The Tillamook County Board of Commissioners approved a $100,000 Housing Infrastructure Support (HIP2521) grant contract with the Oregon Business Development Department to finance infrastructure for the Tillamook Bay Commons housing project, and separately voted to send a letter of support to the Internal Revenue Service for the formation of Oregon Coast Housing Group, a proposed 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on workforce housing.

Parker, a county housing coordinator in the Department of Community Development, said Tillamook Bay Commons originally began as a 36-unit project and has grown to a 72-unit development with an income cap at 100% of area median income (AMI). Parker said the first phase — 36 units — is fully pre-leased to local employers including the creamery, the school district and the hospital, which Parker said was critical to advancing the project. “Every bit of momentum helps to keep that ball moving,” Parker said.

Parker described HIP2521 as one piece of a larger funding stack and said the $100,000 will go toward infrastructure support for the Third Street project. Becky Baxter of Business Oregon joined digitally to respond to technical questions. Commissioners praised the project’s momentum and the county’s role in assembling financing.

On the nonprofit, the board approved a motion to send a letter of support for Oregon Coast Housing Group’s expedited IRS determination for 501(c)(3) status; county staff said the nonprofit aims to build workforce housing locally with a mission to develop up to 500 units over time. Parker described the model as a compounding nonprofit approach in which revenue from initial projects helps fund subsequent projects.

Both actions passed by unanimous vote; staff noted the nonprofit’s IRS determination is expected in mid-August and that the HIP contract is part of the larger funding stack needed to advance the Tillamook Bay Commons development.