SHARE Affordable Housing
Frequently Asked Questions

1.    DEMAND FOR HOMES  Why does it make sense to build homes when nationwide there is a glut of homes on the market?  Leavenworth has very limited supply of affordable homes and rentals.  We have some of the highest price median home prices at $400,000.There are limited housing units available at the lower end of the market, partially due to the cost of the land the units sit on.   

2.    LEAVENWORTH HOUSING MARKET   Why is the Leavenworth market different than any other market?  People really want to live here.  It is one of the biggest economic job markets in the County.  Many outside area buyers and retirees are buying up homes for second, non- permanent resident homes. 

3.    LOWER INCOME FAMILIES BUYING HOMES  How can a family making less than median income be able to buy a home? The CLT Community land trust means the land value is taken out of home prices, thus homes are nearly ½ to 2/3 of regular home prices.  We also offer financing from USDA with lower mortgage payments.

4.    COMMUNITY IMPACT What is the impact on me if some people can’t afford a home here? Communities stay strong and viable when they have a mix of income levels. With CLT housing, the people who work locally can live in the community, spending their money in the community year round. Schools have a consistent influx of students.

5.    GRANTS  Are the various government grant programs for affordable housing operational? We currently have a grant $300,000 of HUD SHOP Self Help Opportunity funds.  We hope to have over many more sources of public funding but main source will be private funding.

6.    CLT MODEL  How can MEND build a house for less than the current cost in the marketplace for building houses?  In the CLT model the land price is not included in home sales price.  Only through good planning, value engineering, working with experienced builders and community partners can we do this.

7.    BUILDING COVENANTS House colors will be subtle earth tones, part of subdivision covenant restrictions that fit into the communitythat fit into the community. Exterior treatments are part of the subdivision covenant restrictions that each homeowner must abide by.

8.    LEGAL RESIDENTS  All of our CLT homes can only serve legal residents. It is illegal for us to serve undocumented residents  not approved to live/work here or are US residents.

9.    HOME PLAN CHOICE  As a homeowner, will I have a say in how the home will look? There are a variety of home plans from which to choose from.  All homes exteriors must meet the development standards to maintain neighborhood quality.  We already own the land—a significant assessment. 

10.  MEND Why is MEND in a good position to develop? We have a very active, broad community-based Board, volunteers that are active in all seven programs, full time staff and the resources dedicated to this development and we own land.

11.  BIG PROJECT Can MEND really do this big a project? Not alone we can’t.  It involves multiple community partners.  The first 32 homes are part of the 1st stage of three bite size phases to be completed over a five to seven year time period, depending upon funding.

12.  STRATEGY What will it really take to turn the affordable housing crisis here around?  AMAJOR COMMUNITY EFFORT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS is necessary.  Isn’t it time for an Affordable Housing Task Force to commit to this process across governments, private employers, business, churches and nonprofits?

13.  COST How much will the development cost?The first 32 lots and homes are estimated at $7,930,000. 

14.  TIMELINE How long will it take to build it all out?  Five to seven years depending upon funding

15.  WHEN  When can we expect to see the first homes available for sale?  Pre-sales may begin as early as winter 2011 with the first closing after utility construction in fall 2012.

16.   CITY FUNDS How much do we expect the city to pay for? How are they going to get the money?  We have asked for $1,550,000 over four years and three phases.  The first phase is for $750,000 of City funds. This is a project that benefits all sectors of the community from businesses to schools to families including the City.  It upgrades existing utilities and pays for new city utilities to serve homes.  A new City road will benefit all City residents The City is committed to working out a successful funding plan. We anticipate using a combination of grant, local and municipal bond funds.

17.  PRIVATE COSTS    Typically, developers pay the costs of the infrastructure required. Why should this project be different? A project of this size can only be done as a partnership between private and public entities.  Private partners will have to pay for their prorated share of costs. 

18.  BENEFIT Are there any economic or other benefits to the city? What are they? Imagine who is hurt if families cannot afford to live here and there is no longer a school. This has happened in resort areas like Sun Valley. Ten years of investment and construction expenditures of over $15,000,000 will be a large economic boost. Ongoing, families will be living and working here year round.

19.  FUNDS Where is the rest of the money for the development going to come from? You are saying you want Upper Valley citizens to donate money to help pay for these homes.  Why?  Private donations and partnerships have been a large part of our housing funding historically and will be even more important now.  Become a PARTNER to help this happen. 

20.  COMMUNITY INVOLVMENT Will neighbors have any voice in the design of the neighborhood? How and when will this happen? We invite people to join us at our SHARE development committee meetings. The public can provide public comment when Chelan County holds a public hearing on the planned development this fall.

21.   COVENANTS Will there be controls in the neighborhood on things like home colors, pets, parking, noise, etc.? Who is going to set these rules and how will they be enforced?  Homeowners with MEND supervision will be creating these rules.  We have a good experience with Alpine Heights and Aldea Village using and enforcing these.

22.  SECOND HOMES What’s to keep these homes from being sold as 2nd homes? 2nd home sales account for most of the real estate sales in the Upper Valley.  Covenants and deed restrictions prevent use of all CLT units as second homes.

23.  LEGACY OF AFFORDABILITY What keeps these homes affordable? What prevents the first owners from just turning around and selling for the real market value?  The beauty of CLTs is that sale prices are restricted and kept permanently affordable by MEND because MEND owns the land and leases it back to the homeowners.