An excitement and passion for affordable housing is clear after just one conversation with Evelyn Cortez. A University of Washington Architecture and accounting student, Evelyn has been a part of WT’s affordable housing team for the last five months through the Housing Development Consortium‘s HDIP Internship Program.
As she wraps up her internship, Evelyn shared what shaped her commitment to affordable housing and why it’s so important to her.
Q: What influenced your interest in affordable housing?
My family’s home in Granger, Washington, is very special to us. My grandma bought it 43 years ago, and I grew up hearing stories about my mom’s childhood there and how a state-funded rehab program transformed it from a cramped two-bedroom into a three-bedroom home where more of our family could live comfortably. Seven or eight family members have lived there over the years, me included, so it became a generational home for us.
Hearing those stories from my mom and grandma made affordable housing feel very personal to me, and seeing how much it impacted my family, and knowing it’s still a place we gather today, inspired me to learn more about how housing programs can support families and communities.
Q: What’s one thing you’ve learned through your internship here that you’ll carry forward?
One thing that’ll stick with me is seeing the collaboration between teams throughout the process. Sitting in on consultant and client meetings, watching project managers juggle multiple tasks while keeping everything moving smoothly, seeing an idea turn into a drawing, and then into a real space, has been fascinating.
Q: What are you most excited about as you continue your career?
I’m excited to work on projects that make a real difference for people in our communities. In a city like Seattle where affordable housing is such an important issue, I want to be part of shaping what the future of housing could look like so other families can also have a special place to grow and settle for generations to come.
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Applications for the 2026-2027 Housing Development Consortium’s HDIP program are now open. Visit their website to learn more.