Applications open for eight affordable homes at Crail Cottages

By ANDREW SIMPSON
Ward Media Staff Reporter

WENATCHEE — Applications are now open for a new affordable homeownership opportunity in Wenatchee as the Common Ground Community Housing Trust begins accepting applicants for the Crail Cottages development on 9th Street.

The project marks the nonprofit’s first completed effort using a community land trust model designed to keep homes permanently affordable for local residents.

Crail Cottages includes eight cottage-style homes, four one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units, each about 970 square feet. The homes are priced at $180,000 for one-bedroom units and $207,000 for two-bedroom units. The lower prices are made possible through partnerships with lenders, local governments and community supporters who helped bridge the gap between construction costs and sale prices.

Applications will be accepted through March 31. Because demand is expected to exceed the number of homes available, Common Ground anticipates using a lottery process to select the eight buyers, along with alternates.

To qualify, applicants must have household income at or below 120 percent of the Greater Wenatchee area median income, with some units capped at 80 percent. Applicants must live or work in the Wenatchee area, be first-time homebuyers and be able to obtain a mortgage. They must also attend an informational session and complete a certified first-time homebuyer course.

The project arrives amid continued pressure on the Wenatchee Valley housing market. Home prices have climbed steadily in recent years, and many working households have struggled to find ownership opportunities within reach. Local leaders, nonprofit housing groups and developers have increasingly explored alternative models, including community land trusts, as one way to preserve long-term affordability.

Common Ground Executive Director Thom Nees said the project is intended as a long-term strategy to address housing affordability in the valley.

“Our community must consider the long-term consequences of our decisions regarding housing. Being short sighted will not get us out of the housing crisis in which we currently find ourselves,” Nees said. “I have been so impressed by the vast number of people who have given their resources of time, money, and influence to help make this project happen, sacrificing short-term gain to make long-term progress. This work creates a foundation for future projects, one after another, because our community needs so much more than eight affordable housing units.”

Under the community land trust model, the nonprofit retains ownership of the land beneath the homes while residents own the houses themselves. The structure is designed to keep resale prices within reach for future buyers while still allowing homeowners to build equity.

Common Ground will host informational sessions from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 10 and March 24 at The Mercantile, 14 N. Wenatchee Ave.

Applications and additional information are available at commongroundwenatchee.com.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media