1DROP Member Cliff Avril Breaks Ground on 67 Affordable Homes in Seattle's Capitol Hill
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
On July 30, 2026, community leaders, public officials, development partners, and neighbors gathered in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood as Amazon and C&A Development celebrated the groundbreaking of a major affordable housing development led by 1DROP member Cliff Avril, former Seattle Seahawk and Super Bowl Champion, alongside fellow C&A Development Co-Founder and urban planner Alex Cohen.
The project, The Pointe at Thomas Apartments, will deliver 67 affordable homes for households earning between 40% and 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). The development will help expand housing opportunities for teachers, healthcare workers, transit employees, and other essential members of the community.
99-Year Affordability in Capitol Hill
Key highlights of the development include:
Long-Term Community Stability: Units will remain affordable for 99 years, supporting long-term protection against displacement in a rapidly evolving neighborhood.
Sustainable & Transit-Oriented Design: Built to a minimum Built-Green 4-Star Standard, the project features a green roof and heat pump water heaters to promote car-free, sustainable urban living.
Community Partnership: C&A Development has partnered with the nearby Odessa Brown Children's Clinic (OBCC) to offer its employees, patients, and families first notice of unit availability, while also working to provide reduced-price transit passes for residents.
Celebrating the Power of Collective Partnerships
A speaking panel featuring key stakeholders highlighted the collaborative effort driving the project forward. Former Seahawk Jordan Babineaux, serving as emcee on behalf of Pivot to Win, Inc., underscored the deeper purpose behind the event:
“A project like The Pointe at Thomas isn’t just steel and concrete—it’s somebody’s stability, and soon someone will have a chance to call this location home... This collective effort comes at a price, a small sacrifice to unite forces with key stakeholders to know that families will soon call this place home.”
Governor Bob Ferguson also addressed the crowd, celebrating the spirit of regional cross-sector alignment and praising Avril’s ongoing commitment to local impact:
“As impressive as your athletic careers have been, your post-career is, in some ways, even more impressive. The fact that you’ve stayed here, you’re committed to the community, and you’re helping make events like this happen—we’re grateful for that as a state... None of us can do it alone. That’s the strength of what we’re seeing here—everybody coming together to make this happen.”
Echoing those sentiments, Cliff Avril reflected on how navigating five years of development challenges—from interest rate hikes to rising material costs—was ultimately made possible by assembling the right team:
“One thing that I do know is how your team is built and the type of people that you have on your team allows you to have success. That’s how we were able to win Super Bowls... having the right team is huge.”
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
Key partners who helped bring the project to construction include:
Amazon Housing Fund: Provided $6.7 million in below-market financing.
Seattle Credit Union: Supplied $11.4 million in construction capital.
Washington State Department of Commerce: Supported critical pre-development expenses through state grant funding.
Building Homes for Good
The Pointe at Thomas will provide long-term affordable housing in one of Seattle's most connected neighborhoods, creating opportunities for more working families to live close to transit, jobs, and the communities they serve.
For 1DROP, this groundbreaking reflects the impact of developers who pair a clear vision with strong partnerships and a long-term commitment to their communities. We're proud to celebrate Cliff Avril and the entire C&A Development team as they reach this important milestone, and we look forward to seeing The Pointe at Thomas welcome its first residents.
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
About 1DROP
1DROP is a collective of underrepresented real estate developers addressing the Puget Sound housing crisis. We are committed to empowering underrepresented developers to build housing for all wages, all stages, and all ages while growing access to generational wealth.
1DROP achieves its mission by internally providing:
Apprenticeships for aspiring underrepresented developers.
Co-development frameworks for emerging underrepresented developers to navigate partnership models.
Mentorship, networking, resources and supports for all underrepresented developers.
and externally:
Advocating for funding for underrepresented developers and their projects.
Educating on and advancing policy solutions that enable more housing.
For those inspired to learn more or get involved in supporting equitable housing, visit 1DROP's website to explore our initiatives and join us in making an impact.
Have questions or suggestions for this post?
We're here to engage! For edits, feedback, or inquiries about this blog post, please reach out to press@1drop.co.