Council approves ARCH administrative budget and Housing Trust Fund awards

The Woodinville City Council unanimously approved two ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing) items on March 11: the ARCH 2025–26 administrative budget and the ARCH Housing Trust Fund recommendations to support specific affordable-housing projects across East King County.

Patrick Tippie, ARCH investments manager, described the adopted ARCH strategic plan and the shift to a biennial administrative budget. He told council that "the strategic plan is designed to help ARCH and its member cities like Woodinville build more affordable housing faster," and summarized work plan priorities including governance changes, targeted state/regional advocacy, and technical support for member cities.

On the trust fund recommendations, Tippie reviewed a competitive process that produced eleven project applications and recommended three awards totaling approximately $4.7 million of ARCH-administered funds. The recommendations included a 175-unit senior project in Kenmore in partnership with Imagine Housing, a supplemental $900,000 award to support the Aventine acquisition in Bellevue that includes 32 units with project-based vouchers serving households at 30% AMI, and funding to convert an existing privately operated group home in Issaquah to permanent affordability for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Councilors discussed whether to use a $300,000 locally available balance (referred to during the meeting as funds from a "harvest" project) for ARCH allocations or to retain that money for larger-scale local projects. Council members Evans and Edwards argued for retaining those dollars in the city budget to contribute to more substantial local projects in partnership with ARCH; staff advised the council the $300,000 was currently unobligated and could be applied to ARCH contributions if the council chose.

Deputy Mayor Randolph moved to approve Resolution 657 (ARCH administrative budget) and Resolution 658 (ARCH Housing Trust Fund recommendations); the council approved both motions in roll-call votes. Staff noted ARCH expects significant leveraging of local funds — Tippie said this year's recommendations would attract "$20 for every $1" of ARCH local funds in leveraged outside dollars when aggregated with partner city funds.

What’s next: Staff will complete interlocal agreements and coordinate contract work with ARCH and selected project sponsors; the council may revisit the use of local reserved funds as staff brings specific funding strategies forward.