Habitat for Humanity selected as Frederickson homeownership project developer

Pierce County will convert 4.22 acres of public land into 28 affordable homes projected to sell for $220,000 to $320,000, roughly half the current median home price in the area, through a new partnership with Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity (Tacoma Habitat). 

The development, called Frederickson South, is located at 200th Street East and Knoble Road East. Homes will be available to households earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (up to $96,650 annually for a family of four) in a market where the median home price is near $580,000.

The below-market pricing is made possible through a land-lease model, in which buyers purchase the home but lease the underlying land from the county. That separation of costs significantly lowers the purchase price and keeps the homes affordable for future buyers as well.

Tacoma Habitat, which has built or renovated 337 homes in Pierce County since 1985, will also require future homeowners to contribute at least 100 hours of construction labor and complete HUD-approved financial counseling. During construction, the organization is partnering with 1DROP, a nonprofit collective, to hire local contractors of color and provide paid on-the-job training. 

“The work currently being led by the Community Development Corporation is the exact blueprint we need to solve our region’s housing crisis,” said Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello. “By unlocking the potential of underutilized public land and strategically funding these developments, we are moving beyond just ‘talking’ about affordability. We are actively creating pathways for homeownership that empower local families to build their futures, invest in their communities, and stay right here in Pierce County.” 

The land was transferred from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to the Pierce County Community Development Corporation in 2024. An intergovernmental housing partnership, South Sound Housing Affordability Partners (SSHA³P), has committed $1 million to the project. The committed funds have been provided by the cities of Auburn, Fife, Sumner and Pierce County.

“What began as a simple land transfer is now something far greater – an investment in local families and their futures,” said Pierce County Councilmember Robyn Denson, Chair of the SSHA³P Executive Board. “By developing this site for affordable homeownership, we’re taking another important step toward addressing our community’s housing needs.”  

Final design and permitting are expected through 2026 and 2027, with families moving in starting in 2029.