Amazon Commits $23 Million To Building Affordable Housing In Seattle

SEATTLE — Amazon will provide $23 million in loans and grants from its Housing Equity Fund to help build more than 568 affordable housing units in Seattle, the company announced Thursday. The investment will be the first to fund specific projects in the Emerald City since the fund launched in 2021 and is part of a combined $360 million pledged to support 3,400 affordable homes around Puget Sound, Amazon said in a news release.

The company will work with the El Centro de la Raza, the Mount Baker Housing Authority, and Gardner Global to develop four apartment buildings, including more than 200 new units near a future light rail station in Judkins Park.

"Seattle has seen us grow and mature as a company—and we want to do well by doing good. We are committed to helping address the housing crisis in the Puget Sound region, which is disproportionally affecting communities of color," said Catherine Buell, director of the Amazon Housing Equity Fund. "In supporting these projects, we are focusing on equity by not only increasing access to affordable housing but also being intentional about whom we select as development partners. Diverse perspectives are essential to help create truly inclusive and thriving communities."

Amazon said it provided $15.2 million in low-rate loans to support two affordable housing projects, including the new Grand Street Commons in southeast Seattle, which will have space for 204 tenants earning 60 percent or below the area median income. That project will also include ground-level retail and commercial space and a public plaza. The second project will preserve 155 affordable apartments at Mount Baker Village.

Two other projects will receive millions in grant funding, including 87 new affordable units near the Columbia City light rail station, which should be ready for residents in 2025. Another $4.5 million will support 122 units for the "Calvary 1" project, which will offer 122 studio and one-bedroom apartments for residents earning up to 80 percent of the area median income. That project is slated for completion by the end of 2025.

Read more about Amazon's Seattle housing investments on the company's official blog.