Campbell, ChristopherWing, Malia2025-08-012025-08-012025-08-012025Wing_washington_0250O_28267.pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/1773/53791Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2025This thesis investigates the spatial relationship between neighborhood opportunity and affordability in King County, Washington. The goal is to identify areas that are most suitable for the implementation of the Covenant Homeownership Program - a new, race-conscious down payment assistance program enacted statewide in 2024. The program specifically aims to redress historical discrimination in access to homeownership by supporting first-time homebuyers whose families were impacted by redlining and other exclusionary policies prior to the Fair Housing Act of 1968.The thesis will employ GIS-based suitability analysis tools to combine variables across five key categories - education, economics and mobility, neighborhood quality, health and environment, and affordability. The process will create a composite index of “opportunity.” Separate life-cycle models will aim to reflect the needs of differently structured households. The findings reveal a substantial spatial mismatch between high-opportunity and affordability, with few areas offering both above-median opportunity and affordability. The life-cycle models indicate that neighborhood suitability does vary significantly depending on household needs and priorities. These results suggest that while the Covenant Homeownership Program offers a promising framework for equitable homeownership, additional policies or investments may be needed to truly enable access to high-opportunity areas. This research highlights the importance of neighborhood characteristics in determining the efficacy of down payment assistance programs and provides a replicable methodology for local and state governments seeking to promote spatial equity in homeownership.application/pdfen-USnonedownpayment assistancehomeownershiphousingneighborhood choiceracial equityUrban planningPublic policyUrban planningThesis