The Housing Initiative, LLC

Created in 2016 as a subsidiary of the Council for the Homeless, the Housing Initiative, LLC is a mission driven affordable housing development company. Housing Initiative, LLC develops housing for people with barriers to renting in the private market.

Our vision is to develop and preserve a large portfolio of rental apartments the designs, finances, owns, and operates from the perspective of the homeless crisis response system. We believe that as we achieve this vision over the coming decades, our community will have fewer people fall into homelessness and our homeless crisis response system will be more effective and efficient. Our work will help the Council for the Homelessness successfully lead the community’s efforts to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time regardless of private rental market dynamics.

Recently Completed Project | The Meridian

This project was completed in April, 2022, and is located at 3200 NE 78th Ave. in Vancouver.

Forty Six 1-bedroom apartments, 400 square foot each with all ground floor units fully accessible.
All units are designated as permanent supportive housing with services provided by Sea-Mar Community Services Northwest.
Vancouver Housing Authority serves as onsite Service Coordinator and Property Management.
All apartments are subsidized through the Vancouver Housing Authority so that tenants pay 35% of their adjusted income towards rent.
Designed as garden-style apartments to allow residents to choose when and where to interact with neighbors.
Amenities include a community room, laundry room, covered bike parking, and outdoor courtyard with a community garden.

Learn more about The Meridian

Meet Sierk Braam

Sierk has spent most of his career working in the Affordable Housing arena. His experience includes both private sector and non-profit sector affordable housing finance and development. Sierk has a Masters of City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon.