OTHELLO – A multi-family housing boom is coming to Othello, with two large projects currently under development and more planned.
Othello Housing Authority is nearing completion of phase 1 of their Rocky Point development adjacent to P. J. Taggares Park, just outside of Othello city limits. The project will bring forty 2, 3, and 4-bedroom townhomes, including some Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant homes.
“Seventy-five percent [of phase 1 units] is going to be for permanent farmworker housing,” said Othello Housing Authority Executive Director Angie Gomez. The remaining units will be open to the general public, subject to income restrictions. Sixteen units will be ready for occupancy by September, with the rest available at the end of the year.
The maximum annual income for a family of 4 to qualify is $45,000. At that income level, that family would pay $1,083 per month for a three-bedroom townhome, according to a spreadsheet provided by Gomez. The same family making 30 percent ($27,000) of the Adams County median income would pay $685 for the same unit.
Funding for the $14.1 million project comes from a combination of private debt, low-income housing tax credits, and assistance from the Housing Trust Fund. The Housing Trust Fund is a Washington State program that “provides capital financing through loans or grants to affordable housing projects,” according to their website. Phases 2 and 3 are dependent on cooperation from Adams County for zoning changes, Gomez said.
Othello Housing Authority (OHA) is already accepting applications for Rocky Point. Interested applicants can contact OHA at (509) 488-3527 or by visiting http://www.OthelloHousing.com. They manage other properties in Othello, including the Parkview Apartments, Lugar Seguro, Harvest Manor, Lions Park Apartments, Cedar Park Apartments, Main Street Apartments, and the Oasis Apartments. They were founded in 1966 “to provide and promote safe and sanitary housing on a subsidized basis for low-income persons residing in Othello,” according to Gomez. A five-member Board of Commissioners, appointed by the Mayor of the City of Othello, governs the Housing Authority. There is currently a waiting list of approximately three years for affordable housing units managed by OHA, according to Gomez.
Another large apartment complex is under development by Palos Verdes on the North side of Othello. It is located at N. 7th Ave. and E. Cascade St., within the Sandhills development area. Columbia Basin News contacted Angel Garza with Palos Verdes several times, but we could not get any information about the number of units, layouts, income requirements, or rents. A construction permit application for the project was filed in January 2024.
