Housing instability is the result of institutional racism and several other oppressive systems and leads to many of our region’s ills. The South End in particular is facing a housing crisis which is displacing Black, Indigenous, People of Color communities as gentrification raises the cost to land and property and makes it accessible to only those communities which can afford it.

Our youth deserve a stable place to call home, especially those who are at risk of homelessness, detention, or gun violence. The Youth Achievement Center (YAC) gives youth a passageway to re-track their lives onto an educational path in a centralized, therapeutically supported and culturally responsive environment grounded in an internationally recognized best practices model and built upon the foundational efforts of our coalition members.

The YAC is more than “a place to call home”. It is a physical and fiscal commitment to equity and restorative justice for south Seattle communities whose lives have been deeply impacted by displacement, oppression and the growing chasm between the haves and the have-nots in our region. The YAC is a supportive space for youth to live, heal and develop their self-empowerment and self-determination.

The Youth Achievement Center will two projects adjacent to the Columbia City Light Rail Station: (1) a crisis housing for stabilization and rapid rehousing to permanent housing placement for young people under the age of 24; and (2) a multi-purpose building for wrap-around service providers with space for retail opportunities. Though currently owned by Sound Transit, through tremendous organizing demanding Black community ownership and development of the sites, partners ACLT, Creative Justice, and Community Passageways are moving forward to make the Youth Acheivement Center a reality!