NEW DAY FOR NITES SITE: Congresswoman tours Ellensburg affordable housing project
U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier made a trip over the Cascades to Ellensburg Thursday to get a first-hand look at an affordable housing development taking shape at the former Nites Inn Motel.
All foundations have been poured, framing is up and utility connections are underway as HopeSource transforms the derelict South Ruby Street property into a mix of renovated housing units dubbed the Pathways Project.
The project will provide 78 homes, including 32 studio apartments, 30 one-bedroom units and 16 two-bedroom units. Twelve units are designated for low-income senior veterans in Kittitas County.
“Every affordable housing project is different. Every model meets the needs of its community. I’m just so excited,” Schrier said during her tour.
In 2024, Schrier, a Democrat who serves Washington’s 8th District in Congress, secured more than $1.6 million in federal funding for the veteran housing component.
The project also received support in early 2025 through the Washington State Housing Finance Commission’s 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and the state Housing Trust Fund, along with additional funding through the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program.
The scale of the development stands out to Ellensburg Police Chief Ken Wade, a longtime HopeSource board member, who said it is the largest affordable housing project he has seen during his involvement with the organization.
Making a project of this size possible required multiple funding sources and partners. Wade said the process of combining funding was difficult, but necessary to bring the development together.
“Partners make or break it,” Wade said.
HopeSource acquired the former motel property in 2022, and construction began in June.
For site superintendent Terry Murphy of Deacon Construction, the project is an exercise in making the most of what is already there.
“Repurposing where we can,” Murphy said of the construction approach.
The plan retains the motel’s exterior while retrofitting the interior and incorporating new construction to reach the 78-unit total. Built in 1984, the motel has remained in surprisingly good shape despite previous fire and water damage, according to Murphy.
With colder weather approaching, Murphy said the immediate priority is getting the roofing and painting completed before conditions make the work more difficult.
The project’s progress is already drawing interest from prospective residents. HopeSource and Murphy are receiving inquiries daily from people asking when they can apply for housing.
Applications are expected to open toward the end of next summer, according to HopeSource official Lindsay Montgomery.
Schrier congratulated HopeSource on the progress and noted the future impact the development could have on local residents.
“A lot of people are going to be so grateful,” she said.