Sound Transit, Seattle finalize land transfer for housing development

Sound Transit and the city of Seattle have finalized the transfer of 10 sites in the Rainier Valley from the transit authority to the Seattle Office of Housing, at no cost to the city, for the development of permanently affordable homes. 

Originally purchased for Sound Transit construction purposes, the 10 sites are located in an area at high risk of displacement along Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, spanning from the Mount Baker Link light-rail station to the Rainier Beach Link light-rail station, according to a news release.  

The housing office will issue requests for proposals (RFPs) over the next several years to identify developers for each of the 10 sites, with RFPs for the first three sites to be released early next year. 

Seattle has committed approximately $10 million to the Rainier Valley Homeownership Initiative, which will support the development of at least 100 new permanently affordable for-sale homes on the  properties. Future homeownership opportunities developed on the sites will range in housing type and serve homebuyers earning at or below 80% area median income, or less than $92,560 for a household of four.