Last month, the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Beacon Pacific Village, a new affordable housing community offering a blend of residential, mixed-use, and critical on-site services. Between 2016 to 2020, King County’s Housing Finance Program (HFP) awarded nearly five million dollars to SCIDpda, the owner and developer of Beacon Pacific Village, through Transit Oriented Development funding and other awards. Recognized by developers for its innovative design and sustainable architecture, Beacon Pacific Village provides connection to wellness, community, and healing for communities fragmented by the construction of the I-5 and I-90 freeways.

Located on the historic Pacific Tower campus at the intersection of Beacon Hill and Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID), Beacon Pacific Village provides 160 affordable homes, from studios to four bedrooms. Designed for working families and intergenerational households that are at highest risk of displacement in the CID and Beacon Hill communities, homes will be affordable for households earning between 50% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). In 2024, this is equivalent to earning between $75,350 and $90,420 for a family of four. Housing is considered affordable if the occupant is paying no more than 30 percent of their gross income for housing costs, including utilities.

“It’s been a long journey to bring this project to life,” said SCIDpda Co-Executive Director Jamie Lee. “It’s taken the dedication of so many entities and individuals to make it a reality.”

In addition to King County, Beacon Pacific Village received support from 12 other public funders, including the City of Seattle Office of Housing and Washington State Department of Commerce. Washington State Representative Frank Chopp is also credited for kickstarting the project.

Early next year, the José Martí Child Development Center, operated by El Centro de la Raza, and the Ron Chew Healthy Aging and Wellness Center, a facility owned and operated by International Community Health Services, is also set to open on the ground floor.

“What happens on the ground floor of these projects is just as important as the affordable housing we build above,” said Lee. “These services will enhance the experiences of residents at the Beacon Pacific Village and provide much-needed care to the communities we serve. By offering childcare facilities and elderly care, families will have the support they need to remain in the communities they have called home for generations.”

“Whether you’re living in Carnation or here at the intersection of the Chinatown International District and Beacon Hill, affordable housing is becoming further out of reach in this increasingly expensive housing market,” said Kelly Rider, Director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services. “Beacon Pacific Village is a symbol of the incredible result of this region’s government leaders, public funders, private businesses, and service provider partnerships needed to create affordable housing opportunities that meet the diverse housing needs of communities.”  

King County’s Housing Finance Program (HFP) invests in the development and preservation of affordable housing throughout the region. Through HFP in 2024, funding from King County helped open 1,248 new homes across 12 buildings. These apartments and residences span the full scope of affordable housing types, including permanent supportive housing, homes for seniors and veterans, and environmentally sustainable homes that reduce utility costs and climate impacts.