Design the future of affordable homeownership in Washington.

The WA Starter Home Plan Townhouse Design Competition is open! Submit your floor plans by May 22.

Bringing people together across sectors to build greater racial and economic equity in Washington state.

Our why

For too long, our communities have been harmed by racial inequity, economic disparities, and lack of well-being.

Government, philanthropy, private business, and the non-profit sector have worked to solve these problems but, despite these efforts, things have gotten worse.

For example - after decades of work to close the racial wealth gap - as of 2021, 42% of Black households in Washington state had zero net worth.*

If we want different outcomes, we need a different approach.

That’s where Civic Commons comes in.

*Source: The Racial Wealth Divide in Seattle (2021 scorecard data). Retrieved from www.prosperitynow.org

How We Do it

We build and sustain relationship-based, cross-sector networks that lead to shared prosperity.

It’s messy. It’s difficult. And it works.

OUR PROGRAMS

Our Work in Action

network weaving

Black Home Initiative

Discriminatory housing practices have a long history in our region, creating a wealth gap that persists today. The Black Home Initiative targets these inequities to increase homeownership among Black households.

Network Weaving

Solving the affordable home shortage

Civic Commons has been awarded public funding to design a first-of-its-kind plan that tackles every factor shaping the production of affordable, for-sale starter homes—bringing the dream of homeownership within reach for thousands across the state.

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