Creating a multicultural mixed-use community in Greenbridge, WA

To provide affordable housing and on-site community resources in a healthy environment, King County Housing Authority (KCHA) transformed Greenbridge, a suburb of Seattle, WA, from World War II-era temporary housing to modern, brightly colored apartments and townhomes. Determined to meet the needs of the community, KCHA collaborated with partners to gather feedback from residents across the age spectrum via surveys and focus groups in multiple languages. KCHA then incorporated residents’ vision of a mixed-use community into the redesign.

In addition to redeveloping living spaces using green building principles, KCHA added an elementary school, a community center, a library, a Head Start Center, a Boys & Girls Club, and a YWCA Adult Learning Center to the area. Parks, play areas, and community gardens are interspersed and connected through pedestrian paths and trails to the area’s commercial core.

Today, Greenbridge is culturally and environmentally friendly. Residents speak over a dozen languages, plant ethnic foods in the community garden, and live in a neighborhood designed to conserve natural resources and reduce energy use. 

To connect with King County Housing Authority, contact Elizabeth Westburg, Resident Services Development Manager, [email protected]. KCHA has additional information about Greenbridge here.

Communities in Action provide examples of strategies or tools in action. Their purpose is to connect like-minded communities in their implementation efforts, giving insight into how others are tackling key challenges and what they've accomplished. To learn more about the evidence supporting this strategy's effectiveness or resources to help move towards implementation, see the What Works for Health summary of Mixed-use development.

Date added: May 23, 2016