Seattle OKs housing for homeless in Magnolia

Magnolia, Seattle's suburbanlike peninsula of mostly single-family houses, could get 85 housing units for homeless people, the City Council decided Monday.

The city would turn 29 acres of federally-owned Fort Lawton land into a mixed-use community of studios and town homes for homeless people, as well as market-rate homes and a few Habitat for Humanity houses. In total, developers eventually could build up to 216 units.

"We've put together a conceptual plan and as much as we've done on record, we will try to work with the community to make sure everything from trees to entrances and alignments all try to meet as much of the community's input as possible," said Councilmember Richard McIver, chairman of the housing committee.

About seven acres currently are forested and would remain undeveloped as parkland, open space or wildlife habitat.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will review the city's plan and, if approved, it will go to the Department of Defense for review. City officials hope construction can begin in 2011 or 2012.

City officials expect to buy the property for the market-rate housing and that the rest will be conveyed to the city for free in return for providing homeless assistance and open space.

Council members adopted the redevelopment plan 8-0. Councilmember Tom Rasmussen was absent.

The Seattle Housing Authority would serve as the master developer for the property. The Archdiocesan Housing Authority and United Indians of All Tribes would develop 55 studios for Native American seniors who are now homeless. The Archdiocesan Housing Authority and the YWCA would build 30 duplex units for homeless families. The YWCA would provide support services for the families.

What kind of market-rate housing will be developed depends on how the real-estate market changes in the next few years, city officials said, but could include single-family homes, condominiums and town homes.

The city already has combined market-rate and subsidized housing in other areas of the city, such as at NewHolly and High Point. Low-income housing has been built adjacent to parks before, as at Magnuson Park.

Some community members say the area is not equipped to serve the needs of people who have just recently been homeless, because the area lacks social services, frequent mass transit and a nearby grocery store.

Although the city held 15 community meetings, some neighbors complained Monday that planners did not respond to their concerns.

Robin Budd, with the Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Council, told the council Monday that the city already had decided to build housing before Magnolia residents offered their opinions.

"There was never an option to do anything but housing," she said after her testimony. Budd would prefer all of the land be turned over to the park.

City officials say that the federal government asked the city to include homeless assistance in its redevelopment plan.

Conlin warned that the city had to carefully balance community and federal-government goals.

"There is a worst case," he said. "If we end up not in a position with a development plan acceptable to the federal government, they have the opportunity to send it out to a private developer. We have no idea what those consequences might be."

Sharon Pian Chan: 206-464-2958 or schan@seattletimes.com