HopeWorks Station II

Snohomis County, Washington

Feature written in July, 2018

FHLB Des Moines Member: Banner Bank

Snohomish County has an enormous shortage of affordable housing, forcing hundreds of households to pay over 50 percent of their monthly income for rent. HopeWorks’ mission is to help low-income residents achieve self-sufficiency through social enterprises that provide job training and career pathways toward living-wage jobs.

With that foundation established, HopeWorks embarked on phase II development in 2018: HopeWorks Station Phase II. This property is an ambitious, multi-faceted project that will tackle the issue from many different angles.

First, it will provide a safe, secure place that requires some of its most low-income residents to pay just 30 percent of their income toward housing, helping them afford other necessities.

It will contribute solutions to the homelessness problem by providing individuals and families experiencing homelessness with service-enriched apartments where they can address and overcome their barriers to housing stability.

The ground floor of the building will provide 13,000 square feet of program space, including two culinary training kitchens and a training academy facility for classes and workshops, where homeless and at-risk individuals through 13-week internships in the food service industry.

The project has aligned with the Everett Station District Alliance to transform the neighborhood into a vibrant pedestrian and bicycle-friendly environment where new jobs are created. Additionally, HopeWorks Station is located just a few blocks from the Everett train station and a future stop of the Sound Transit light rail system, making transportation readily available for all.

Finally, the building goal is to achieve net zero energy for the residential development and the LEED Gold standard for the commercial space. Energy efficient design, as well as experimental “energy behavior” initiative, will create a culture of sustainability.

HopeWorks will leverage collaborative partnerships with local nonprofits to identify candidates for all levels of HopeWorks Station. The residential program will include targeted housing for four sub-populations:

• Homeless youth, ages 18-24
• Homeless families participating in drug treatment court
• Homeless veterans
• Homeless individuals with disabling substance use

In addition to directly impacting the homeless population, HopeWorks Station will serve as a model and a catalyst for the community, while the uniqueness of this project will corroborate the potential of the area.