The housing crisis in Chelan and Douglas counties is impacting everyone, one way or another.
Affordable and attainable housing is defined as housing options that are within the financial reach of all individuals and families.
The people who serve our community, at all levels, are increasingly unable to live where they work. In some cases, they move elsewhere.
Businesses and other employers are unable to fill positions because prospective employees can’t find a place to live or find the costs too high.
Even our seniors, who in some cases have lived and worked here for decades, can no longer afford to reside in their community.
Affordable and attainable housing is a multifaceted issue that requires innovative solutions and collaboration across all sectors.
It is getting more challenging for people to afford homes in our region.
Housing is considered affordable if a household is paying no more than 30% of their gross income on rent or a mortgage. Thus, what is affordable varies by each family’s income. Some calculations include basic utility costs, though many do not account for transportation and other needs.
Washington is debating a bill that would make short-term rentals more expensive to fund affordable housing initiatives.
After a similar effort failed last session, the Legislature is once again considering a controversial bill allowing local governments to tax short-term rentals up to 4% — which would be $8 on a $200-a-night stay.
Housing projects in Wenatchee, Chelan and Winthrop will receive a piece of $54.5 million in grant money from the Washington State Department of Commerce meant to help create more than 4,500 affordable housing units statewide.
The idea of the traditional “starter home” — a modest, affordable place that helps first-time buyers build equity — is becoming increasingly difficult to find in today’s housing market, as builders and buyers confront rising costs, larger floor plans and shifting local regulations.
Courtesy: Photo by Glenov Brankovic on Unsplash
For decades, starter homes were commonly understood as smaller houses that might need renovation and were often intended as temporary stops before moving up to something larger. But that long-standing model no longer aligns with modern housing realities, where prices and home sizes have steadily climbed.
The state is launching a new campaign to better educate Mainers about accessory dwelling units, or ADUs.
Led by local builders Cole Klein and 3D-construction startup HiveASMBLD, they are creating the city’s first large-scale affordable housing community built using 3D printing. Each home is printed using a proprietary concrete blend—faster, stronger, and more efficient than traditional construction—and will sell in the mid to high $200Ks, with down payment assistance of up to $125,000 from the City of Houston.
Governor Ferguson announced $244 million in housing investments and signed an executive order to form a task force dedicated to the creation of cabinet-level housing agency
14 N. Wenatchee Ave. Suite 155
Wenatchee, WA 98801
