Three Vancouver low-income housing projects are receiving money from the state to defray development costs.
Gov. Bob Ferguson and the Washington State Department of Commerce last week announced $14.6 million in grants for shovel-ready housing projects that will create 1,800 affordable units across 10 counties.
These grants are part of the Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program. CHIP helps reduce development costs for projects that support affordable and supportive housing, including for those who are homeless.
“When it comes to home construction, the infrastructure phase — it’s not very glamorous. So it can be one of the hardest, most difficult to fundraise for,” said Heather Cochrun, Evergreen Habitat for Humanity’s community engagement director.
The nonprofit received $495,912 for water, sewer and stormwater connections at its 132nd Cottage Cluster project. Habitat will construct 32 cottage-style homes at Northeast 132nd Avenue and 46th Street anticipated to begin in the summer.
Crestwood Corner at 300 N.E. 117th Ave. received $186,232. Ken Twergo is transforming the space formerly occupied by his business, The Low Vision Store, into a single-family home with units for very low-income tenants.
The grant “encourages the idea that there are many small but vital opportunities like Crestwood within our urban neighborhoods to create affordable, infill housing to the betterment of our entire community,” Twergo said in an email to The Columbian. “I have put a lot of effort into making my project viable and doable.”
A third Vancouver project, the 40-unit Claudia’s Place by Council for the Homeless, received $642,025.
“We were pleased to receive CHIP funds through Washington state for this project,” Sunny Wonder, chief operating officer for Council for the Homeless, said in an email to The Columbian.
