Matt Bedsole is not a normal investor. He is the CEO of Invest Chattanooga, a fund set up by the city of 200,000 to invest in local apartment projects. Unlike private equity firms — the main backers of new construction — he judges deals not solely on their financial return but also on how much housing they can deliver the city.
After a split discussion, the City of Leavenworth has decided to table a conceptual idea to transform the Leavenworth Golf Course property into a multi-use space with affordable housing units.
The concept, titled “A BIG Idea,” was submitted in response to the Housing Advisory Committee’s (HAC) request for affordable housing ideas.
The Chelan City Council unanimously adopted three measures updating the city’s affordable housing code, aligning local rules with changes in Washington law and allowing more flexibility in how housing funds can be used.
City Finance Director Heidi Evans described the changes as largely administrative. But taken together, they remove limits that had made Chelan’s rules more restrictive than state guidelines.
As the need for housing has grown increasingly urgent throughout the region, local and state regulations have been expanding to allow homeowners to add to their properties. So, what do these new micro homes look like, and how exactly are they used? More importantly, what do they signal about the future of domestic space in our city?
A bill intended to limit cities’ power to block housing for people who are homeless has cleared the Washington state Legislature and now awaits the governor’s signature.
House Bill 2266 would prohibit cities from placing additional restrictions on permanent supportive housing in areas where residential housing is allowed and would limit the restrictions they could place on emergency shelter projects.
“It’s so critical to make sure that residents that currently occupy are able to stay in the community, and that we’re able to continue having that property exist in that area,” Raines said.
Owned previously by a board of volunteers, Bryan Raines, CEO of the nonprofit, said the 22-unit apartment complex, also known as the Kaniksu Village, was built in the 1970s. By renovating it, he said, they are preserving crucial housing for the area.
14 N. Wenatchee Ave. Suite 155
Wenatchee, WA 98801
