in need of treatment and services.
• Community Court: As soon as the COVID-19 emergency is declared over, Renton will be establishing a Community Court designed to help people avoid incarceration by seeking out prescribed treatment and services.

Affordable Homeownership Projects

• Willowcrest Townhomes: Renton partnered with the Homestead Community Land Trust (Homestead) on this 12-unit project in the Sunset Area – helping Homestead secure net-zero and WaterWorks grant funding to finance the affordable homeownership project.  The City also provided $357,000 in grants and density-fee transfers for the project, which was constructed on land donated by RHA.  The project is scheduled to be completed in May 2021.
• La Fortuna: Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County is currently completing the last 12 units of a multi-phased 35-unit affordable homeownership project in the Cascade/Benson Hill community.  Renton provided a $75,000 grant for the first phase of the project to help start the development.
• Rolling Hills Affordable Homeownership Demonstration Project: Renton is in the early stages of this project through a collaboration with its public utility and a Cascade/Benson Hill community church, utilizing 4 acres of surplus utility property and church property to create what it hopes can be more than 60 units of affordable and “missing middle” homeownership.

Homeless-Feeding Program, Cold-Weather and Wrap-Around Shelter

• Relocation of Temporary facilities at Renton Airport:  The City is working with a large corporate partner to lease space in South Renton for what will be a permanent relocation of a homeless feeding program and cold-weather shelter that has been temporarily housed in the “300 Building” of the Renton Airport. The lease will allow space for the homeless feeding program, cold-weather shelter, hygiene facility, and other wrap-around services to be funded in part by ‘1590’ funds (See above).

Community Multi-Service Centers

• Sunset Neighborhood Center: Renton teamed with RHA, Neighborhood House, and other community agencies to re-purpose and renovate the former Renton Highlands Library into a multi-service center in the Sunset Area/Renton Highlands.  Along with contributing a $400,000 grant to help with the renovations of the facility, the City worked with Neighborhood House on successful advocacy for a $1 million allocation in the 2019-21 State Capital Budget. 
• Family First Community Center: Renton has partnered with retired Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin, the Baldwin Foundation, and HealthPoint on this $15 million project that will start construction later in 2021 and will be immediately adjacent to the Cascade Elementary School in the Cascade/Benson Hill Neighborhood. A land contribution by the Renton School District was a key part of this project.

Plans and Partnerships

• Renton Housing Authority:  Renton has had a nearly eight-decade-long partnership with RHA, which uses Housing Choice (Section 8) Vouchers, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and bond financing, state and local funds, and other tools to build and maintain affordable housing predominantly in the Sunset Area/Highlands community.  RHA has been the City’s lead partner in the Sunset Area Community Revitalization and Transformation efforts over the past 15 years.
• SKHHP:  Renton was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the South King Housing and Homelessness Partnership – or SKHHP. The City contributes annual membership dues to SKHHP and sits on its Executive Board.
• Housing Action Plan: Renton successfully applied for state funding through 2019 legislation (ESHB 1923) to develop a Housing Action Plan.  As part of this grant funded project, the City collaborated with five other South King County cities and South King Housing and Homeless Partnership (SKHHP) to complete a sub-regional housing needs and policy assessment.  The Renton Housing Action Plan is scheduled to be adopted by the City Council in May 2021.
• Housing and Human Services Needs Assessment: Renton is in the midst of a housing and human needs assessment that will include data, interviews, and needs assessments to support the long-term use of its HB 1590 funding. The assessment is anticipated to be completed later this spring and designed to help the City better understand the needs, current services, and gaps for affordable housing, homeless, and mental health facilities and/or services relative to HB 1590 target populations and eligible uses of the funds.