Client: Makah Tribal Housing Department
Location: Neah Bay, Washington
Completion: 2013
Project Size: 21 Units, 19,000 SF
Sail River Heights Longhouse Apartments
supportive housing, tribal housing
Opened in 2014, the Sail River Longhouse Apartments are first permanent supportive housing facility on tribal lands in the Northwest for Native individuals and families coming out of homelessness. The 21-unit multifamily project features a commons building designed to evoke the traditional longhouse where residents can take part in activities, meet with staff, and socialize. By providing supportive housing tailored to their needs, the Makah Tribe sought to house people suffering from chemical dependency and family violence who had previously needed to leave the reservation to find shelter.
The Longhouse is situated within Sail River Heights, a 51-acre mixed-income, mixed-use subdivision on the Makah Reservation in the coastal town of Neah Bay. Located upland from the tsunami zone, Sail River Heights also includes owner-occupied single-family houses, rental townhouses, and a community center. Through a community engagement process conducted by the tribe, tribal members identified important elements for the new subdivision, including a community club, garden, playground, and picnic spaces, in addition to affordable housing.
