Affordable Housing: Exploring Practical Solutions for Island County

The challenge

Affordable housing is one of the most pressing challenges facing Island County. Working families, young people, seniors and longtime residents face increasing difficulty finding and maintaining housing they can afford.

According to Island County Public Health's 2024 Community Health Assessment, 34% of Island County households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, compared with 30% statewide. That means roughly one in three households is considered housing cost-burdened, leaving less money available for groceries, transportation, healthcare and other essentials.

These numbers underscore why affordable housing is more than a housing issue. It's a challenge that affects working families, seniors, local employers and the long-term health of our communities.

There is no single solution. Our communities have different needs, and the approaches that work in urban areas may not always be appropriate for rural Island County.

Over the past months, I've spoken with real estate professionals, nonprofit organizations, neighbors and elected officials about housing challenges and potential solutions. Those conversations have reinforced my belief that we need to listen broadly, build on existing community efforts and explore creative approaches.

Among the ideas informing this discussion are proposals shared by Marianne Edain of Frosty Hollow Ecological Restoration in their paper, “Approaches to Affordable Housing.” Their work offers a valuable starting point for exploring creative, community-based solutions.

Ideas worth exploring

1. Preserve the housing we already have.

Programs like Hearts & Hammers demonstrate the value of helping residents maintain their homes. We should explore opportunities to expand home repair assistance, particularly for seniors and low-income homeowners who might otherwise be forced to leave.

One interesting proposal is a rental-focused version of Hearts & Hammers, helping rehabilitate vacant or deteriorating rental properties in exchange for commitments to maintain affordable rents. Repair costs could potentially be repaid over time through rental income, allowing funds to support additional homes.

2. Expand community land trusts and permanently affordable ownership.

Community land trusts can help reduce the cost of homeownership by separating ownership of a house from ownership of the land beneath it.

Local models like Upper Langley, which combines smaller homes, shared community spaces and resale restrictions designed to preserve affordability, offer ideas worth exploring. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity also demonstrate how community partnerships can expand access to homeownership.

We should examine whether similar approaches, including partnerships to acquire and rehabilitate distressed properties, could create additional opportunities for affordable homeownership while preserving long-term affordability.

3. Make better use of existing homes.

Sometimes the opportunity to create affordable housing is already under our roofs.

Whidbey Island Share a Home (WISH) was a local program that helped match homeowners with people seeking housing, allowing residents to share living space in exchange for rent and/or household assistance. Exploring whether a modern version of WISH could be revived, with appropriate screening and support, is an idea worth considering.

We should also explore ways to make it easier for appropriate existing homes to be converted into multiple smaller living spaces while maintaining safety and infrastructure standards.

4. Explore safe transitional and alternative housing.

For residents experiencing homelessness or housing instability, safe, managed transitional housing may offer a path toward greater stability.

Ideas worth evaluating include supported campgrounds with shared facilities, small rental units and other alternative housing arrangements with appropriate sanitation, water, utilities and access to services.

These approaches would require careful consideration of public health, environmental protection, funding, management and applicable regulations.

Turning ideas into action

These proposals are starting points for discussion, not a comprehensive housing plan. Each would need to be evaluated for cost, feasibility, environmental impacts and its ability to provide meaningful, lasting benefits.

I believe the county should work collaboratively with towns, housing organizations, property owners, community groups and residents to identify practical opportunities.

That means supporting successful programs, removing unnecessary barriers where appropriate and protecting the water, infrastructure and rural character that make Island County special.

My commitment

I don't pretend to have every answer. But I will continue listening to people with different perspectives, studying promising approaches and looking for opportunities to bring partners together.

Affordable housing affects our workforce, local businesses, families and the long-term vitality of our communities. Addressing it requires creativity, collaboration and a willingness to consider ideas from every corner of Island County.

Our goal should be straightforward: help more people find and maintain safe, affordable housing while protecting the communities we call home.