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Capitol Hill Housing 

Description

Since 1976, Capitol Hill Housing (CHH) has provided help to low and moderate income residents of Seattle and worked to improve the Capitol Hill neighborhood for all residents.

CHH serves a wide variety of residents and has a special focus on affordable housing for families. Operating 44 buildings, CHH restores historic Seattle apartments and also builds new, award winning projects. Our community development work focuses on historic preservation, walkable neighborhoods and thriving commercial districts.

Mission Statement
Capitol Hill Housing builds vibrant, engaged communities. We provide affordable housing and lead community development efforts on Capitol Hill and in neighborhoods throughout Seattle.
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Capitol Hill Housing
1402 Third Ave 
Seattle 
WA
98101 
(206) 329-7303 

Chris Persons 
Chief Executive Officer 

Programs

Capitol Hill Housing Programs

Capitol Hill Housing Programs
  • Develop, own and manage quality affordable housing in Capitol Hill and other Seattle neighborhoods, such as our newest project 12th Avenue Arts;
  • Provide affordable apartments for more than 1,100 families of 1,700 people;
  • Offer resident services planning to 260 families including 116 children under the age of 18;
  • Lead community development efforts on Capitol Hill,
  • Preserve the diversity of rapidly changing neighborhoods throughout Seattle.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Capitol Hill Housing provides homes for people like Wayne Nguyen.  Wayne and his wife Chau Huynh came from Vietnam as young adults. Chau Huynh received a degree in education, but the Nguyens found it was nearly impossible to find quality affordable housing where they could raise their two children on a teacher’s salary.

They finally found Capitol Hill Housing and moved into Gale Place, a beautiful garden-style apartment on a private cul-de-sac in the Rainier Valley. Their children now attend The Center School at Seattle Center, Chau Huynh teaches art throughout Seattle, and Wayne works as a translator and proofreader.

Wayne credits finding a home with Capitol Hill Housing as the single most important factor behind his family’s successful transition to Seattle. “One of the hardest things for us was finding housing from a company that is strong and dependable, but also remains compassionate. Every day we are grateful for this safe and dignified home.”

The Nguyen family are just four of the thousands of people who have found a safe, secure home with Capitol Hill Housing.  Yet for every family that we serve, there are many more who need our services.

Your donation to Capitol Hill Housing will help us expand our Resident Services program – helping more families in need as they work towards self-sufficiency.

Evaluation

Capitol Hill Housing (CHC) owns and operates affordable housing in the Capitol Hill area and other Seattle neighborhoods.

Proven Success
CHH currently owns and operates 1,157 apartments and 44 properties providing affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. The 12th Avenue Arts Center will be a mixed-use building on Capitol Hill, which will integrate the performing arts into a new affordable housing development and provide 88 apartments. Construction will begin in January 2012 with a planned opening in the summer of 2014.

Accessibility and Cultural Competency
Capitol Hill Housing residents represent a diverse population including families transitioning from homelessness, seniors with limited or non-existent incomes, and immigrants and refugees from Asia, East Africa, and Latin America. CHH has a special focus on affordable housing for families and children make up nearly a quarter of their 1700 residents.

Collaboration
CHH is adept at partnering with other organizations to increase the stock of affordable housing across Seattle. They are collaborating on a new affordable housing project near White Center. The project, Strength of Place Village, is a partnership between CHH and White Center Community Development Association and Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. The three organizations are combining resources to bring affordable housing to this underserved community.

Financial Health
To encourage funders to support the entire organization rather than single real estate projects, CHH realized they would need to create greater organizational liquidity and a stronger financial balance sheet. To achieve this CHH created a board-controlled operating reserve fund, with the goal of depositing $100,000 per year to reach their ultimate goal of $1 million in reserves. The first $100,000 was deposited into this fund in January of 2012. In August of 2012, CHH sold a five-unit apartment building on Capital Hill allowing them to add an additional $500,000 to the board-controlled operating reserve fund.

Sustainability
In 2010 CHH embarked on a strategic planning process. They developed a series of core strategies and initiatives to guide their work for the next 5 years. This includes optimizing their assets, building a strong infrastructure, exploring partnerships, leveraging their core competencies, growing their capital reserves, furthering their community development work, exploring a capital campaign and developing affordable housing in the community.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2011 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
9/10/2009 $40,000.00support general operating expenses.
10/18/2007 $40,000.00support general operating expenses.
9/22/2005 $30,000.00support general operating expenses.
9/18/2003 $30,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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