ODD FELLOWS LODGE 20 HOUSING PROJECT APPLICATION

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PROPOSAL DETAILS 1. Applicant Profile and Qualifications: Tell us about your organization including the purpose of your work, your goals, any history, and experience working in homeless and/or affordable housing services, experience managing public funds, and anything else that describes the organization's qualifications. (250 words max.) Odd Fellows Ellensburg Lodge 20, established in 1881, is a Washington state Pioneer Corporation that operates the downtown lodge building and the Odd Fellows cemetery on Brick Road in Ellensburg. The name Odd Fellow dates back to the middle ages, called because members were so "odd" that they performed community Service. The organization's creed is Friendship, Love, and Truth. Lodge commun ty activities include donated bicycle and computer repair and distribution-- more than 1,100 given away during the last ten years, as well as hosting a glass crushing recycling operation and a community repair cafe. The lodge has been a previous host for the city Cold Weather Shelter, and recently successfully completed a $400,000 renovation of the historic 1910 building using public historic preservation funds. The cemetery has been in operation for 143 years, and more than 11,000 souls are interred there, including city founder John Alden Shoudy and his wife Ellen, for whom the city is named. They were both Odd Fellows. The goal of the Odd Fellows Lodge 20 Housing Project (OFLHP) is to build affordable housing to address the critical housing shortage in Kittitas County, and to provide income to allow the cemetery to operate for the next 143 gears. OFLHP Board members include a retired University President, retired military project manager and contracting specialist, a wildlife biologist and environmental regulatory expert, a Land Use and Planning professional, a general contractor, and a cemetery manager. 2. Project Description Summary: Provide a brief summary of the project being proposed and a general description of how it will address homelessness or affordable housing in Kittitas County. Be sure and indicate whether the proposal is irytended to provide direct client services or construction, maintenance, or improvement of housing facilities. (250 words max.) OFLHP will construct 20-30 new units of affordable housing in Kittitas County, located on three acres of unused cemetery land at 1900 Brick Road in Ellensburg. This is phase one of a project to develop a total of 10.4 acres with up to 101 units of affordable housing, 21 units of market rate housing, a child care center, and possibly light commercial or retail space to enhance the community around the cemetery. Phase one will also include construction of a community center for APOYO, Allied People Offering Year Round Outreach, a social services organization and fDod bank with a 30-year history in the county of offering aid to those in need. The APOYO building is financed separately from the affordable housing project. 3of9