A vital investment in housing was made possible through strategic partnerships and community support
White Center residents and affordable housing advocates recently celebrated a major community milestone with the ribbon cutting celebration at Canopy Apartments and the adjacent White Center HUB.
Commerce invested $6 million into Canopy Apartments, with combined funding from the Housing Trust Fund and the Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP).
This new construction project from the White Center Community Development Association (WCCDA) provides 76 one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom units, serving individuals and families earning 30 to 60% of the area median income.
Canopy Apartments neighbors the newly constructed White Center HUB (Hope, Unity, and Belonging), a community center and service venue that includes nutrition, healthcare, and mentorship providers.
Canopy Apartments is an important investment for WCCDA, which has operated for 25 years in White Center. The unincorporated community continues to grow despite a lack of municipal funding.
“White Center has always been a place where working class folks, immigrants, and refugee populations can get rooted and figure out what they want to do next,” said Executive Director Aaron Garcia. “This community deserves nice things. This community deserves investment. This community deserves resources.”
Achieving such resources has required clever partnerships to bring these developments to fruition.
Communities of Opportunity helped connect WCCDA with Community Roots Housing, their housing development partner. WCCDA also participated in the Rise Together Initiative, which supported a pool of affordable housing developers to divide funds and leverage experience.
While funding took some time to secure, Canopy Apartments took little time to attract residents.
Leasing up completely by January 2026, property management staff were eager to ensure homes went to those underserved by the private housing market. Knowing that intake applications for affordable housing units can be complicated, staff provided language support in languages like Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali, and helped applicants navigate unfamiliar financial processes. By demystifying the process and advocating for prospective tenants, Canopy Apartments houses families on the road to opportunity.
WCCDA Executive Director Garcia is proud of these developments, noting that such affordable housing investment is possible in other unincorporated communities such as Vashon and Skyway in King County. Thanks to the developers and funding partners who made Canopy Apartments and White Center HUB possible!