Yesler Terrace Legacy Commitment

The YCSC is community-driven and a powerful way for residents and community partners to collectively influence goals, decision-making and outcomes. With broad community engagement, guidance by this committee comprised of four Yesler residents plus one representative each from SHA, CCE and the Seattle Foundation, this mirrors strong community-building programs in other SHA communities. This innovative collaboration creates long-term, sustainable opportunities and life-changing outcomes for current and future Yesler Terrace residents, many of whom live on less than 30 percent of area median income.

The YCSC focus on youth and education closely aligns with the goals of the Seattle University Youth Initiative, which provides a birth-to-college and career pathway of support for young people in central Seattle. Programs will function as an amplifier for change, supporting youth development, improved education and positive health outcomes for the nearly 800 children and their families who reside at Yesler Terrace.

• About YTLC & YCSC (PDF)
• YCSC Application (link)

What Is Yesler Terrace?
• 28 acres just south of Seattle University
• Oldest public housing west of the Mississippi
• First racially integrated public housing in the U.S.
• Going through a full redevelopment led by Seattle Housing Authority (SHA)

What is the redevelopment?
• Pre-redevelopment: 561 units for residents living at 30% Average Medium Income (AMI), with approximately 500 children/youth
• Post-development: 561 units for 30% AMI, 400 at 60% AMI, 700 at 80% AMI, 2000 market rate, 800 children/youth living in 30% and 60% AMI housing

What is the Yesler Legacy Commitment?
• SHA sold land and transferred $15 million to the Seattle Foundation (SF) to offer permanent services for Yesler residents
• The focus of the initial 10 years of the fund is on youth development and youth education
• SHA and SF asked SU (CCE) to be their service delivery partner because of our long-standing commitment to the neighborhood through SUYI.

How will the Yesler Legacy Commitment work?
• CCE serves as the service delivery partner
• Seattle Foundation provides funds (approximately $850k per year) to CCE
• CCE uses most of the funds to contract with organizations (YTP, MMRTI, BFI) to deliver services
• CCE uses a portion of the funds to staff the project

What is Yesler Legacy Commitment's governance structure?
• Fund advisory committee (SF, SHA and possibly SU): Advises on overall fund management
• Yesler Community Services Committee (YCSC): Mobilizes community voice, review evaluations and data, advise on annual investments
• YCSC structure: Four Yesler Terrace residents, plus one representative each from CCE, SHA, and SF

What has been CCE's partnership at Yesler Terrace prior to this?
• Lead Education Partner on SHA’s $30 million Choice Neighborhood Grant (2012-2019)
• Representation on Yesler Citizens Review Board for the redevelopment (2006-2018)
• Partner on SHA’s Best Starts for Kids Grant (2022-2025) placing students with youth development organizations
• Financial supporter of the Yesler Youth Media Program (2011-present)
• CEL partnerships with Yesler based organizations
• Supporting Yesler events (e.g. Yes Fest)

What is CCE's role now?
• Contract for services with organizations
• Evaluate the impact of the services
• Coordinate the YCSC and community voice
• Engage partner organizations to pursue wholistic community approach
• When possible, place SU students with partner organizations

What is the CCE staffing for Yesler Terrace Legacy Commitment?
• Associate Director for SUYI Education and Housing Partnerships (New 1.0 FTE position)
• Data Systems Manager (Portion of position)
• Budget manager (possible new part-time position)
• Data analysis (Faculty)

What is the implementation timeline?
• 2024 is the transition year: hire staff, establish committees, develop initial year of contracts, establish data and evaluation plan
• 2025 the project begins
• 2033 SF begins assessment of whether to continue to focus on youth and education

How does this advance CCE's vision?
• Significantly deepens and expands SUYI
• Offers new opportunities for CEL partnerships
• Draws upon faculty expertise for data analysis
• Note: No additional CCE led programs 

In 2024, Seattle University’s Sundborg Center for Community Engagement (CCE) was named lead partner for the Yesler Terrace Legacy Commitment, working in close collaboration with the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) and the Seattle Foundation (SF). The longtime partnership and commitment of CCE’s Seattle University Youth Initiative to the children and families of Yesler Terrace and nearby Bailey Gatzert Elementary School made it natural for the center to lead administration of this effort.

Throughout the redevelopment of the former Yesler Terrace into a mixed-income community with new and expanded affordable housing and amenities for low-income and other residents of the new Yesler, SHA and CCE maintained a commitment that access to opportunity be embedded in the community. A unique element of this setting is that where other development funding often sunsets post-construction, the Yesler Terrace Legacy Commitment is the result of a sustainable partnership model that will benefit residents for years to come through the Yesler Community Services Committee (YCSC).