Affordable housing projects in line for county funds
Published 2:54 pm Sunday, November 30, 2025
PACIFIC COUNTY — A trio of local projects aimed at boosting or preserving affordable housing opportunities are on the cusp of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in county funding through a recently enacted sales tax.
The Pacific County Commission could vote to formally approve the funding at an upcoming December meeting, which would pave the way for more than $500,000 to be awarded for three projects — one in Long Beach, two in Raymond — over the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years.
The funding comes via a new 0.1% sales tax passed by commissioners that went into effect in the summer of 2024, which increased the total local sales tax rate from 1.6% to 1.7%. Revenue generated by the tax must be used to support the construction, rehabilitation and acquisition of affordable and supportive housing, as well as facilities related to mental and behavioral health.
The Pacific County Health and Human Services Department finished eliciting proposals for the first wave of funding at the end of August, which were subsequently analyzed and scored by a volunteer rating and ranking committee. County commissioners received a presentation on the three proposed projects that the committee recommended for funding at an Oct. 20 workshop.
Willapa Behavioral Health & Wellness applied for about $293,000 in funding — split evenly between the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years — for operations and maintenance of the Willapa Independent Housing project, referred to as “Triplex,” at 216 14th St. NW in Long Beach.
The property was recently renovated to provide supportive housing for extremely low-income adults with behavioral health disabilities as well as those experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
The Willapa Community Development Association applied for $200,000 — also split evenly between the next two years — that would go toward supporting the redevelopment of the American Legion building at 221 Duryea St. in Raymond.
The WDCA, in partnership with the city and American Legion Post 150, has undertaken a yearslong effort to acquire and demolish the existing structure in order to construct a new three-story building that would include 18 affordable studio and one-bedroom apartments for households at or below 60% of the area median income, with priority given to veterans. It would also house a community resource center and a new Raymond City Hall.
Coastal Community Action Program applied for $37,026 for 2026 that would support pre-development activities — engineering assessments, architectural renderings and permitting — for the proposed renovation of a building located at 247 1st St. in Raymond.
The renovated building would create new permanent supportive housing units for local individuals or small families at or below 60% of the area median income who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
Contracts have been written for the three projects and are currently being reviewed, according to Darian Sheldon, human services program manager for PCHHS.
Sheldon said she is hopeful that the contracts will be put on the agenda for the Dec. 9 county commission meeting for final approval. Work could start as early as next month if they are approved at that meeting.