7th District Housing Plan
Housing & Homeownership Initiative
Helping local families, workers, seniors, and veterans stay in the communities they call home.
Plan Summary
Affordability, Not Land, Is the Problem
Ron McCoy’s Housing & Homeownership Initiative focuses on practical, locally-driven housing action: starter homes, rural housing innovation, build-on-your-land support, vacant building conversions, workforce housing, protection of local housing supply, and trades training.
The Reality
Northeast Washington Has a Housing Affordability Problem
Many young families can afford land in the 7th District. What they cannot afford is the cost of turning that land into a home. New construction costs, utility hookups, permitting complexity, vacant buildings, long commutes, and labor shortages all combine to push local families and workers out of the communities they call home.
Construction Costs
New construction costs often exceed $400,000 per home in rural Washington, making traditional homebuilding unrealistic for many working families.
Long Commutes
Many essential workers commute 45 minutes or more each way because they cannot afford housing near their job.
Empty Buildings
Vacant motels, unused schools, and empty commercial buildings sit idle while local families search for affordable options.
Labor Shortages
Labor shortages drive construction costs higher and delay projects. Every unfilled trade position makes housing more expensive.
A Real Example from the 7th District
A young couple outside Colville owns five acres of land their family has held for decades. They want to build a home and stay in the community where they grew up. The land is paid for, but the permitting process is complex, utility hookups alone cost tens of thousands of dollars, and traditional construction bids come back at $400,000 or more.
Under Ron’s Build-On-Your-Land approach, utility assistance, streamlined permitting, and modular housing options help families build on land they already own — and stay in the 7th District.
The Action Plan
The 5-Phase Housing Plan
Ron supports a practical, locally-driven approach that works with existing communities, existing infrastructure, and the existing workforce — not expensive top-down mandates from Olympia.
| Phase | What Ron Supports |
|---|---|
| 1A. Build Local Starter Homes | Partner with local governments, builders, contractors, trade schools, and community colleges to increase availability of starter homes, cottage homes, duplexes, manufactured homes, and modular housing for local residents and first-time buyers. |
| 1B. Rural Housing Innovation Pilot | Explore modular housing, panelized construction, and 3D-printed homes that can reduce construction costs and increase housing availability for working families, prioritizing owner-occupied homes, veterans, and first-time buyers. |
| 1C. Build-On-Your-Land Program | Help qualified residents access grants, financing assistance, utility hookup support, infrastructure improvements, and permitting help when building a primary residence on land they already own. |
| 2. Bring Empty Buildings Back to Life | Identify and support converting vacant motels, unused schools, and empty commercial buildings into workforce, veteran, senior, and transitional housing using existing programs and smarter partnerships. |
| 3. Put Workers Close to Work | Support partnerships with hospitals, schools, public safety agencies, farms, mills, and local employers to encourage workforce housing near major job centers. |
| 4. Protect Local Housing Supply | Review policies related to excessive short-term rental concentration, investor-owned vacant homes, and speculative purchases while respecting responsible property owners and private property rights. |
| 5. Train the Workforce That Builds Housing | Expand pathways through high schools, trade schools, and apprenticeship programs to train carpenters, electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and construction workers. |
Who This Helps
Local Families, Workers, Seniors, Veterans, and Communities
First-Time Buyers
Starter homes, manufactured housing, and Build-On-Your-Land financing make ownership realistic for families who cannot afford traditional construction costs.
Essential Workers
Employer partnerships create workforce housing near hospitals, schools, and public safety agencies so the people keeping communities running can afford to live there.
Seniors & Veterans
Building conversions and modular options create accessible, affordable housing for seniors and veterans who cannot afford or manage large properties.
Young People
Trades training creates career pathways in construction right here in the 7th District, giving young people a reason to stay rather than move away for opportunity.
Local Businesses
When workers can afford to live locally, businesses stop losing employees to communities with more housing options and stabilize their workforce.
Communities
Growing housing supply keeps families rooted in their communities and keeps those communities growing instead of shrinking.
Platform Connection
How This Connects to the Full Platform
The Housing Initiative does not stand alone. Every phase reinforces something else Ron is fighting for across the full Rural Independence Plan.
Rural Medical Respite Campus
The modular innovation pilot directly supports the Rural Medical Respite Campus in the Healthcare Initiative by providing clinical landing infrastructure closer to home.
Veteran Housing Transition Hubs
Building conversions can pair with GPD capital grants, SSVF, and HUD-VASH to convert vacant buildings into veteran housing transition hubs.
Workforce Housing
Workforce housing pairs with rural wage parity by stopping the wage drain and giving workers a local place to live.
Trades Training
Training electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and construction workers locally keeps young people in the 7th District and lowers housing bottlenecks.
Measurable Goals
What Success Looks Like
These are the measurable outcomes Ron commits to tracking and reporting publicly throughout his first term.
| Phase | 4-Year Target | Connected Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1B: Innovation Pilot | Launch at least one innovative modular or panelized pilot build in the district. | Provides structural design for the Rural Medical Respite Campus. |
| Phase 1C: Build-On-Your-Land | Secure 50 infrastructure and utility hookup assistance grants for rural property owners. | Helps multi-generational families remain on land they already own. |
| Phase 2: Building Conversions | Convert at least one vacant motel or commercial building into workforce or veteran housing. | Establishes a grant-funded veteran housing transition hub in the district. |
| Phase 3: Workforce Housing | Facilitate at least one workforce housing partnership with a hospital, school district, or major employer. | Stops the workforce drain pulling essential workers out of the 7th District. |
| Phase 5: Trades Training | Expand high school and community college apprenticeship slots by 15% across the district. | Lowers construction bottlenecks while supporting youth retention across the 7th District. |
Fiscal Responsibility
Taxes Matter. So Does Where the Money Goes.
The people of Northeast Washington work hard for every dollar they earn. Government should spend those dollars wisely. Every proposal Ron supports runs through the same filter.
Does it serve the 7th District directly?
Housing dollars should help local families, local workers, seniors, veterans, and communities — not get lost in one-size-fits-all state programs.
Does it produce a measurable result?
A housing plan should be judged by homes built, buildings converted, workers housed, and families kept in their communities.
Does it reduce long-term dependency?
The goal is to lower costs, use existing assets, train local workers, and help people build stable lives here.
The Bottom Line
Local families should not be priced out of communities their families have lived in for generations. Essential workers should be able to afford to live where they work. Empty buildings should house people — not sit vacant while families search for options.
By supporting starter homes, converting vacant buildings, creating workforce housing partnerships, protecting local housing supply, and training the next generation of tradespeople, we can build a 7th District where people can afford to stay, build a life, and put down roots.
Contact Ron’s TeamPaid for by the Committee to Elect Ron McCoy.