Othello moves forward with housing needs

Real estate analyst located for study

OTHELLO - The Othello City Council is moving forward to alleviate housing needs in the city.

Council directed staff to draft a letter asking the Port of Othello and Adams County to split the cost of a housing assessment with the city and create a committee consisting of city, port and county leaders to work with the assessment project.

City Administrator Ehman Sheldon said staff recommends Glen Crelin to conduct the assessment. Crelin is the senior real estate analyst at Washington State University. He offered to do the assessment for $7,500.

Sheldon said he originally contacted Jeff Hough of Zenith Appraisal Services concerning the assessment. Hough questioned if Othello was ready to know the results of the assessment because it could result in increasing rental rates once the information is dispersed, he said.

Sheldon said there is still need for housing to be built in the city and without a third-party recommendation confirming the city's need, developers won't build housing.

Approval of the contract to conduct the housing assessment depends upon the port and the county agreeing to share the cost of the study.

At the last meeting, council listened to citizen concerns about the lack of rentals. Several citizens and the council agreed the lack of housing leads to people leaving the community for housing and eventually for other jobs.