White Center Holds Community Summit on Saturday, December 3
Multicultural Forum Includes Free Workshops on Housing, Jobs, Health, and Education

White Center - On Saturday, December 3, the White Center Community Development Association (CDA) is proud to host the 10th Annual Community Summit - an event that celebrates the White Center neighborhood and the many efforts of residents, organizations, and community partners to connect to resources and one another. This year’s theme - “Building Neighborhood Equity” - is driven by the concerns that local residents have raised about housing, healthcare, employment, and education in 2011.  The Summit will feature workshops in each of these areas.

EVENT DETAILS

What: Building Neighborhood Equity

When: Saturday, December 3,  10:00a.m.-3:00p.m.

Where: White Center Heights Elementary

10015 6^th Avenue SW;  Seattle, WA 98106

The Community Summit is a catalyst for local change led by the community. It aims to help residents find solutions to improve their lives in 2012 and beyond.

The Summit is also an opportunity to share, learn, and experience the culture of White Center. Attendees can explore a diverse selection of food, youth performances, interactive electronic polling, and neighborhood videos. This all-inclusive event is free and open to everyone who supports and wants to learn more about White Center.  Translation and interpretation services will be available in multiple languages including: Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Somali, Khmer, and more.  Free childcare will be also provided.

Free “I Heart White Center” t-shirts will be given away in limited quantities. The White Center Community Summit is co-sponsored by the City of Seattle, Amerigroup RealSolutions, King County Housing Authority, and Noise Without Sound.

Register for this event online here: http://goo.gl/60sdU. The preregistration deadline is Tuesday, November 15 to be guaranteed an event shirt.

For more information on the Community Summit, email: virgil@wccda.org or call (206) 694-1082. For more information about the White Center CDA, visit: www.wccda.org or call (206) 694-1082. Visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/whitecentercda, and Twitter at www.twitter.com/whitecentercda.

###

Capitol Hill Housing Celebrates Grand Opening of Unity Village of White Center

November 2, 2011 (Seattle, WA) - The White Center community is delighted to announce the grand opening of Unity Village, a new construction project featuring 30 units of affordable apartments near the business district, close to public transit, shopping and services.  During this challenging economic climate for affordable housing developers, the White Center Community Development Association, Capitol Hill Housing and Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association have combined resources through an innovative partnership to develop Unity Village, formerly known as Strength of Place Village.

The celebration will feature a tour of the project and remarks from King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Council Member Joe McDermott and Burien Mayor Joan McGilton, along with other officials from the State of Washington, King County, White Center, Seattle and Burien.

Located on the corner of SW 100^th Street and 13^th Avenue SW, the $9.5 million project features 30 new apartments ranging from one-bedrooms to three-bedrooms for low-income families making less than about $55,000 per year.  Unity Village boasts many green features, and is green built to the Washington State Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard.

This project is one of just a handful of projects in Washington State that received American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Tax Credit Assistance Program funding administered by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission.  In a time when low-income housing tax credits were scarce, the partnership’s combined strengths made it feasible for the project to secure tax credit equity and a federal award.  Capitol Hill Housing is the lead housing developer of Unity Village, the White Center Community Development Association is the local sponsor and Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association secured the site in 2008 and provided construction management services for the project.  The project is owned by a tax credit Limited Liability Company in which all three non-profit organizations have an ownership stake.

The name “Unity Village” was selected by the White Center community and the tenants of the project as they began meeting to sign leases. According to Aileen Balahadia, Executive Director of the White Center Community Development Association, “the project’s residents along with its owners collectively recognized unity as a goal of the community and a hallmark of the collaborative nature of the project’s development.   This decision, guided authentically by resident voice, is seen a true testament to how this project developed from original vision to grand opening.”

Christopher Persons, Executive Director of Capitol Hill Housing said “it has been an honor and a privilege to work on this unique project in the heart of White Center. The development of Unity Village is a model for collaboration and the development of affordable housing in a community context.”

Funding for this project was provided by Impact Capital, King County, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Tax Credit Assistance Program, the State of Washington, National Equity Fund, Bank of America, the Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound and the Bill & Melinda Gates Sound Families Initiative in conjunction with the King County Housing Authority.

The event sponsors are Absher Construction and Bank of America.

Unity Village Groundbreaking

Wednesday, November 16th

3pm Tour of the project, including units and grounds

4pm Remarks & Reception

Intersection of 13th Avenue SW & 100th Street in White Center

Please RSVP to: patricia@wccda.org or (206) 694-1082 x162

{ CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW 2.50MB .PDF FILE }

We’re proud to unveil the White Center Merchant Profile, featuring the stories and history of nine produce markets. The Healthy Foods Here Program and King County Food and Fitness Initiative are sponsors in this project. It is written by Jade Blackwater and designed by Kathi Wheeler. Enjoy!

White Center Community Cultural Center and the Trusted Advocates host Storytelling with

Fadumo Muse and Ahmed Ali
this Friday, October 21, 5:30pm

at the White Center Community Cultural Center
9421 18th Avenue SW, Seattle, 98106

Come hear Fadumo and Ahmed’s life in Somalia
and their experiences of coming to White Center

Everyone is welcome - Bring your friends!!

How do you feel about King County and their budget? You still have time to weigh in on the King County Budget.

Community Wide Forums has extended the deadline of the King County Budget Survey: Achieving Sustainability Together to Oct. 23rd. What are your spending priorities for the county? What is your opinion on Metro Transit and other budget issues? Help the county make decision on the budget. This survey takes a high level look at the budget while focusing on Metro Transit. “The key question is how can we create a sustainable budget that avoids ‘crisis mode’ budgeting and maintains vital services?”

Here is a link to comments and thoughts from your neighbors around the county: http://communityforums.org/current-topic-video/#StartComments

You can participate in this online survey until 11:58 PM, this Sunday, October 23.

Share your opinions and raise your voice on your County’s Budget and transportation system.

***********************************
Countywide Community Forums does not use any tax dollars from the county. It depends solely on the donations from supporters. It is underwritten by Dick’s Drive-In and family.

{ CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE }

{ CLICK TO ENLARGE }