LIHI to build affordable housing at current Nickelsville site on Jackson Street

The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), which develops, owns and operates affordable housing for the benefit of low-income people in Washington state, recently announced it was awarded $5.5 million from the Seattle Office of Housing. The award will enable LIHI to build 60 affordable units for families and individuals on LIHI property at 2020 S. Jackson Street. This is the current location of one of three Nickelsville homeless encampments in the Central District.

LIHI plans to house its offices on the first floor of the building. Above that, the building will have 15 studios, 20 one-bedroom, and 25 two-bedroom apartments. LIHI will rent the apartments or below 60% of the King County Area Median Income (AMI) — that’s an income of about $36,000 – $52,000, depending on the size of the household.

Sharon H. Lee, LIHI Executive Director, provided more details on the subsequent Nickelsville relocation in an email to Central District News:

This is the site that currently houses Nickelsville on Jackson. They will be looking for a new site later in 2014 to provide shelter for up to 35 men, women and children.  LIHI, Nickelsville, and the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church would like to thank the many neighbors who have donated food, warm clothing, toys and gift cards. They are in need of firewood, gift cards to purchase construction materials and food, and donations to pay for the honey buckets and utilities.

 

Credit: Runberg Architecture Group

Credit: Runberg Architecture Group

3 thoughts on “LIHI to build affordable housing at current Nickelsville site on Jackson Street

  1. It is important to keep as much of the depression in one small area as possible. And this is a very good way keep the area from having an accelerated development as would be typical of a neighborhood so near to a ragingly successful inner city. Someplace for the poor. We can expect the CD to remain very much as it is. Lacking in significant commercial opportunity and work.

  2. Yes, a social service containment zone plunked right down in the middle of a business district that was reviving itself. it is deliberate.

  3. The silly thing is that housing prices will continue to skyrocket and there will be nowhere for many CD residents to work. A perfect storm for the poor that no amount of do-gooder projects can solve. Not to mention the more freebees we hand out the more people will flock to the city of no work.