The Seattle City Council has signed off on a three-bill housing package that clears the way for more than 300 affordable homes in Mount Baker, Montlake and the Central District, tying new construction to childcare space, early learning and long-term affordability rules. City leaders are pitching it as a targeted push to keep families near transit and to add more family-sized units where demand is highest.
In a news release, the package's sponsor, Councilmember Dionne Foster, framed the legislation as an investment blueprint that “paves the way for the City to invest in building over 300 new affordable housing units.” The measures passed the full Council on June 30, according to the Seattle City Council.
Mount Baker: UW Laundry Site Poised To Turn Into Family Housing Hub
One ordinance authorizes a long-term ground lease of the former University of Washington laundry parcels at 2929 27th Ave S to an affiliate of Mercy Housing Northwest and El Centro de la Raza for a mixed-use project. Records from Legistar for Council Bill 121236 show the plan calls for roughly 239 affordable rental units and dedicated space for an early learning center, with a capital award for Phase I already noted.
Cleanup First, Then Construction
The Mount Baker site comes with a catch: legacy soil contamination from past industrial uses. The Washington Department of Ecology reports that El Centro de la Raza and Mercy Housing Northwest will take the lead on cleanup work before redevelopment moves forward. The Washington Department of Ecology outlines the remediation planning on its project page.
At the same time, the city is trying to make sure the project is not just clean but livable. The Seattle Office of Housing describes the Mount Baker redevelopment as focused on strong transit access and more family-sized units, responding to community priorities collected for the site.
Montlake: From WSDOT Property To Permanently Affordable Homes
A second bill centers on the Montlake Homes site at 2625 East Montlake Place East. The legislation authorizes the Office of Housing to acquire the property from WSDOT for up to $6.05 million and to run a competitive process for a developer to build at least 50 permanently affordable, owner-occupied homes. Acquisition terms and the city's plan to lock in resale affordability over time are detailed in Legistar under Council Bill 121237.
Central District: Harvey Parcels Lined Up For For-Sale Units
The third ordinance targets two adjacent parcels in the Central District owned by the Central Area Development Association, including the Harvey Apartments at East 26th and East Cherry. The measure authorizes the Office of Housing to acquire and combine the sites into a single development area for affordable for-sale housing.
The Seattle City Council notes that the Office of Housing will select a development partner through a competitive process and that the combined site is expected to yield at least 18 permanently affordable homes for sale, with the aim of preserving long-term affordability in the Central Area.
What Happens Next
If the mayor signs the bills, the Office of Housing will be cleared to move into permitting, procurement and predevelopment work with selected partners. According to the Council's release, groundbreaking at the UW Laundry site is scheduled for October 2026, with Phase I homes projected to be finished by summer 2028.
For the Montlake and Central District properties, the Office of Housing is set to follow competitive procurement and engagement processes to lock in development teams and design details. Community organizations and housing officials have praised the three-site package as a meaningful step toward more affordable options in high-opportunity neighborhoods, while city leaders are already signaling that much larger investments will still be needed to meet Seattle's wider housing needs.
