ENTIAT, Wash. (Nov. 8, 2021) – Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise), the Housing Authority of Chelan County and the City of Wenatchee (CCWHA) and the Office of Rural and Farmworker Housing (ORFH) today announced a $15.1 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit deal to build Mountain View Family Housing, a 12-building affordable housing community in Entiat, Washington. Located on the site of a former orchard, the development will include 65 affordable homes, 52 of which will be set aside specifically for local farmworkers.
“There is a nationwide shortage of affordable housing in rural communities, including agricultural areas like Chelan County, where farmworkers and their families are a backbone of local economies,” said Scott Hoekman, president of Enterprise’s housing credit investments business. “The flexibility of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allows us to designate agricultural communities for affordable housing development, meeting the needs of farmworkers and their families and, alongside our partners at the local and state level, bringing long-term affordability to the Entiat community.”
“The Housing Authority board and staff have worked for several years with the City of Entiat to identify and respond to the local housing needs,” said Alicia McRae, CCWHA executive director. “It is exciting to see these efforts come to fruition. We are grateful for our partnerships with Enterprise, the State of Washington and the Office of Farmworker Housing, for working with us to make this happen.”
The 12 buildings at Mountain View will include two-story townhomes, single-story flats and a single-story common building. The community will include a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments, plus a manager’s unit. All apartments will be reserved for families and individuals earning a maximum of 30%, 40% or 50% of the area median income (AMI), depending on the unit. Rents will range from $376 for a one-bedroom apartment to $991 for a four-bedroom. On-site parking is available, and schools are located just over a mile away from the development. State Highway 97A provides direct access to Wenatchee, which is located 20 miles to the south and offers a hospital, shopping (Walmart/Target) and a central business district.
“Housing opportunities are in short supply throughout Chelan County,” said Marty Miller, ORFH executive director. “The Mountain View development is a big step in the right direction to create quality, affordable housing for families living and working in Chelan County.”
As part of the development’s commitment to environmental sustainability, Mountain View is designed to meet Washington State’s Evergreen Sustainable Development Standards.
Mountain View was designed by the nonprofit architecture firm Environmental Works and will be managed by CCWHA. The project is scheduled to be completed by October 2022.
About Office of Rural and Farmworker Housing
The Office of Rural and Farmworker Housing (ORFH) is a private, nonprofit organization based in Yakima, WA. ORFH’s mission is to increase the supply of affordable housing in rural Washington State. ORFH partners with local organizations and provides the necessary technical assistance to evaluate project feasibility, assemble financing and oversee construction. Since its inception in 1979, ORFH has produced 2,141 housing units developed in rural 34 communities which, when fully occupied, can house up to 11,102 farm workers, their dependents, and/or other rural low-income persons, including seniors, people with disabilities, homeless veterans, and families with children.
Media Contact
Jordan Miller
Group Gordon
jmiller@groupgordon.com