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despite median home values that have climbed to nearly$500,000—1.5 times the national average. This mismatch between rising property values driven by in-migration and the limited private capital available for workforce housing and commercial infill represents the county's most compelling case for OZ investment.The two designated Ellensburg tracts, anchored by CWU and proximate to a revitalizing downtown,offer the kind of institutional stability and absorptive capacity that OZ investors typically seek in smaller markets. Looking ahead to OZ 2.0,there are six eligible census tracts:four in Ellensburg and two in upper county,specifically one in S.Cie Elum and one in Cie Elum.All census tract under OZ 2.0 are eligible for rural OZ designation and the enhanced 30 percent basis step-up that now applies to rural tracts. These communities face distinct pressures—seasonal tourism economies, second-home price inflation, and limited year-round attainable housing—that OZ capital, properly structured alongside USDA Rural Development programs and local incentives, could help address.The county's 2023 Economic Development Strategic Plan provides the regional vision needed to make an OZ pitch credible,with its goals around balanced growth, housing affordability,and upper-lower county collaboration mapping directly onto the kinds of projects—workforce housing, small business development,downtown revitalization—that have attracted OZ investment in comparable rural markets.The key near-term action is translating those strategic goals into a specific project pipeline with committed sponsors,which is what will ultimately determine whether Kittitas County captures OZ 2.0 investment or watches it flow elsewhere. Let me know if you need anything else. Amy McGuffin President/CEO 509.925.2002 1 amyLkittitascountychamber.com I www.kittitascountychamber.com CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 609 N.Main St Ellensburg,WA 98926 Empowering Local Business,Enriching Community Find us on Facebook, Instagram,Linkedln,Alienable and Youtube Thank you to our pivotal investors:Central Washington University,EPIC Earlv Learning/Seedlings, Grocery Outlet,Invenerav,Kittitas Count v,Kittitas Valley Healthcare, Lightcurve, Suaer 1 Foods, Ward Rugh Inc.