Access to quality affordable housing, services, and childcare for families and individuals is vital to building and maintaining strong communities. Over the last year, our Pacific Northwest team worked alongside community partners to catalyze the development of affordable homes across Washington. Our partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce (Commerce) played a crucial role in extending our programmatic reach statewide.
With the support of Commerce, Enterprise provides critical technical assistance and early predevelopment funding for affordable housing co-located with early learning and other community-serving facilities, as well as permanent supportive housing for populations served with the Apple Health and Homes program. Through our programmatic efforts, we provided technical assistance to organizations across Washington and supported twelve projects with over $500,000 in predevelopment grants. These developments will create 944 homes, seven early-learning classrooms, and five community facilities.
The predevelopment grants supported a wide range of activities, from early conceptual design fees and geotechnical analysis to hiring a development consultant to completing environmental site assessments.
“… because of the support from Enterprise, we were able to get some initial drawings done, and that was really critical in terms of helping one start to seek funding. People are much more likely, in my experience, to buy into the project when they have a vision of what it is going to look like.”
Wendy Sisk, Peninsula Behavioral Health, Port Angeles, Washington
These grant funds were crucial for community-based organizations, local Tribes, and nonprofits striving to advance their developments. Our grants support a portion of the costly analyses required just to reach the stage of applying for funding. Thanks to our partnership with Commerce, Enterprise could provide much-needed funding to the organizations that are the most involved in the communities they serve.
“The community [at our project] feeds in the community of Proctor, which feeds back into our community. It is not just affordable housing and resources. Yes, it's housing. Yes, it's resources. But it is also a place for all Proctor residents to have recitals and attend Saturday markets or to build community and lasting relationships.”
Pastor Susan Boegli, Mason United Methodist Church, Tacoma, Washington
Our reach mapped.
In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Enterprise supported organizations across Washington, deploying grant funding for capacity building, predevelopment expenses, and ongoing technical assistance. A few projects Enterprise supported include:
Caitlin & Main – Lower Columbia Community Action Council (LCCAC) – Kelso, Washington
- 40 units of permanent supportive housing, a new city library, and a new community center on city-owned land in a partnership with the City of Kelso and Kelso Public Library.
Northview Apartments – Peninsula Behavioral Health (PBH) – Port Angeles, Washington
- 36 units of permanent supportive housing offering case managers and supportive services for residents.
Bellis Fair – Opportunity Council, Bellingham, Washington
- 128 units of affordable housing across two phases, including 65 units of affordable senior housing, five early learning classrooms, and integrated community spaces.
Muckleshoot Housing Authority – Auburn, Washington
- The Muckleshoot Housing Authority is working toward its first permanent supportive housing development.
“The grant from Enterprise carried our project forward. It is vital for us because we wait so long before we see any sort of funding in our actual hands. … we are a small nonprofit, we don’t make a ton of money, and [the grant] is an integral part for us to achieve our milestones and keep the project moving forward.”
Adrienne Solenberger, Opportunity Council, Bellingham, Washington