From Dreams to Keys: A Milestone Worth Celebrating
A family of six just purchased a home in Redmond thanks to ARCH and the King County Housing Authority.
In spring 2026, a family of six purchased a 4-bedroom ARCH affordable home at the Willows in Redmond. This purchase opened the door to a new chapter for this family, and it also demonstrated the first success story from a partnership between the King County Housing Authority (KCHA) and ARCH.
How it Started
Last summer, ARCH established a pilot to partner with homebuyer assistance programs that serve communities historically underrepresented in homeownership. Around that time, the Dreams to Keys (D2K) program launched through KCHA. D2K is a pathway to homeownership, stability, and opportunity. Through this innovative program, participants can use their Public Housing or Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) towards a mortgage payment for a home of their own.
Partnership
ARCH and KCHA established a partnership to support potential buyers that advance through ARCH’s homebuyer selection process. The combination of KCHA’s monthly mortgage support and ARCH’s affordable homes is a powerful one. Low- to moderate-income homebuyers who ordinarily would have been priced out of King County now have a chance to purchase in this desirable region. KCHA and ARCH are committed to the long-term success of our buyers and are coordinating every step of the way to get there.
Meeting the Milestone
The first D2K buyers to purchase an affordable ARCH home were a hardworking family of six with four kids. This family was previously renting in Bellevue, and their family’s income comes from maintenance work. When a new ARCH home became available in Redmond, with the help of D2K, they were able to make the leap from renting to owning for the first time.
ARCH and KCHA are thrilled that our partnership has reached this first milestone, and we are seeing our goals become reality:
An affordable ARCH homeownership unit with 4 bedrooms is meeting the needs of a large family
A household will be able to use their Housing Choice voucher towards their mortgage payment, keeping more of their own money in their pockets for other essentials
A family has a real opportunity for stability in East King County, where that can feel out of reach
A long-term affordability covenant will ensure lasting impact and affordability throughout the life of the home
What’s Next
This sale marks one of the first D2K homes under contract – and a strong step forward in expanding access to homeownership to low- and moderate-income families in East King County. ARCH and KCHA will continue to align programs, remove barriers, and center people in the process. And when this happens, dreams don’t just stay dreams. They can become a family’s reality.