Redevelopment Plan
Built in the 1940s to house defense workers, the wood frame buildings of the old Rainier Vista were designated as public housing by the Lanham Act in the early 1950s.
They housed returning veterans and low-income families for five decades, but as years of use and weathering took their toll, the units at Rainier Vista became expensive to maintain and less effective as public housing.
Reconnecting with South Seattle
The HOPE VI grant that is making redevelopment possible was designed to reconnect the distressed Rainier Vista neighborhood back into the surrounding community.
New Urbanist planning and design principles are being put to use at Rainier Vista, with housing designed to bring together the neighborhood's diverse mixture of residents. Its narrow streets slow traffic, while front porches located close to the street give residents a chance to interact. Low fences around private back yards give households a sense of security and ownership of their own space, but still allow for visibility and conversation with neighbors.
Developing neighborhood amenities
Housing at Rainier Vista is located close to a number of large and small parks, playgrounds, and community gardens that create open space for residents to get outside, meet their neighbors, and play with their children.
It is also within walking distance of the amenities of the Columbia City business district, featuring a mix of retail shops, restaurants, and entertainment options.
Residents also have access to Neighborhood House’s Rainier Vista Center, offering services for low-income residents to help them gain the skills necessary to move toward self-sufficiency. It has job programs, case management services, a computer lab, a Head Start program, and other services in addition to community gathering space. The Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club will also be located on-site when their new facility opens in the fall of 2008.
Starting in the summer of 2009, LINK Light Rail service will serve Rainier Vista at the Columbia City station, giving residents more convenient access to the Rainier Valley, downtown Seattle, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Creating a livable mixed-income community
Redevelopment at Rainier Vista will result in a mixed-income community, with low-income rentals, market rate rentals, and privately-owned homes. When complete, around 850 units of housing will be available.
By returning land to private ownership, several goals have been accomplished. First, proceeds from the land and home sales have helped fund low-income housing in the neighborhood and elsewhere. Second, the land is returned to the city’s property tax rolls, where it can generate revenues to help keep the neighborhood economically self-sufficient. Finally, it means that new in-city homes have been made available at reasonable prices for Seattle residents in a revitalized neighborhood.
The redeveloped Rainier Vista now includes units for residents with extremely low incomes (30 percent of area median income or below) and low incomes (80 percent or below), in addition to market-rate for-sale housing:
| Housing type | Income Category | Units |
|---|---|---|
| For-sale housing | Any income level | 209 |
| Public housing | Extremely low income | 176 |
| Affordable rental housing | Low income | 104 |
| Senior housing | Extremely low income | 78 |
| Affordable for-sale housing | Low income | 37 |
| Rental housing, disabled | Extremely low income | 22 |
| Affordable rental housing | Extremely low income | 17 |
| Units of on-site housing built or in the planning stage | 643 |
In addition to increased construction costs, development conditions encountered in Phase I have contributed to the challenge of completing Rainier Vista. Zoning interpretations and the discovery of a wetland area on the site both resulted in fewer for-sale home sites. When complete, the mix of housing at Rainier Vista will total approximately 850 units.
Financing
By the time redevelopment is complete, $240 million will have been invested in Rainier Vista. This money goes toward the construction of rental and for-sale housing, completed updated infrastructure, the creation of parks, open spaces, and public art, and important community resources lik the Boys & Girls Club and Neighborhood House Rainier Vista Center:
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Private investment | $130,000,000 |
| Tax-exempt borrowing | $35,000,000 |
| HOPE VI grant | $35,000,000 |
| Other public funding | $22,000,000 |
| Tax-credit partnership equity | $18,000,000 |
| Total investment | $240,000,000 |
Redevelopment timeline
1999 — The Rainier Vista community is awarded $35 million in HOPE VI funding for redevelopment.
2000 — Relocation counseling and assistance for nearly 500 Rainier Vista households begins.
2003 — The City Council approves Rainier Vista's Master Plan. Demolition of old public housing units starts.
2004 — The construction of new infrastructure and rental housing for Phase I begins.
2005 — Families begin returning to new Phase I public housing units. For-sale home construction begins.
2006 — Families move into Phase I for-sale homes. Demolition of units in Phase II continues.
2008 — The new Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club opened in the fall. Construction on Phase II infrastructure was completed.
2009 — Link light rail service began, giving Rainier Vista a convenient connection to Downtown Seattle. Construction began on Tamarack Place, located on MLK, Jr. Way South between South Oregon and South Alaska Streets.
2010 — Construction of Tamarack Place continues. Construction on infrastructure for Phase III begins.
Citizen Review Committee
In December 2002, Seattle Housing Authority agreed to establish a Citizen Review Committee to review and make recommendations on significant changes requested by the agency or any contractor to development or project plans. They are charged with reviewing and making recommendations on land sales, development plans, construction impacts and community notification.
The committee includes: Sandra Borders (Rainier Vista resident), Regan Pelton (Friends of Rainier Vista), John Wimbush (ACORN), Earl Richardson (Southeast Effective Development), Someireh Amirfaiz (Refugee Women's Alliance), Denise Harnly (Seattle Neighborhood Group), Doug Wheeler (Zion Prep Academy), Sara Lewontin (Housing Resources Group), Mark Okazaki (Neighborhood House), Diane Groeschell (Providence Health & Services), Daniel Johnson (Boys & Girls Club); and Ed Rose and Willard Brown (Seattle Housing Authority).
Memorandum of Agreement
In 2001, the Seattle City Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Agreement with Seattle Housing Authority. The agreement governs Rainier Vista redevelopment provides assurance to neighborhood groups and advocates about replacement housing and related issues. It includes the following provisions:
- On-site density is limited to 1,010 units.
- 100 percent of the 481 existing public housing units at Rainier Vista will be replaced with units available to households with incomes at or below 30 percent of the area median income.
- Up to 71 of the replacement units may be built off-site and may be built in partnership with other nonprofits. These organizations may apply for up to $2.5 million in City funds to help fund their development.
- More two-bedroom apartments have been added and the number of one- bedroom apartments has been limited.
- Up to $2.4 million from City funds may be available as down payment assistance for the 200 affordable for-sale units.
- Many site design issues will be addressed through the usual city processes.
- Sustainable building practices will be employed.
- Seattle Housing Authority will attempt to meet affirmative action goals.
