AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — Families are counting down the days until they are able to move into new affordable housing units in Airway Heights.
The Highland Village Development near 1st Avenue and Aspen Street held their ribbon cutting ceremony on October 24 to celebration the completion of phase 2 of the project.
The development will welcome families and individuals with lower incomes into 51 new apartment units and 16 houses.
Jen Jared is a single mother of three who has always dreamed of having her own home. Highland Village is making that possible.
“I feel like it is tough to not have a place to call home,” she said. “My kids really do not have a safe space to play outside. So, this is going to be huge for us.”
Before Highland Village, Jared was often forced to choose between working overtime or spending time with her family.
“Now, I can spend time with my family and still own a home. I can’t wait to be able to move in,” she said.
The housing development is an initiative put together by several organizations and aimed at addressing Washington’s housing crisis.
“We need workforce housing. We need people to not need to drive three counties away just to go to a job every day. We need to build that supply. And this is just such a great example of really great projects,” said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell.
Michael Gardner also lives in Highland Village. He and his family moved in after the completion of phase 1.
“Because they are able to help us with rent, they are able to help us with our son,” he said.
Gardner was in need of a home after becoming injured and loosing his job. He also needed to pay medical bills for his newborn son’s lung disease.
He said the development gives his family and others the chance at a new start.
“It is amazing they all get the options that I had to build themselves from the ground up,” said Gardner.
Families will be moving in this fall and through the winter months. Phase 3 for Highland Village will continue through 2026.
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