When Sound Transit built Link light rail through the Rainier Valley, we purchased several small pieces of property adjacent to the line for construction purposes. Now that they are no longer needed, 12 such sites near the Mount Baker, Columbia City, and Othello light rail station are available to support affordable housing outcomes.
Affordable Homeownership
Based on community feedback we heard during our community engagement effort in the summer of 2019, Sound Transit and the Seattle Office of Housing are pursuing opportunities to make Sites 2 and 4-12 available for the development of affordable homes for purchase. In October 2020, the Sound Transit Board adopted Resolution 2020-17, which declared the sites suitable for housing and authorized staff to negotiate a no cost transfer of the sites to the City of Seattle for that purpose.
What's happening now
The Request For Proposal (RFP) for the final site at 6701 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. will be released in 2026.
Developers for two sites have been selected and were announced in September 2025.
- 4735 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total 16 homes, estimated completion TBD.
- Awarded to Homestead Community Land Trust in partnership with Rainier Beach Action Coalition.
- 4853 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total 8 homes, estimated completion TBD.
Four sites were released via RFPs on March 24, 2023. Seattle Office of Housing (OH) selected a joint developer team of African Community Housing and Development and Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King Kittitas County to develop three of the sites and selected Homestead Community Land Trust with outreach partner Rainier Beach Action Coalition to develop one site.
Estimated construction start dates for these four sites range from early 2026 to 2027:
- 7908 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total: 8 homes, estimated completion 2026.
- Developed by Homestead Community Land Trust.
- 4865 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total: 3 homes, estimated completion 2027.
- 3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total: 31 homes, estimated completion 2029.
- 6740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total: 31 homes, estimated completion 2030.
The first three sites were released via Request for Proposals (RFPs) on April 22, 2022. OH selected Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas County to develop all three sites.
Construction will conclude and homes will be available for purchase in 2025 or early 2026:
- 4912 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total: 3 homes. Completed, sold, and occupied.
- 5042 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total: 1 5-bedroom home. Completed, sold, and occupied.
- 7860 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. — Total: 3 homes, estimated completion early 2026.
Youth Achievement Center
Following our community engagement effort Sound Transit heard support for the development of a Youth Achievement Center on Sites 1 and 3, located at Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. and S. Angeline St. The new facility would provide residential space and wrap-around services for youth who are housing unstable or impacted by the legal justice system. Sound Transit is now working with the community and our partners towards that goal on those two sites.
