On behalf of the board and staff of the Orcas Community Resource Center, we urge all members of our community to vote in favor of YES FOR HOMES on the November 2018 San Juan County ballot.

YES FOR HOMES is not a new property tax. Instead, it is a small (0.5 percent) tax on future real estate sales. This measure will affect those who purchase property going forward, but more importantly it will be a powerful tool to increase the amount of affordable housing and thus benefit all of us — those of us who call these islands home, those who are here part of the year, and the tourists who come to these beautiful islands and contribute to our economy.

The Resource Center is not normally in the business of taking positions on issues that fall within the political sphere. We are making an exception in this case because of the hardships that are created by our island’s current lack of affordable housing. Every day we work with clients who are in desperate need of secure, sustainable housing — the lack of which contributes to an astounding range of other problems!

Our mission is to provide assistance to all Orcas islanders in need. It is clear to us that improved availability of affordable housing will have beneficial effects on every aspect of that mission. And we are persuaded that this measure will provide such availability.

Please join us in voting YES FOR HOMES this November!

Erin O’Dell, Executive Director

Carolyn Fiscus, Board Chair