New Affordable Apartments for Homeless UW Tacoma College Students, by Tacoma Housing Authority & Kōz Development
UW Tacoma students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity should call: Monique Hicks | KozonMarket@coastmgt.com | (206) 889-2174
TACOMA, WA – Jan. 8, 2019 – Tacoma Housing Authority (THA), Kōz Development (Kōz), and the Associated Students of UW Tacoma (ASUWT) are excited to announce 52 new and affordable apartments in downtown Tacoma for homeless and low-income UW Tacoma students. The apartments are in the newly built Kōz on Market, across the street from UW Tacoma and the Tacoma YMCA. These apartments will help meet a dire need. A 2014 survey done by school faculty found that 14% of their students were housing-insecure. This partnership offers these students affordable housing a stone’s throw from campus. Also, UW Tacoma has funds to help students pay for their security deposit and screening fees.
All 52 apartments at Kōz on Market are reserved for extremely low or low-income persons. Kōz will fill up to 26 apartments with homeless UW Tacoma students. These students should inquire right away. Otherwise, these apartments will become available to other households in the following order of priority:
- UW Tacoma students experiencing housing insecurity;
- UW Tacoma students transferring from Tacoma Community College and who were enrolled there in THA’s College Housing Assistance Program (CHAP);
- other UW Tacoma students;
- other low-income households.
THA offers rental subsidies to market-rate and nonprofit owners of housing who agree to rent some of their apartments to households with low-incomes. THA offers the owner a steady annual subsidy rather than one that varies month-to-month. It offers a steady and affordable rent to tenants. THA seeks to do this with still more market rate and nonprofit owners of housing. THA is especially interested in properties near public schools and colleges.
“This partnership between THA and a private developer is an important community investment in our students and their families,” said UW Tacoma Chancellor Mark A. Pagano. “We are very proud of the initiative our student leadership has taken to recognize what students need to succeed, and the role they played bringing THA and Kōz together.”
Kōz is proud to participate in this THA program and is humbled to have been provided this incredible opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of these students,” said Kōz President & CEO Cathy Reines.
“THA’s main job is to provide or finance affordable housing for Tacoma residents who need help to afford a home. We especially seek to do this in a way that also helps them or their children succeed in school and helps Tacoma’s public schools and colleges educate low-income students. This is a very good use of a scarce THA housing dollar. We are very proud to partner for this purpose with Kōz Development, UW Tacoma and Associated Students of UW Tacoma,” said Michael Mirra, THA executive director.
“There is more to a successful college career and experience than just passing classes and paying tuition. Having support and resources to complete such a dedication is as necessary as attending itself, which is why ASUWT seeks to ensure access and availability to those resources. This THA – Kōz Development program truly adds transforming resources for students. We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments from this team. It is the dedication to community that Kōz Development and THA continue to show that makes Tacoma so great. We could not be more honored to have helped. We, as ASUWT and as students ourselves, hope to continue working with our fellow community leaders to foster more student and community successes all around Tacoma”, said Adan Espino, Jr., Legislative Liaison, Associated Students of the University of Washington at Tacoma