Chelan County Supporting YWCA Plan To Expand Homeless Housing

Momentum is picking up for an expansion of housing supplied by the YWCA of North Central Washington. 

Chelan County commissioners approved a letter of support Tuesday for the Y's process to seek more money to build new permanent supportive housing. 

County Housing Program Coordinator Sasha Sleiman says the project could increase the number of housing units to as much as 20. 

"It's going to be sizable because they're taking away that original space and going larger," said Sleiman. "It'll be a sizable increase." 

More permanent supportive housing has been identified as a need on the state level and the YWCA's plan falls in line with Chelan County's overall plan to handle homelessness. 

The letter endorsed by Chelan County commissioners supports the YWCA’s application for a waiver for the Washington Housing Trust Fund grant the organization is seeking. 

Housing Trust Fund grants are capped at $5 million. The YWCA project will cost $9 million to complete. 

County commissioners have already written a letter supporting the Y’s federal funding source. 

The organization’s plan calls for 10 existing permanent supportive housing units at 212 First Street in Wenatchee to be torn down and replaced by a larger building with more units. The housing is currently located in a historical building. 

Chelan County commissioners signed off on the letter of support quickly Tuesday morning as the application for waiver is due by Tuesday afternoon from the Y. Sleiman said the city of Wenatchee had already submitted a letter of support. 

The only source for permanent supportive housing in the area is through the YWCA and the Women’s Resource Center of Wenatchee. 

Permanent Supportive Housing serves low-income homeless people who need intensive service support. The programs have a low staff to participant ratio because of the special needs of the residents. 

Commissioner Kevin Overbay says he’s fully supportive of the Y’s plan. “I think this is a great opportunity for us to get behind supporting both our housing plan, but also one of the vendors that supplies housing, so I’m all in,” said Overbay.