Wadajir Residences and souq
Gentrification and development plans threaten to displace many in the Somali community from their homes and storefronts. These are pressures that challenge many communities in our rapidly growing region and create serious challenges to community well-being.
When the site of an old motel came up for sale across from their mosque, leaders from the Abu Bakr Islamic Center, the cultural and spiritual center for Puget Sound’s 30,000-strong Somali community, saw an opportunity for an inclusive development that would provide housing and space for local vendors.
creating change - together
Wadajir, “Together” in Somali, seeks to provide residents the opportunity to continue to live and work together in Tukwila.
- Abu Bakr reached out to Forterra for assistance in buying the property. Forterra enabled the purchase of the site through social impact investors in the Strong Communities Fund I in order to create an opportunity for development that reflects the values and needs of the community. Together, Abu Bakr and Forterra continue to seek the best way to move forward with the property.
overview
In partnership with Abu Bakr Islamic Center and the community, Wadajir is community-driven development that will establish affordable housing and an International Market in Tukwila.
program
- Community Informed Development
get involved
To support work like this make a donation or sign up for our newsletter below to stay up-to-date on Forterra’s latest projects.
lastest updates
Forterra and its partners continue to seek community input and is currently working on key agreements that will bring approximately 100 units of cooperatively owned homes and a community marketplace in the heart of Tukwila.
