Walk the Block Institute keynote speaker will be Germane Barnes, a Miami-based architect, designer and educator. Germane Barnes’ research and design practice investigates the connection between architecture and identity. Mining architecture’s social and political agency, he examines how the built environment influences black domesticity. Currently, he is an Associate Professor and Director of the Community Housing Identity Lab (CHIL) at the University Of Miami School Of Architecture. Barnes is the 2021 Harvard GSD Wheelwright Prize winner, Rome Prize Fellow and winner of the Architectural League Prize. His design and research contributions have been published and exhibited in several international institutions. Most notably, The Museum of Modern Art, Pin-Up Magazine, The Graham Foundation, The New York Times, Architect Magazine, DesignMIAMI/ Art Basel, The Swiss Institute, Metropolis Magazine, Curbed, and The National Museum of African American History where he was identified as one of the future designers on the rise. He has recently been selected as one of Wallpaper USA’s 400 list, which “honors the people defining America’s creative landscape in 2024.”

The Central Area Cultural EcoSystem, 21st Century (CACE 21) is Wa Na Wari’s community organizing initiative that seeks to build community power and capacity amongst Black Central District homeowners and Black cultural workers to advocate for land use policies that lower the barriers to creating more cultural spaces based on the Wa Na Wari model.

In this model, Black homeowners would be able to convert all or portions of homes they own into “micro-cultural spaces” where individual artists and small arts groups can administer, create, and present their cultural works as a community activity and public benefit. These spaces would be scalable for neighborhood life, responsive to the needs and norms of Black communal life, and would provide economic opportunities for Black homeowners and new opportunities for displaced cultural workers alike. Our vision is a response to the housing affordability crisis that is impacting residential, commercial, and cultural opportunities for Seattleites at large and Black Seattleites in particular.

During Walk the Block Institute, CACE 21 will lead a series of Creative Community Building Workshops (stay tuned for details)! Register for Walk the Block Institute ! Please register here

 

The Seattle Office of Housing is taking steps to address the issue of affordable housing and prevent displacement in the Rainier Valley neighborhood. They are investing $7.5 million in an affordable housing ownership initiative that will result in the construction of 72 new housing units. These units will be available for purchase by individuals or families looking for affordable homeownership opportunities.

The funding will support four different housing projects, all of which are located on land that Sound Transit gifted to the city in 2021. Here are the details of the planned properties:

7908 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S: This project is a collaboration between the developer Homestead Community Land Trust and the Rainier Beach Action Coalition. It will consist of eight three-bedroom units, with an estimated completion date in 2025.

6740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S: African Community Housing & Development (ACHD) and Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties (Habitat SKC) are partnering for this project. It will include ten one-bedroom units and 20 two-bedroom units, with an estimated completion date in 2026.

3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S: ACHD and Habitat SKC are also collaborating on this project, which will have nine one-bedroom units and 22 two-bedroom units. It is expected to be completed in 2026.

4865 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S: Another project by ACHD and Habitat SKC, this one will feature three four-bedroom units and is estimated to be completed in 2026.

This initiative is part of the Rainier Valley Affordable Homeownership Initiative, which aims to develop a total of 100 homeownership units across ten sites provided by Sound Transit. The overarching goal is to create homeownership opportunities for both current and displaced residents of the Rainier Valley neighborhood.

Maiko Winkler-Chin, the director of Seattle’s Office of Housing, expressed enthusiasm for this initiative and its potential to address affordable housing challenges in the community. The selection process for these projects was carried out with input from various organizations, and the efforts of all involved parties in submitting innovative proposals were commended.

In a separate news release, ACHD and Habitat SKC highlighted the diversity of Rainier Valley, noting that it is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the Pacific Northwest. The Black Home Initiative (BHI) network also commended the efforts of Sound Transit, the City of Seattle Office of Housing, and partners like African Community Housing and Development and Habitat for Humanity SKKC for their work in addressing affordable housing needs and equity issues in the region.