We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of Plymouth Housing's newest building: Bertha Pitts Campbell Place! Named after a storied champion of housing and racial justice in Seattle, this is the third of six buildings funded by our PROOF Capital Campaign, following Bob and Marcia Almquist Place and Kristin Benson Place. Campbell Place has 100 units for residents, three apartments for live-in staff, an on-site medical health care space, and an outdoor community space. The building, located in Seattle's historic Central District, also focuses on housing veterans to provide a safe community for those who have served their country.
Plymouth Housing is partnering with St. Francis House—a 53-year-old organization that provides clothing and daily essentials for those experiencing homelessness—to redevelop their headquarters at this site. St. Francis House will operate on the ground floor of the building and will be an invaluable partner.
Plymouth also worked with members of the Central District arts community to commission works from local emerging artists. One work is a mural in one of the community rooms where residents will be able to convene and relax outside of their apartments.
Who was Bertha Pitts Campbell?
During the 1930s, Mrs. Campbell was a trailblazing board member of the Seattle Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). The YWCA branch that Mrs. Campbell represented—the Phillis Wheatley Branch on Cherry Street—houses the organization’s Central Family Emergency Housing program, which provides culturally appropriate services to homeless families of color.
Mrs. Campbell was also one of 22 founding members of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority: an international sorority committed to service, scholarship, sisterhood, and social action. Naming this building after Bertha Pitts Campbell honors the legacy of one of the Central District’s most influential leaders for housing and racial justice. It also recognizes the need for bold leadership and vision such as hers in our city today. She, and this building, will remind us of our responsibilities to support and advocate for our most vulnerable neighbors.