(Clarkston, WA) Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and the Washington State Department of Commerce announced $14.6 million in grants on Thursday to support “shovel-ready” housing projects that will create more than 1,800 affordable units in 10 counties. The grants include over $430,000 for a housing project in Clarkston.
According to a Department of Commerce release, the awards represent the latest round of the state’s Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program, referred to as CHIP. The competitive program pays for below-ground infrastructure — such as water and sewer pipes — and reimburses waived development fees typically associated with new housing construction.
The grants will support projects ranging from affordable housing for seniors to permanent supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness.
Ferguson named housing affordability among his top priorities. Ferguson committed to putting Washington on the path to building 1.1 million housing units in Washington over the next 20 years.
CHIP is intended to reduce the costs of development for projects that offer affordable options for people who need them most. Many of the two dozen awarded projects announced today will provide housing support for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
“These grants remove barriers for projects that will help us meet our ambitious goals for building much needed housing in Washington,” Ferguson said. “The Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program has already resulted in thousands of new units of housing, making our state more affordable for more people.”
Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn knows first-hand the life-changing impact of a stable, affordable home. He grew up in public housing in King County.
“The Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program does more than put pipes in the ground,” Nguyễn said. “These grants build the foundation for opportunity, security and hope for thousands of Washingtonians, reflecting our commitment to ensuring that everyone, regardless of income, has access to a home they can afford.”
The demand for new housing is staggering: Washington is projected to need to add more than 1 million homes by 2044 to keep up with anticipated population growth. Of those, half will need to be affordable to those earning less than 50% of area median income. Commerce recently reported that more than half of Washingtonians are rent-burdened — meaning they spend at least 30% of their monthly income on rent.
Past projects that benefited from CHIP grants include tiny homes for homeless veterans, senior housing, and modestly designed single-family homes that will remain affordable in perpetuity through a community land trust.
The grants vary from $200,000 to $2.3 million, consistent with the scale of each development. The counties who will benefit from the awards announced today include King, Pierce, Spokane, Clark, Whatcom, Cowlitz, Kittitas, Jefferson, Island and Asotin.
The City of Clarkston is being awarded $431,461 for Clarkston Family Haven, an affordable housing project that broke ground in late 2024. The development will serve families at or below 60 percent of the average median income. A total of 72 housing units will be available. 35 units are reportedly to be set aside for those who have or are experiencing homelessness.
“These infrastructure investments directly create real, tangible results for Washingtonians, especially those who are struggling with housing affordability. This is what people expect and deserve from state government, and we need to make sure we support the same sort of impactful projects in our 2025 capital budget,” said Sen. Yasmin Trudeau.
“This CHIP funding significantly enhances Clarkston’s ability to provide affordable housing by supporting essential utility infrastructure necessary for the completion of Clarkston Family Haven. These improvements not only ensure that this project can move forward, but also set the stage for future development in the area, fostering continued growth and expansion of affordable housing options in the community,” said Allison Snow with Horizon Housing Alliance, developers of Clarkston Family Haven.
The additional awards bring total CHIP investments statewide to nearly $98 million since 2021, contributing to more than 9,500 affordable housing units. Commerce recently highlighted some of the innovative projects bolstered by the CHIP in its brief history.
The awards effectively expend the available funding allocated for the CHIP in the last biennium. Future funding is contingent on appropriation in the 2025-27 State Capital Budget, now under consideration by the Legislature.