LYNNWOOD—Housing Hope and the Edmonds School District (ESD) broke groundon its upcoming Scriber Place, a 52-unit multi-family affordable housing development that will serve McKinney-Vento homeless families primarily located in the Edmonds School District.
The new community is a collaboration between Edmonds School District (who will be leasing the 2.2 acres site) and Housing Hope. Currently, in the Edmonds Schools District, there are over 700 families experiencing homelessness in desperate need of housing.
When the community opens in December of 2026, up to 52 families will receive supportive services under a resident services delivery model, where Housing Hope’s family support coaches will work with residents to create plans that help the respective families engage in activities that strengthen their households and increase their ability to be self-sufficient.
Housing Hope’s Scriber Place project is a five years-in-the-making project first conceptualized in 2020 with initial designs completed by Designs Northwest Architects in April of 2023. Designs concepts continued to be reviewed through 2024 by the City of Lynnwood Planning Department.
The total price tag of the project is estimated to be approximately $38.7 million, secured by Snohomish County, the State of Washington Housing Trust Fund, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, the Washington State legislature, and federal congressional delegation. The National Equity Fund provided the tax credit syndication, and Banner Bank is providing the lending.
Impact Capital and Enterprise Community Partners provided the predevelopment funding to get the project off the ground.
At the groundbreaking ceremony held on Wednesday, October 1, the rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the approximately 200 people eager to usher in a new affordable housing option for Lynnwood families, hearing remarks from Dr. Greg Schwab, Assistant Superintendent at Edmonds School District for K-12, Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Miner, Rachel Downes, Chief Strategic Officer for Housing Hope, Kathryn Opina, CEO of Housing Hope, and Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell.
Also in attendance was Senator Marko Liias, Rep. Mary Fossee, Rep. and Snohomish County Councilman Strom Peterson, Rep. Lauren Davis., Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, Lynnwood City Council members George Hurst, Joshua Binda, Derica Escamilla, Nick Coelho, David Parshall, and Robert Leutwyler, Mountlake Terrace Mayor Kyoko Matsumoto-Wright, Edmonds City Council members Chris Eck, Will Chen, Vivian Olson, Jenna Nand, and the Edmonds School District Board of Directors.
Representatives from Sen. Maria Cantwell’s Office, Sen. Patty Murray, Congressman Rick Larsen’s Office, Governor Bob Ferguson’s Office, and Congresswoman Suzan Delbene were also in attendance.
Congressman Larsen and Senator Murray were pivotal in securing funding for the project, in addition to state appropriations, by way of Reps Cindy Ryu, Jesse Solomon, and Lauren Davis.
Dr. Greg Schwab read the land acknowledgement before introducing a unique (and hilarious) rendition of America the Beautiful sung by Housing Hope Sr. Director of Resource Development, Marketing, and Communications Joan Penney backed by an ensemble of kazoos.
Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Miner then took the podium to share a few words.
“Today we really are celebrating what can happen when community partners and housing advocates come together with a shared vision for the future of our community,” said Dr. Miner. “The is really a shared effort with those who believe that every child deserves a safe and stable place to call their home.”
Dr. Miner said the project is more than just building house: it’s building hope.
Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell then took the podium to share a few words of her own, reflecting on attending Junior High School at what is now Cedar Valley next door.
“Today’s event represents countless years of planning, collaborating, and shifting, from the idea of what if to why not. Not long from now this patch of land will be bustling and thriving with our children playing, and connecting, and creating their own community while providing much needed, and much deserved, moments of peace, security, and joy,” said Mayor Frizzell. “Many of these children have not had a place to call home for many years.”
Frizzell continued that the city deeply values creating livable communities through mixed-used developments, to pedestrian friendly neighborhoods, and vibrant public spaces that invite gathering. But to do so requires innovation and partnerships.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers followed Mayor Frizzell echoing her remarks on the importance of collaboration, owing the county’s success to its ability, and willingness, to team up.
“You can’t get a good education, you can’t thrive if you don’t have a home,” said Executive Somers. “This is going to be a home for many, many, people, for many, many years to come and it’s just a wonderful, wonderful, thing. I just want to thank everyone who had a vision and came together to put the pieces together.”
Snohomish County is supporting the Scriber Place project through local sales tax dollars.
Kat Opina, new CEO of Housing Hope, closed out Wednesday’s ceremony sharing she could not be more honored to be in her new role.
“As we break ground on this project, that represents innovative partnerships and a new model for our agency and for the state of Washington, I’m reminded that this milestone rests on the efforts of many dedicated partners and individuals,” said Opina.
Opina noted that the project was the success of a unique public-private partnership that has never been done in the State of Washington before.
Other partners, separate to Housing Hope and Edmonds School District, include the Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO) who provided an unprecedented 52 project-based vouchers, and Stewardship Development.
Wednesday’s event was concluded with a “groundbreaking” photo opportunity. However, due to pending permitting, leaders could not literally break the ground. Instead, they dug their shovels into a plot of dirt – wheelbarrowed in – symbolizing the beginning of the construction process.
Scriber Place will be located at 5801 194th Street Southwest in Lynnwood.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
