MEND Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Duplex to Expand Homeownership Opportunities in Leavenworth
The Community's generous support of Solid Foundations Campaign enables construction of new affordable workforce housing.
LEAVENWORTH, WA – Upper Valley MEND celebrated a major milestone on July 23 with a groundbreaking ceremony for a new duplex that will provide two more affordable homeownership opportunities for local workers and families. The 10:00 a.m. ceremony marked the beginning of construction on the project, made possible by community support during the Solid Foundations Campaign.
The duplex will feature two 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom homes priced in the low $300,000s – less than half the market rate – to ensure local workforce members have options to purchase homes and live in the community.
The homes will be part of Upper Valley MEND's homeownership program, which uses a Community Land Trust model to ensure long-term affordability. When homeowners sell, the homes will remain affordable for all future owners.
The homes are being constructed on a property donated by the Marson family as part of the Solid Foundations Campaign. The Campaign, completed in 2024, set a goal to raise $6.8 million to purchase and preserve 31 apartments from the Marson family. These apartments became part of an affordable rental program that supports the local workforce.
"This groundbreaking represents our community coming together," said Kaylin Bettinger, Upper Valley MEND Executive Director. "The response to the Solid Foundations Campaign was so strong that we raised $500,000 beyond our $6.8 million goal, giving the community the opportunity to create additional housing."
The duplex will be constructed by Simplicity by Hayden Homes, which has worked with other Community Land Trusts and specializes in building quality housing for affordable prices.
"These are homes for teachers, healthcare workers, service industry employees, and other workers who help our community thrive. It’s hard for folks earning local wages to afford to get a foothold here, and our community is stronger when these folks have local housing options," said Bettinger.
The application for these homes will be open through October 2025. Prospective home buyers interested in the program must qualify based on income and residency requirements. Upper Valley MEND encourages anyone interested in homeownership opportunities to visit https://www.uvmend.org/homeownership.
This project represents another step in Upper Valley MEND's mission to ensure that working families can afford to live in the communities they serve.
About Upper Valley MEND Upper Valley MEND (Meeting Each Need with Dignity) is a Leavenworth-based nonprofit that envisions an empowered community with equitable access to food, housing, wellness, and economic security. It works to meet the basic needs of people struggling to make ends meet or facing crisis situations in the Upper Valley.
For more information about the homeownership program or to apply: Kathia Wan, Housing Program Manager, (509) 548-0408, kathia@uvmend.org https://www.uvmend.org/homeownership
Media Contact: Kaylin Bettinger, Executive Director, Upper Valley MEND, (509) 293-4428, kaylin@uvmend.org