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Developer proposes county land lease and tiny‑home model to expand affordable rentals in Cowlitz County
Summary
Longview developer Larry Wood presented a plan asking Cowlitz County to lease underused land (including an area near the fairgrounds at Peardale) for a high‑quality tiny‑home rental community intended to deliver lower monthly rents than typical new construction.
Developer Larry Wood told Cowlitz County commissioners he is proposing a public‑private approach to build a “tiny home” rental community on county land and asked the board to consider a land lease model that would reduce monthly rents for low‑income renters.
Wood described a model in which the county would lease land to a developer at a low cost while the developer funds the vertical construction. He said the county could accept a nominal lease payment in exchange for improved lots and a long‑term land return. “You guys have money and land,” Wood told commissioners. “What if you do a land lease for me with improved lots on a plan that we both agreed to, I would build, say, 10 units per acre of tiny homes.”
Wood said the approach would separate the cost of land and underground infrastructure from the cost of building the units, and he argued that model could produce monthly rents substantially below typical new construction. He told commissioners he has spent his own money preparing conceptual plans and said a local credit union had expressed conditional lending interest for a development with a favorable lease.
Commissioners and staff raised operational questions during the discussion: how to restrict access so lower‑income residents would be prioritized, rules on occupancy and vehicle parking, insurance and liability, fire safety, and how to handle nonpayment by tenants. Wood said the county would receive steady lease payments regardless of tenant payment and that the private developer would handle insurance and day‑to‑day property management.
Several commissioners welcomed the out‑of‑the‑box concept. Commissioner Rick said the county should “think outside the box” on affordable housing; Commissioner Ron said he was “interested to hear what you think.” Commissioners also suggested pre‑design review of project rules, script review and financial transparency. Wood said he was prepared to provide design plans, pro forma budgeting, and to meet monthly with commissioners until the board declined further engagement.
No formal directive or vote was taken; commissioners said they would consider the idea and invited Wood to return with more detailed material if he wished.
