Housing Development Internship Program

The Housing Development Internship Program (HDIP) is a 9 month, part-time, paid internship program that aims to provide a launch pad for college and graduate students from communities of color seeking a career in affordable housing development. HDIP interns will learn hands-on what it takes to create affordable and healthy living communities, develop leadership skills, and build networks with their cohort and the broader community.

Learn More

Get Involved

Are you a student seeking professional development and hands-on experience in the affordable housing sector? Are you representing an agency or organization in the affordable housing sector interested in hosting an intern? Learn more about how you can get involved in HDIP:

Our Housing Development Internship Program (HDIP) aims to provide a launch pad for college and graduate students from Communities of Color seeking a career in affordable housing development.

Program Overview

This 9 month, part-time, paid internship program is designed to recruit, train, and retain racially diverse leaders in the affordable housing sector.

During the program, interns will be actively involved in affordable housing and real estate development. Interns will learn hands-on what it takes to create affordable and healthy living communities, and specifically learn about the intricacies of developing projects from concept inception to construction completion.

Interns will further develop their professional and leadership skills through supplemental activities on at least a monthly basis, as part of a cohort learning community. Cohort convenings will include specific affordable housing curriculum, as well as space for discussion associated with HDC. All interns are expected to achieve basic competency skills in line with their development track over the course of the year.

Program Applications

Applications for the 2025-2026 Housing Development Internship Program Construction Management Track are due March 21, 2025. All other tracks are due in June 20, 2025.

Please complete and submit ONE application for the track in which you are interested: Housing Development, Construction Management, or Architecture. Questions about the application(s)? Reach out to Dani Turk.

2025-2026 HDIP Timeline

Application Opens: March 2025 (CM) and May 2025 (all)
Application Deadline: June 20, 2025
Construction Management Track applications were due March 21, 2025
Intern Orientation: September 22 and 23, 2025
First day of internship: October 6, 2025
Final day of internship: June 12, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should apply to be an HDIP intern?

HDIP is for students of color seeking hands-on experience in the affordable housing sector. This program is a good fit for those focusing in real estate development, urban planning, design, architecture, and other related fields, but students from any major may apply. Priority is given to students entering the last year of their program and students who are local residents.

Is this program only for certain majors?

No! Students in any area of study may apply. While many HDIP participants are majoring in real estate, development, architecture, or another related field, we have also welcomed interns studying other fields, including public health, social work, and finance.

Is this a paid internship?

Yes! Minimum pay is set by the minimum wage of the city in which you work. For Seattle, that’s $20.76/hour. HDC encourages host agencies to consider equitable pay compensation. Pay is ultimately negotiated between intern and host agency, and is finalized at the time of hire.

What is the time commitment for interns?

HDIP is a 9-month long program. Interns commit to 10-15 hours of work and learning per week between the start of their internship in October and program graduation in June. This 10-15 hour estimate includes hands-on experience with the host agency, as well as cohort convenings and professional development activities.

Can I focus in a specific area?

HDC is offers focus tracks for HDIP 2025-2026. These tracks include: Housing Development, Architecture, and Construction/Construction Management.

Have another question that isn’t answered here? Contact Dani Turk, Associate Director of Equity and Programs.

Thank you for your interest in hosting an intern as part of our Housing Development Internship Program (HDIP)! HDIP aims to provide a launch pad for college and graduate students from communities of color seeking a career in affordable housing development.

Applications for the 2025-2026 Housing Development Internship Program are now available! Download the Host Agency application form for one of our three focus tracks below. The application deadline for ALL tracks is August 1, 2025. If you are a returning host agency, please reach out to Dani Turk for an abbreviated application.