In a historic ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 30, the Snohomish County nonprofit Housing Hope completed Monroe Family Village, its newest and largest project to date. Locally, Housing Hope has several properties in Snohomish (Pilchuck Place and Rose Park).

“The completion of the project itself is a very significant accomplishment,” says Fred Safstrom, CEO of Housing Hope. ”But its importance lies with the families with children that last night were homeless, but tonight will have a home.”

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, the crowd heard remarks from local dignitaries and project partners. Perhaps the most impactful speech came at the end of the program, once a heavy rain had begun to fall. Mayor Thomas of the City of Monroe stepped out into the deluge to address the crowd without an umbrella, saying “With this new development, we are helping families today who have to live in this rain. Today we are literally housing, hope.”
Other speakers included a local representative of National Equity Fund, a key partner in the new development. “At National Equity Fund, we believe that extraordinary things can happen with great partners and this ribbon cutting ceremony proves that belief to be true,” commented Joe Hagan, president and CEO of National Equity Fund.

“Housing Hope’s newest community will provide safe and affordable homes to families as well as empowering them with hope, support and skills.”

Monroe Family Village features 47 total residential units, including 37 affordable rent units for low-income families, and 10 Service Supported Homeless Housing units for families who are transitioning out of homelessness. Additionally, the development is designed to serve as a regional service center capable of delivering critical social services for all Housing Hope residents living in the Skykomish Valley cities of Sultan, Monroe and Snohomish, reducing the need for unnecessary trips to Everett. After five years of planning, the new development is finally ready for occupants, and families are already moving in.

Housing Hope is dedicated to not only solving homelessness, but assisting residents to increase life skills and employment, and have their children to succeed in school. To that end, Monroe Family Village features a community meeting space that will host adult education and community meeting opportunities, including the agency’s acclaimed College of Hope life skills training program, children’s education, childcare and recreation space, and offices for on-site social services staff.

Before the ribbon was cut and the new development was officially opened, Mayor Thomas, still in the pouring rain, reflected on the magnitude of the moment. “The Monroe Family Village will help people in need. People with families. People with futures. People who have been enduring this rain for too long.”