2025 was a transformative year for Community Roots Housing. From the appointment of Colleen Echohawk as the new CEO, to breaking ground on developments, to preserving historic housing, and keeping residents housed through emergency rental assistance, here are five highlights that defined the year.
1) Breaking Ground on Constellation Center and Constellation Apartments
In January 2025, Community Roots, YouthCare, and SCIDpda broke ground on a shared campus for hope and stability. In King County, an estimated 16,868 people experienced homelessness in 2024 — nearly 1,800 of them were young people aged 12 to 24.
The Constellation Center and Constellation ApartmeHowdy, Sarah Domine
2) Preserving Affordability at the Devonshire Apartments
A century after first opening in Belltown, the Devonshire Apartments entered a new chapter after its full gut rehabilitation. In 2023, the building’s hot water system began to fail, prompting an urgent need for a property-wide replacement.
Rather than simply patching the problem, Community Roots chose to preserve and rehabilitate the building to ensure it continues to provide affordable housing for the community. The 62 affordable homes were transformed by modern safety and livability improvements. Completed in February 2025, the project reflects the long-term commitment to preservation as an effective response to the housing crisis.
3) Doors Open at White Center HUB and Canopy Apartments
Nearly a decade in the making, the White Center HUB and Canopy Apartments opened their doors in November 2025. Developed in partnership with the White Center Community Development Association (CDA) and Southwest Youth & Family Services, the campus pairs a vibrant community resource center with 76 affordable homes — 59 of them family-sized.
Together, Canopy and the HUB demonstrate how deep-rooted partnerships can build a place with, for and by the community where residents and families can grow, thrive, and belong.
4) Welcoming Residents to Copperleaf Northgate
In December 2025, Community Roots opened Copperleaf Northgate, our largest development to date. Located steps from Northgate Station, the 235 affordable apartment complex connects people with low incomes to the benefits of mass transit. Community Roots provides free transit passes to all residents age of 18 or older for three years for light rail, bus, and ferry service.
5) Housing Stability Through Emergency Assistance
Over the past year, many of our households have faced sudden financial disruptions. Which make unplanned expenses — like an urgent car repair or unexpected medical bill — difficult to manage on top of existing bills. These unforeseen setbacks can snowball into housing instability quickly. In 2025, through our rental assistance programs, $150,000 went towards supporting our residents to keep them stably housed.
To learn more about these milestones, read our full 2025 Annual Report.
