Pattison’s West Community Campus Property Acquisition
Representative Adam Smith submitted the following Community Project Funding request for El Centro de la Raza.
$4 million was successfully included in the House Committee on Appropriations Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 appropriations bill.
Each Representative may request funding for up to 15 projects in their community for fiscal year 2023. This does not guarantee the projects will be funded.
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“We are extremely grateful that Congressman Smith supports the efforts of the community to preserve and maintain Pattison’s West, a significant asset for families, children and youth,” said Estela Ortega, Executive Director of El Centro de la Raza. “Funding will allow El Centro de la Raza to purchase the property to develop culturally integrative programs in the areas of education, job training, small business development and to provide an array of services for the entire Federal Way community and surrounding cities.”
“Washington’s Ninth District is home to some of the most diverse zip codes in the United States. By providing over 40 culturally and linguistically integrative programs and services, El Centro de la Raza has made it its mission to help ensure that every community member’s needs are appropriately met,” said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.). “The funding I requested will help El Centro de la Raza expand upon their crucial work and further reduce gaps in services in Federal Way and the surrounding area with the creation of the new Pattison’s West Campus. The facility, which will be a bustling community center for youth engagement, job training, workforce housing, and small business, is a welcome addition to the Ninth District.”
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The new Pattison’s West Campus is a mixed-use development of small businesses, workforce housing, youth reengagement, job skill building, and a community center that will be an important part of the community’s recovery from COVID-19 and address long-standing gaps in services available to the community. The project will enable El Centro de la Raza to expand its services in Federal Way and the surrounding community. The requested funding will help El Centro acquire adjacent parcels of land to develop all five properties as a master plan for the new Campus.
El Centro is a trusted community organization that responds to a broad range of community needs among children, youth, adults, and seniors with 43 culturally and linguistically integrative programs and services, including emergency and human services, child and youth programs, financial education and asset building programs, housing and economic development programs, community organizing, advocacy and culture programs.
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