Ethiopian Community Hosts Forum To Address Local Housing Crisis

By Kiara Doyal

Over 130 community members, elected officials, housing advocates, and government partners recently gathered at the Ethiopian Community in Seattle for a powerful public forum on the escalating local housing crisis and the urgent need for community-centered development.

Organized by the Ethiopian Community of Seattle (ECS), the event brought together many community voices that called for deeper investments in affordable housing, stronger anti-displacement protections, and the elevation of culturally rooted, community-led housing solutions.

“We are in a crisis moment around affordable housing, everywhere in the country. In Seattle, we see it every day,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. “Since 2020, the income required to afford a home in the Seattle area has risen a whopping 80%. The average cost of a one-bedroom apartment now exceeds $2,000 per month. Our communities need more support, and your work is critical to making sure that we continue investing in targeted, community-rooted investments that help families stay, grow, and thrive right here at home.”

Lydia Assefa-Dawson, Board Chair at ECS and a City of Federal Way Councilmember, reflected on the significance of the event and the relationships it strengthened.

“Sharing space with housing champions, community members, and those directly impacted by the crisis was truly powerful. We listened, learned, encouraged one another, and finally we broke bread together. I left feeling energized and hopeful, and I’m already looking forward to the next gathering,” said Assefa-Dawson.

Sophia Benalfew, Executive Director of ECS, says that the organization has evolved since it was founded in 1983. Back then it was more about connecting immigrants from East Africa to housing services, now the organization has grown into a role that includes developing affordable housing projects.

“We see the increasing housing instability because a number of community members are accessing our services to find affordable housing, and that number has been increasing,” said Benalfew. “It used to be low-income people, but now even middle-class people are struggling to hold on to their homes. It has really been a struggle and everyone in the community is feeling it.”

For Benalfew and many others, the housing crisis in Seattle is no longer about community members not having a place to live but is now about them not having access to places that they can afford.

“People can’t find a home to stay in because it is really expensive. And then for others, they do have a house they are in, but they are trying to hang on because the cost of living is high,” Benalfew said. “Because of that people are continuously spaced out of Seattle. And the problem with that is, especially for a community like ours, immigrants, you lose the social fabric when you move your way out into the suburbs and that affects other areas of your life.”

“You are now very far from your home, work, friends, and all the ethnic shops that you used to go to. It results in isolation, and especially for seniors who have limited English knowledge as well,” Benalfew continued.

Graciela Nuñez Pargas, speaking on behalf of King County Council Chair Girmay Zahilay, underscored the urgency of the issue, saying no one in the community should have to choose between housing and basic needs like food.

Benalfew agreed and emphasized the importance of action that addresses both housing availability and long-term affordability.

“The obvious one is building more affordable houses, and then focusing on multi-family housing as well. But, I believe the city also needs to work on ensuring that people can afford to stay in their homes or else it will be a continuous problem,” said Benalfew. “This forum gives us the space for the community to talk about our challenges and needs to elected officials. Listening to people who are actually going through housing issues was definitely powerful for me.”