The $23M YWCA Pierce County Dorothy Height Apartments, is an affordable housing development that offers safe, affordable homes for 54 families so they can create a renewed start at life. The project includes 10 studios, 17 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, and nine, three-bedroom units, with 75% of units reserved for those experiencing homelessness with 30 units tied to Section 8 Housing Vouchers. From the beginning, one of the project’s goals was to create a beautiful and welcoming, home-like landscape. AHBL’s landscape architects designed the planting palette to be both easy to maintain and support the goal of being a healing and comforting space. A courtyard includes a play structure for the numerous children that now reside at the property. The AHBL team also created a beautiful new rooftop communal space with views of downtown Tacoma and Mount Rainier.

With the addition of Dorothy Height Apartments, the campus connects its shelter facility with the YWCA’s main Tacoma office where they provide support service programs, including a 3,000 SF counseling space for residents as well as providing children’s programming and legal services.