HOOD RIVER — After breaking ground in May, Big River Community Land Trust’s first home on Tucker Road is nearing completion, with applications for prospective buyers expected to open soon.
Information sessions on the application and lottery process are scheduled for September. An English-language session will be held Thursday, Sept. 11, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Faith Bible Church in Hood River. A Spanish-language session, hosted by the Hood River Latino Network, is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Riverside Community Church.
Executive Director Alysha Sherburne said the community land trust model allows homes to remain permanently affordable by separating ownership of the house from ownership of the land.
“We are a nonprofit housing developer that works a little differently than others,” she said. “We sell just the house to a buyer and then we keep ownership over the land. The buyer signs a 99-year lease for the land, and they basically use it like a regular piece of property. But it allows us to keep the sale costs lower and they also get lower taxes because they’re only paying on the improvements.”
Sherburne said the organization is also seeking volunteers to support its work, particularly in communications, social media and community outreach. “We do have a few committees that have open seats and we actually have a couple of open seats on our board as well,” she adds.
A 2015 Hood River Housing Needs analysis found that nearly one-third of households in Hood River were unable to afford their current housing, with roughly 40% of renters cost-burdened, according to Big River’s website. The report projected that approximately 2,000 new residents will require affordable housing over the next 20 years.
Housing challenges affect communities across the Gorge. In White Salmon, the median home price in 2021 was $647,500 — out of reach for many households, even those earning above the median income. The rental market has also struggled with low vacancy rates and rising costs, straining employers, schools and overall community stability, according to Big River’s website.
The application period for the tucker road home will open soon. Details on donating, preregistering for information sessions, and more can be found at BigRiverCLT.org.
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