52 Lynnwood units planned, all to be affordable

The nonprofit Housing Hope develops affordable housing up in Snohomish County. Finding land for its projects can be a challenge, but the Edmonds School District will provide the site, via a ground lease, for the planned 52-unit Scriber Place.

The city of Lynnwood is now considering the permit application at 19200 56th Ave. W. That’s the address for Cedar River Community School; a new project address will likely emerge later. The elementary school has about 14 acres, and Housing Hope will get a vacant 2.2-acre triangle to the west of the school’s athletic fields. Both are a little east of Pacific Highway (state Route 99).

Designs Northwest Architects and ARC Architects are planning the low-rise project for Housing Hope. It includes one two-story and three three-story structures to total about 55,000 square feet.

The Scriber Place team also includes Allied Construction Associates, the builder; Wetherhold & Associates, envelope; Harmsen, civil engineer and surveyor; MIG, landscape architect; Swenson Say Faget, structural engineer; Ecotope, MEP; TFWB Electrical Engineers; and Riley Group, geotechnical engineer.

The goal for Scriber Place is to provide permanent supportive housing for families, with wraparound services and support staff on site during office hours. Units are to be affordable to households earning in a range from 30% of area median income, or below, up to 50% of AMI. Six units will be reserved for those recovering from addiction.

Some priority will be given to families with children in the Edmonds School District. To help select those students and families, Housing Hope says it’ll employ “the federal McKinney-Vento Act eligibility criteria, defined as ‘lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.’”

Units are to range from one- to four-bedrooms, running from about 600 to 1,203 square feet. Amenities are to include a community room with kitchen, study area, staff offices, meeting room and playground for kids. Surface parking will have 102 stalls.

The goal is to open in 2025, which would require starting next year. The project will meet the Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard (ESDS), version 4.0. SEPA review is now underway with the city.

An overall budget hasn’t been announced. Funding sources are to include the Washington State Department of Commerce, Snohomish County and the Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

Housing Hope is meanwhile now under construction on the 52-unit Madrona Highlands, a similar supportive housing project on land provided by Edmonds Lutheran Church.