(Image: Community Roots Housing)
Affordable housing developer Community Roots Housing has put another of its classic Capitol Hill apartment buildings on the market but the organization says not to expect a continued selloff of its smaller-scale holdings around the central city.
“We’re not in the business of selling buildings,” a representative said about the planned sale of the Park Hill building, the 1907-era, three-story masonry apartment building at 13th and Madison.
The organization announced plans to put the 30-unit building on the market last month and began the process of working with residents to find new homes. The spokesperson said people living in affordable units can be placed elsewhere int the Community Roots “portfolio” and that the developer has gone “well beyond city requirements” in assisting those in market-rate units if they choose to move out.
Community Roots insists the hoped for sale is not part of a trend though it follows the divestiture of a similar property in its wide portfolio. CHS reported here in May as Community Roots put 15th Ave E’s 12-unit Fredonia building on the market.
The Public Development Authority said the 115-year-old mixed-use building had become too expensive to maintain and proceeds would be used “to support the rehabilitation of other existing affordable housing stock within our portfolio, the development of new affordable housing, and operating support to strengthen the organization’s capacity to foster strong communities.”
The building’s $5 million sale will power the creation of “hundreds of affordable units” in Seattle, Community Roots said.
There are similar — larger — hopes for the Park Hill sale.
Community Roots continues to own and operate more than 40 buildings around Capitol Hill but its focus has shifted to development beyond the neighborhood where it started nearly 50 years ago. Launched in 1976 as Capitol Hill Housing, the organization began by acquiring old buildings to turn them into income restricted housing. As the developer grew, it moved into rehabilitating midsize buildings. When the housing pressures around central Seattle mounted, it lead the organization to embark on ambitious new construction projects. A prime example: The developer collaborated with Black and Central District focused groups to open the Liberty Bank Building, an equitable development and affordable housing project at 24th and Union, in 2019.
This week, Community Roots is planning to show off its latest addition to the city’s affordable housing mix with a grand opening celebration at Broadway’s Pride Place. The newly built “affordable, affirming housing for LGBTQIA+ seniors” on Broadway between Pike and Pine neighbor classic gay dance club Neighbours and will also make a new headquarters for GenPride.
But to build more projects like Pride Place and the Liberty Bank development, Community Roots is also trimming some of its oldest branches.
Park Hill stands out for its age and for its tenant mix including market-rate residents. Community Roots says it analyzes its holdings to make sure it is optimizing its properties. If expenses rise but rents remain flat, “Disposition sometimes is the only way to move forward,” the representative said.
Other options include packaging properties together for possible refinancing through the Office of Housing.
For Park Hill, like the Fredonia, the math added up for a Community Roots sale.
And, like the Fredonia, the buyer seems likely to be a market rate developer given the age of the building, and the cost of needed upgrades. The city’s newly formed Seattle Social Housing developer which could eventually be a bidder for the city’s existing housing stock is also not yet operational.
For longtime, residents, meanwhile, the change has little to do with those larger priorities. “It’s an emotional thing,” the Community Roots representative said.
A contractor has been brought in to assist “and asses individual needs,” the representative said.
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I fear that Community Roots Housing is going to sell my building next because I supposedly live in one of their all HUD contracted apartment buildings The Silvian Apartments which is a 4 story older building . Well recently our elevator broke and they said that after a complete assessment by a foreman from TK Elevator that the elevator is expected to be out for and extended period of time possibly up to six months and we have people in wheelchairs and elderly in this building . So that is also why I am scared that they are working up to tell us that they are selling our home and that we need to move .
Come to Broadway Crossing :O)
One sided ‘journalism’. Where’s the other side of this story? Instead of just repeating CRH talking points why didn’t you look into their claims? They say they’re, “not in the business of selling buildings” but they’re currently disposing 3 of their buildings (2 on Capitol Hill). This reads more like a PR piece for CRH – who may or may not be slum lording many of their properties and actively displacing their residents. Have heard & read plenty about this organization over the years and would never rent from them, market rate or otherwise. CRH is definitely NOT maintaining Park Hill (or Debbie’s ADA nightmare as stated below). New affordable housing shouldn’t be financed by the displacement of current low income tenants. Is CRH now saying that older buildings are just too expensive to maintain as affordable housing? Well, I call bullsh!t because half the units at Park Hill are market rate!
I’ve had a good experience renting from them as a disabled veteran
What buildings are you referring to? I live at Seneca.
Thank you Amy for also responding to this story and my comments ! Yes I sadly feel that us current residents in The Silvian might either get displaced – well I guess I should say homeless or once again homeless because of the many examples of them saying they can’t afford to fix certain older buildings but every now and then they come up with brand new from the ground up buildings like the 12th Ave Arts building and most recently The New Pride Place Building . And to tell us that it could take up to 6 whole months to fix our elevator I would think in this supposed all HUD subsidized building would be illegal by the Americans with Disabilities Act ?
Hi there, Debbie. It’s your neighbor here. My understanding is that the broken elevator itself is not a violation of the Ada as long as they make reasonable accommodations. Such as moving someone to a lower floor, or even getting them a hotel room.
Don’t panic! :)