Groundbreaking Celebration

MLK Family Mixed-Use

148 workforce housing apartments and early learning center

Brad Reuling (LIHI), Laurie Olson (OH), Susan Lee (ReWA), Rep Adam Smith, Keri Williams (WSHFC), Sharon Lee (LIHI), Senthil Sankaran (Amazon Housing Equity), Caleb Stephens (KeyBank), Councilmember Tammy Morales, Mahnaz Eshetu (ReWA), Johnny Wheeler (LIHI), Nancy Bennett Evans (LIHI Board), David Musial (NEF)

On January 24th, supporters of affordable housing, elected officials, and project funders and developers came together to celebrate the groundbreaking of MLK Mixed-Use and Early Learning Center.

Located at 7544 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle, the completed project will be a 6-story, 148-unit building with affordable housing for families and individuals, with an early learning center operated by Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA).

Speakers at the event included: Rep Adam Smith; Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales; Mahnaz Eshetu, ReWA Executive Director; Laurie Olson, Office of Housing; Senthil Sankaran, Managing Principal, Amazon Housing Equity Fund; Sharon Lee, LIHI Executive Director; National Equity Fund (NEF) Managing Director David Musial; and Caleb Stephens, KeyBank Community Development Lending.

ReWA ED Mahnaz Eshetu. ReWA will operate a 6-classroom early learning center on the ground floor of the building.

CM Tammy Morales lauded the project for having a significant number of family units (31 3-bedroom apartments), which fill a great need for larger families and multigenerational households.

The crew from Walsh Construction quickly and nimbly used a crane and earth mover to make space for the groundbreaking event.

Rendering by Runberg Architecture Group

MLK Family Mixed-Use will include 29 studios, 74 one-bedroom units, 14 two-bedroom units, and 31 three-bedroom units. The housing will serve families and individuals at risk of displacement earning up to 50% and 60% of the Area Median Income. One unit will be set aside for a live-in manager unit. On-site amenities will include a large community room, play area for children, fitness center, resource room, and an outdoor courtyard. The ReWA early learning facility located at street level will include six classrooms for over 100 infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The property’s zip code of 98118 is considered the most racially diverse in the city. 



Architect is Runberg Architecture Group. Contractor is Walsh Construction Co. The building size is 152,221 SF and the lot size is 34,888 SF. Construction to be completed in 2025.

Financing for MLK Family Housing includes: City of Seattle, WSHFC, National Equity Fund, JP Morgan Chase, Wyncote Foundation NW, Amazon Housing Equity Fund, KeyBank, and Federal Community Project Funding.