Groundbreaking ceremony held on affordable housing in South Lake Union

SEATTLE — Families looking for affordable housing in Seattle will eventually have more options.

Ground was broken for apartments in South Lake Union on Dexter Avenue North near Aurora Avenue, at a ceremony Tuesday.

The 71-unit building, named Anchor Flats, will have rents ranging from $840 to $1,200, or half the market rate for the area.

Bellwether Housing will manage the building.

Officials from the City of Seattle has said they want to create thousands of affordable housing units. $7.3 million of city money from the South Lake Union neighborhood upzoning program is being used for the project, according to Todd Burley with the Seattle Office of Housing.

Lower-income families have seen rents in Seattle skyrocket and found themselves pushed out unless affordable options exist.

"Our vacancy rate is almost zero.  Once a vacancy pops up, it's taken almost immediately by a family who needs it,” said Susan Boyd with Bellwether Housing.

Bellwether Housing says they hope the Anchor Flats building will serve people who make single-person incomes around $35,000 a year.

Cox Media Group