Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington’s (CCEW) plans for Skylstad Family Haven, the development planned for the orchard behind Hank’s, has increased to 72 apartments instead of the original 48 so that they can recoup their costs.
Plans include adding 24 apartments at market rates in addition to 48 units of affordable housing. Alex Reynolds, Vice President of Housing Outcomes for CCEW, said all units would be apartments, not town homes.
Purchase of the property behind Hank’s has been delayed, but Reynolds said CCEW hopes to close on the property this spring. The property is under contract to be purchased by CCEW.
“We really hope to break ground on construction in summer or fall,” said Reynolds.
Of the 48 units to be built as affordable housing, 24 will be for families and 24 for residents technically classified as homeless, including people who are living in a tent, trailer without hookups, or couch surfing.
Current plans consist of two apartment buildings with three stories, staff offices, and a gathering space with a kitchen for community events. There will not be a separate space for St. Genevieve’s Parish in Twisp, per earlier reports.
Once the development nears completion, CCEW will post an application page on its web page, as it does for its other units. They will also receive referrals from community organizations. Applicants must make 30%-60% of area median income to qualify for affordable housing.
Reynolds said he is optimistic that CCEW will be able to close in spring and begin construction in the fall. There will be a 21-day comment period on the project.
Reynolds, who is in Spokane, said he has been in close communication with local stakeholders, including attending monthly meetings by the Methow Housing Solutions Network, whose core team is made up of representatives from the Methow Housing Trust, Room One, Twispworks, Methow Valley Citizens Council, and Methow Conservancy. Reynolds said he is confident the development will be approved by Twisp City Council.
“There’s nothing that would be exceptional about this project. We are going to be putting in a proposal for something outside existing code and that would be to build three story apartment buildings. Having three story buildings is a more financially feasible model,” said Reynolds.
CCEW will receive tax credits for this project. To meet eligibility requirements, CCEW had to present a study of market needs.
“We wouldn’t be awarded tax credits if the need for housing wasn’t there,“ said Reynolds. “The market study lines up with what local organizations are saying the need is for housing.”
A 2022 survey by Twispworks based on 708 responses found the median household income for families that live and work in the valley was $57,779, with nearly 60% earning less than $55k per year. Remote workers, by contrast, reported earning four times more.
Twispworks reported that more than 1,000 homes were built in the valley between 2005 and 2020, most in unincorporated areas. The report cited 2,650 full-time homes, 1,966 part-time homes, and a population of 6,400 full-time residents and 4,380 part time residents.
Reynolds said CCEW does not plan on building more housing units in the valley any time soon, but Winthrop’s Housing Action Plan, released in 2023, calls for 436 additional units needed as of 2023, 726 by 2030, and 1572 by 2040.
Twisp has not come out with its own Housing Action Plan yet. Twisp Town Planner Thom Vetter said Winthrop’s plan is a good one and he hopes to have Twisp’s plan out this spring.
Twisp Planning Commission will hold a public meeting on Skylstad Family Haven on Jan. 15 at 5 pm at Twisp City Hall.
