Kittitas County commissioners grant $150,000 for housing

 

Daily Record, by MIKE JOHNSTON senior writer

KITTITAS COUNTY -- Kittitas County commissioners recently approved $150,000 in grants to two, nonprofit projects aimed to help local low-income families with affordable housing.

The annual grants come from a state-required fee on top of regular document filing fees in the county Auditor's Office.

The state mandates the extra fee to go to nonprofit efforts to increase affordable housing and help the homeless.

In the commissioners' May 18 action, Kittitas County Habitat for Humanity received a $50,000 matching grant to kick-start its first partner-built house in Upper County, which would be the group's 11th partner-built home in the county.

The 10th house is planned to be on a lot in Kittitas.

Local Habitat for Humanity volunteers recently dedicated partner-house No. 9 on West Fifth Avenue in Ellensburg.

In addition, a $100,000 grant went to EnTrust Community Services, formerly known as Provident Horizon Group.

The funds are set to partially fund what's called Rapid Intervention Emergency Transitional Housing in the Ellensburg area.

According to EnTrust plans, the program would go beyond only giving homeless people emergency housing. The program's goal is to change the way people live day to day.

Accepting housing help from EnTrust would require those signing up to be part of an ongoing mentoring effort to assist them to become financially self-sufficient in the community.

This program includes working with clients closely so they can receive training, social services, vocational rehabilitation and other help while they are given housing and assistance in finding employment.

Entrust officials said the total program, estimated at $250,750, would support using 25 affordable housing units for that number of families, couples or individuals in the community who don't qualify for existing, local housing services.

Officials said the program would fill a gap in existing services for the homeless in Kittitas County and link to a similar EnTrust program now in place locally.

Habitat in Roslyn

The $50,000 matching grant will support the purchasing of two lots on Fifth Street in Roslyn and the initial construction of house No. 11 on one of those lots, the first Habitat home in Upper County.

Habitat for Humanity Board President Kathy Matlin said conditions on the grant indicate funds will be released by the county, up to $50,000, as Habitat shows proof it has raised funds for the Roslyn house.

"This is good news. This will allow us to go to our donors and supporters and encourage them to consider giving for house No. 11," Matlin said on Tuesday. "We are thankful for the county commissioners' support."

The funds also means Habitat will begin the 60- to 90-day process to select a partner family for house No. 11.

A rough target, she said, is to start work on the Roslyn house this fall.

Ellensburg habitat house dedicated

Community supporters and volunteers with Kittitas County Habitat for Humanity on May 16 dedicated its ninth home built since the local chapter of the nonprofit, international organization began in Ellensburg in 1992.

The home, at 1003 W. Fifth Ave. in Ellensburg, was built by volunteers, including the partner-family - Tahania Peratrovich and her three children, Danyell, Taylor and Sarah. The family did many hours of volunteer work and have assumed a no-interest loan for the home.

Peratrovich, according to a Habitat news release, graduated from Ellensburg High School in 1989 and shortly thereafter moved to Yakima. Following family difficulties, she returned to Ellensburg to raise her children. Peratrovich is the office manager of D & M Coffee.

House No. 9 was made possible by a grant from the Kittitas County Homelessness and Affordable Housing Grant program through county commissioners. This was in addition to funds donated by individuals, businesses and organizations.

It was estimated the home became a reality through more than 3,000 volunteer hours put in by more than 200 individuals and the donations of building supplies and services from 14 businesses throughout Kittitas County and one in Seattle.

 

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