After years of planning, persistence, and partnership, 41 new affordable homes are now open on Vashon Island. King County’s early investment and sustained support helped turn a rare development opportunity into much-needed rental housing in a community where affordable options have been scarce for decades.
On October 14, King County joined Shelter America Group and community partners to celebrate the grand opening of Creekside Village. The milestone comes as Vashon continues to face significant housing challenges. According to local nonprofit Vashon HouseHold, more than 300 households have been on its affordable housing waiting list, while rental homes account for just 17% of the island’s housing stock.
“King County was the first to step forward with its funding commitment and for that I must thank former Councilmember Joe McDermott for his support, and Tina Ilvonen from the King County Department of Community and Human Services, who worked tirelessly to see us get funded,” said Christopher Bric, President of Shelter America Group, during the grand opening. His remarks recognized the early commitment and sustained efforts of King County’s Housing Finance Program (HFP).
A rare opportunity to address Vashon’s housing shortage
For years, limited rental housing and rising costs have made it increasingly difficult for people who work on Vashon to afford to live there. The island’s geography and infrastructure constraints, including limited access to water shares, have also made building new affordable housing especially challenging.
At the grand opening, Chuck Weinstock, a longtime community housing advocate described why Creekside Village represented such an extraordinary opportunity.
“Over time, we internally began to refer to this project as Halley’s Comet,” said Weinstock. “It had a willing seller at a reasonable price, a patient seller, proper zoning, sewer access, and water shares. Those are all things that come around at one site every 76 years.”
That rare combination of conditions, together with early public investment and broad community support, helped make Creekside Village possible.
King County’s investment helped bring Creekside Village to life
Through its Housing Finance Program, King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) supported Creekside Village with $6.375 million in Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) funding, alongside an additional $2 million in County-sponsored state infrastructure funding—a combined $8.375 million commitment.
The development includes 11 one-bedroom, 21 two-bedroom, and nine three-bedroom apartments. Approximately 70% of the homes are reserved for households earning at or below 50% of area median income (AMI), with the remaining homes serving households earning at or below 60% AMI.
“Creekside Village represents years of collaboration and a shared commitment to addressing Vashon’s critical housing needs,” said Tina Ilvonen of King County DCHS’ Housing Finance Program. “Our team recognized the importance of this opportunity early on and worked closely with Shelter America Group and our funding partners to help move the project forward. Seeing these homes open and knowing the difference they’ll make for local residents is incredibly rewarding.”
Located near public transportation, jobs, shopping, and essential services, Creekside Village reflects King County’s approach to building affordable housing where residents can more easily access work, school, and everyday necessities.
Since 2016, King County has invested more than $270 million in transit-oriented affordable housing, helping open more than 3,900 homes across the region, with more on the way.
More than housing: Building a stronger community
Beyond its 41 apartments, Creekside Village includes shared community spaces, a playground, community garden, and on-site access to services through Vashon Youth & Family Services (VYFS).
For nearly 50 years, VYFS has provided essential services to island residents, including mental health care, childcare, and family support. Its partnership with Shelter America Group reflects the connection between stable housing and community well-being.
“At VYFS, we know firsthand how much having a safe and stable home matters, and how intersected it is with well-being and health here in our community,” said Jeni Johnson, VYFS Executive Director. “This opening reflects years of determination from Shelter America Group, development partners, local organizations, elected leaders, and residents who advocated for affordable housing on the island.”
While 41 homes will not resolve every housing challenge facing Vashon, they represent meaningful progress toward a more affordable and inclusive community.
As Weinstock reminded attendees at the grand opening, “Let’s not have this project be the last Halley’s comet. We need to do more. We need to do better.”
Creekside Village demonstrates what early public investment, sustained partnerships, and a shared commitment to housing affordability can accomplish—and why continued investment in affordable homes across King County remains essential.