Staff were reminded how important their work is during the six-site visit
The Whatcom Skagit Housing staff at the Key Ceremony in Blaine. From left to right: Staffers Tim Northrop, Sue Sturgill, Nolan Scott, Julia Menkee, Erin Kennedy, Luke Shelton and Brian Talbert.
Two employees from Commerce’s Homeownership unit visited six sites in Whatcom and Skagit counties last month, an adventure that connected them with housing providers and homeowners and reinforced how special their work is.
Project Manager Whitney Raines and Capital Programs Investment Manager Angela Snow started their trip in Skagit County and met up with Skagit Habitat for Humanity. They saw two projects: Caledonia in La Conner and Parkside Cottages in Anacortes. Skagit Habitat was awarded Affordability Subsidy funding for the 11 units between the two sites.
Later that day, Whitney and Angela headed to Bellingham to see Kulshan Community Land Trust’s La Freniere Court and Telegraph Townhomes, its joint venture with Whatcom Habitat for Humanity.
Photo: The group at Telegraph Townhomes in Bellingham. From left to right: Shell Philhower and David Ellsworth-Keller (Kulshan), Whitney Raines and Angela Snow (Commerce), and Rose Lathrop (Kulshan).
LaFreniere Court is under construction to create 18 permanently affordable homes. The plan is for 16 townhomes and two detached homes. Telegraph Townhomes received funding for Affordability Subsidy and Downpayment Assistance from Commerce. Telegraph has multiple phases of construction and is currently building the last eight homes.
“At Telegraph Townhomes the development was bustling with families in all different life stages,” Whitney said. “As we were chatting with Kulshan Community Land Trust staff, one homeowner was working in her garden while a mom and her three children arrived home from daycare pickup. The kids jumped on their tricycles and raced up and down the sidewalk with abandon, while their mom shared with us a bit more about their time at Telegraph Townhomes and how impactful it’s been for their family.”
The next day, Angela and Whitney met with Whatcom Habitat for Humanity to see its plans for Mateo Meadows, a 30-townhome project in Everson. They also toured the Bellingham Habitat store. Later, the pair went to Blaine, where they watched a key handing ceremony held by Whatcom Skagit Housing.
At the key ceremony, they toured homes built by families moving into them.
Angela Snow (center) poses with Ian Houben (left) and Tina Tate (right) from Skagit Habitat in front of the Parkside Cottages.
One homeowner declared, “These homes are built with soul.”
Angela and Whitney were honored to be witnesses to it.
“Two very happy and proud homeowners gave us a tour of their new homes, including some quite adorable littles telling me all about their new bedrooms. The joy and pride projected from the homeowners was the highlight of the day,” Angela said.
“This was such an amazing experience to see the work we do in real time and see the homeowners joy as they gave us tours of the homes they helped to build with their own hands,” she said.
This trip helped strengthen the relationships between the Capital Programs team and the contractors we partner with and showed us how beneficial the work we do is for the community.
“This trip was a chance to witness in real time the ways that our awardees interact with their homeowners and serve as trusted guides in their homeownership journey,” Whitney said.