Local developer pitches county land-lease tiny-home community to address affordability; commissioners express interest

Developer and Longview resident Larry Wood presented a proposal during public comment at a Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners meeting, asking the county to explore a land-lease model for a high-quality tiny-home rental community on county-owned land.

Wood described his background as a local developer and said he has drawn plans and spent private funds on design work. He proposed that the county lease underused land — he cited the fairgrounds area near "Pear Dale" as an example — to a developer under a low-cost long-term lease; the county would pay prevailing wage on underground infrastructure if the county contracts that work, while Wood said private financing could cover the vertical (above-ground) units. He said the model would allow rents in the low hundreds: "I would like to build rentals that you guys would own... I would provide very affordable housing only covering the cost of the vertical," Wood said.

Wood outlined specifics he said were part of his concept: units under 400 square feet; an approximate density of 10 units per acre; a community building for gatherings; and a four-acre example site that could yield roughly 40 homes. He told commissioners he had discussed legal and financing questions with local counsel and lenders and that lenders indicated they would consider the project under conservative underwriting — Wood cited a debt-service-coverage-ratio discussion that lenders proposed at about 1.35. He estimated construction and lease terms could produce monthly rents "in the 700s" and said he would volunteer to provide transparent financial reporting.

Commissioners responded positively and asked follow-up questions about tenant selection, enforcement, insurance and operations. When Commissioner Steve raised how to control who moves in so higher-income people do not take the units, Wood said tenant rules and leasing practices could be developed and that his model would be transparent. In response to questions about insurance and late rent, Wood said the county would receive the lease payment irrespective of individual tenant arrears and that the developer would carry insurance for structures: "The county would own the land, but it would be my responsibility, my insurance company's problem," he said.

Commissioner Ron and other commissioners praised the idea as creative and encouraged continued conversations. No formal county action or vote was taken on the proposal; commissioners invited Wood to return and said staff and elected leaders would need to work through ordinances, utility hookups, prevailing-wage triggers and other details before any program or lease could be approved.

The board recessed after public comment and scheduled the Board of Health meeting to follow.

Article context: Wood characterized his proposal as a pilot model intended to be replicable elsewhere if successful; commissioners asked staff to explore practical limitations and next steps.