Raymond housing project among Dept. of Commerce funding

The Washington State Department of Commerce announced $47 million in funding for infrastructure improvements to support 43 construction projects that would provide more than 3000 units of affordable housing statewide.

Included within the projects was over $124,000 for the American Legion Post 150 Veteran Housing and Resource Center in Raymond.

Washington is projected to need 1.1 million new units of housing over the next 20 years. 

Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) grants help local governments reduce per-unit connection fees, which are used to pay for area-wide improvements to municipal sewer, water, and stormwater systems. 

Grants pay for the below-ground infrastructure, such as water and sewer pipes, and to reimburse system infrastructure charges paid by housing developers.

See the full list of projects (Box PDF)

“Addressing the lack of affordable housing in communities all across Washington is crucial to our economy. CHIP grants provide vital infrastructure to jump-start construction of units that will serve households most in need,” said Commerce Director Mike Fong.

Many of the awarded projects announced will also provide supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.

In this latest application round, Commerce says that they received 74 applications for a total of $79 million. 

With $55.5 million appropriated this biennium, demand significantly exceeded available resources. 

Since 2021, and including the latest awards, Commerce has invested more than $88 million in CHIP funding, supporting the creation of over 7,800 affordable housing units.

Commerce expects a second round of funding will open for grant applications in the fall of 2024, with $12.7 million available. CHIP prioritizes applications based on select criteria including affordability, project readiness, and consistency with growth management principles. 

For more information, visit Commerce’s CHIP webpage.