King County Council Allocates $24M to Acquire Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Parcels Along RapidRide Lines

SEATTLE, WA — The King County Council voted 8–1 on Tuesday to approve a $24.5 million land acquisition allocation from the county's Transit-Oriented Development fund, securing five strategic properties along the RapidRide G, H, and I lines for future non-profit affordable housing construction.

Strategic Land Banking and Housing Density

The parcels, located in Seattle’s Central District, White Center, and Renton, will be land-banked and transferred to certified community housing land trusts. The initiative will support the planned development of 420 permanently affordable rental apartments reserved for households earning at or below 50 percent of Area Median Income (AMI).

Councilmembers emphasized that acquiring land adjacent to high-frequency bus rapid transit lines ensures lower-income families maintain direct, reliable transit access to regional employment centers in downtown Seattle and Bellevue without requiring automobile ownership.

Equity and Transit Integration

Regional housing advocates praised the proactive land banking model, noting that speculative private real estate acquisitions along newly constructed transit lines frequently accelerate resident displacement.

The project incorporates ground-floor childcare facilities and community service non-profit hubs in two of the planned multi-family developments.

Developer Selection Schedule

King County Housing and Community Development will issue requests for proposals (RFPs) to non-profit affordable housing developers in January 2027.