About Us
When artists can’t afford to live, culture can’t afford to grow.
Across Washington and beyond, artists are being priced out of the neighborhoods they helped bring to life.The Creative Real Estate Wiki is a living knowledge hub documenting how we can build communities where creativity, affordability, and belonging coexist.
The Changing Landscape
Over the past two decades, the rise of global tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, and the influx of new wealth and workers that followed, has dramatically reshaped the housing market, especially in the Puget Sound region. While the innovation economy has surged, wages in the arts, culture, and creative sectors have remained largely stagnant.
From Seattle to Spokane to Walla Walla, creative workers are being priced out of the very communities they helped build.
What's At Risk
When housing becomes unattainable, the cultural heartbeat of a place begins to fade.
Artists are often the first to revive a neighborhood, and the last to benefit from its growth.
If we don’t act now, we risk losing not just artists, but the vibrancy, diversity, and local character that define our communities.
Artists are the soul of place. Without them, cities become shells of themselves.
Where the Wiki Comes In
The Creative Real Estate Wiki was born out of that urgency.
It began as a student-led collaboration between Ladybug Workshop and the Washington State Department of Commerce, an exploration of creative housing ownership models.
What started as research grew into a living, evolving resource connecting artists, policymakers, and developers who believe that culture deserves space to live.
Our Mission
WE’RE EXPLORING EQUITABLE HOUSING MODELS THAT:
01
Work across geographies: urban, suburban, and rural
02
Preserve long-term affordability through community-driven ownership
03
Empower artists not just to stay, but to lead
Who We Mean
When We Say “Artist”
The word artist is at the heart of this project.
It means anyone whose creative practice enriches public life, from painters and dancers to musicians, writers, designers, and makers of all kinds.
Whether emerging or established, these are the people whose work keeps our communities vibrant, inclusive, and alive.
The People Behind the Project
The Wiki was founded by Jennifer Yi, founder of Ladybug Ventures, Shannon Roach Halberstadt, Amanda, and Hudson Serletic, a dancer and writer pursuing a degree in Finance and Real Estate at Southern Methodist University.
Guided by a mission to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued, Hudson bridges the worlds of art and economics to advocate for creative equity.
Jennifer Yi
Founder of Ladybug Ventures and the creative force behind the Wiki’s vision, Jennifer brings two decades of experience at the intersection of design, social impact, and creative economies.
Her work centers on building ecosystems where artists and communities can thrive together, turning ideas into spaces, and spaces into movements.
Shannon Roach Halberstadt
As Creative Economy Sector Lead at the Washington State Department of Commerce, Shannon bridges policy and practice.
A longtime advocate for artists, cultural workers, and creative entrepreneurs, she ensures that public investment aligns with the lived realities of those shaping Washington’s cultural landscape.
Hudson Serletic
A dancer and writer pursuing a degree in Finance and Real Estate at Southern Methodist University, Hudson brings both artistry and analytical rigor to the project.
Guided by a mission to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued, Hudson connects the emotional and economic sides of creative equity.
Artists don’t just decorate cities,
they build them.
Real Estate Wiki
ART.
EQUITY.
HOUSING.