Mason County staff outline New Horizons plan for 20–30 supportive housing units and predevelopment funding needs

Mason County Public Health and Human Services presented a proposal from New Horizons to develop about 20 to 30 permanent supportive housing units on the same parcel as the agency’s Veterans Village, and told commissioners the critical first step would be a predevelopment feasibility study.

"Request was received from New Horizons communities with a proposal, for building about 20 to 30 permanent supportive housing units on the same property where they have the Veterans Village," Public Health staffer Melissa Casey said, adding the site is already zoned and the city is supportive. Casey said the study would examine site feasibility, preliminary design and an operations budget.

Casey identified two county-dedicated fund sources that could contribute: the HB 1406 account (about $572,000 as of March) and the 2060 fund (about $489,405 as of March). She provided a preliminary predevelopment cost breakdown that totaled roughly $115,000, including preliminary design ($20,000), hazardous-materials testing ($30,000) and development consulting ($40,000).

County Public Health Director Dave Wendell emphasized the study’s purpose: to determine whether the parcel and program are financially feasible before committing capital. ''So that’s those are that’s kind of the breakdown,'' Wendell said while explaining the mix of capital and operating support that projects typically require.

Several commissioners raised questions about capital and operating cost assumptions. One commissioner said a private developer’s recent per-unit numbers suggest $300,000–$365,000 per unit and monthly operating costs in the $2,300–$2,700 range without debt service, calling the proposal ‘‘hard to see happening at those numbers’’ and saying they are “not a fan” of investing where operations may be unsustainable. Casey responded the New Horizons proposal modeled costs on 30 one‑bedroom units and that the feasibility study would refine unit counts and cost estimates.

Commissioners also asked whether housing-voucher capacity had been confirmed; a council member noted the county has accumulated city-designated sales-tax dollars for housing that are sitting unused and suggested staff verify voucher availability with the housing authority.

County staff did not request formal authorization at the briefing but offered to return with additional detail. Casey said she would follow up with commissioners and bring refined costs, feasibility findings and confirmation of voucher availability to a future meeting.

Next steps: staff will seek more detailed cost and voucher information and return to the commission with the feasibility-study findings; no binding funding decision was recorded during the briefing.