Columbia City Source

This falls into the not-really-news category, but given that so many neighbors know nothing about this project (including many of us who can see this development from our own homes), I thought it would make for a worthwhile post. The townhomes on Renton Ave. that have been the story of on-again-off-again work for the past 4ish years are finally starting to see some action. Over the past few months, construction has begun again on the 26 townhomes (hence the name) that were sold last year to Homestead Community Land Trust that had previously sat abandoned in mid-construction for the past few years.

Homestead is a non-profit, which:

…assists middle-income folks (80% of AMI and below) to purchase quality homes in the Seattle area, affordably, and keeps these homes affordable for future buyers, as well. We provide Seattle area residents, who keep our community vital, including mail carriers, police officers, grocery clerks, social workers and teachers, the opportunity to gain stability for their families, gain equity safely and put down roots in their community.

Through partnering with low- and moderate-income households we create and preserve affordable homeownership opportunities for today and tomorrow.

Homestead provides our homeowners with post-purchase support like financial counseling, classes on home repair and income tax preparation. Homestead’s dedication to our homeowners is evidenced by our zero percent foreclosure rate.

The Columbia 26 project is now being fully marketed with a slick website, Facebook page, and Twitter account. Progress is still a bit slow, but over the past few weeks, crews have been repairing siding and replacing the windows that have sat unfinished and boarded up for far too many years.