OPAL responds to housing crisis

OPAL Community Land Trust has obtained a purchase agreement on a 3.7-acre property on North Beach Road, just across the street from Children’s House.

OPAL Community Land Trust has obtained a purchase agreement on a 3.7-acre property on North Beach Road, just across the street from Children’s House.

If funding is secured, the soonest the property sale will close is in the summer of 2016. It is planned to have 30 housing units that can accommodate 45 to 50 residents.

“We want to honor the village of Eastsound, and the site,” said OPAL Director Lisa Byers.

Last Tuesday, OPAL asked islanders to share their needs regarding affordable housing during a public meeting.

Statistics

Community planner Jason Robertson of Olympia-based  strategic planning and public communications firm J Robertson and Company shared data on the need for additional affordable housing on the island.

Gathered from American Community Survey 2009-2013, Claritas 2015, and the University of Washington’s Runstad Center, the combined data showed that of Orcas Island’s 4,543 total housing units, 1,861 were vacant. Of these, 1,503 were reserved for seasonal or recreational use and 57 were for rent. The number of vacation rentals was not given, but VRBO.com alone currently lists 164 units for short-term rental.

“Not too many are available for annual, stable rentals,” commented Robertson.

While income earned on Orcas is 3-10 percent below the state average, nearly 54 percent of Orcas Island housing is valued at over $500,000, compared to just 17 percent of housing across the state. As a result, San Juan County ranks a dismal 39th among the 39 counties in the state for affordability to first-time home buyers.

“The gap … is huge,” said Robertson. He added that while the government poverty line is set at incomes below $24,250 for a family of four, families earning $50-74,000 are finding that an Orcas Island home purchase is out of reach. And while some people may use their social or family connections to find a home, “There’s just not enough volume of homes for everyone to get lucky. At some point, the people who [provide basic services] just can’t afford to live here,” he said.  On the open market, 72 percent of Orcas homes cost at least $500,000; less than 22 percent of homes cost under $300,000. In Washington state as a whole, fewer than 20 percent of homes cost $500,000 and up.

One contributor to the tight housing market is recent population influx. Robertson’s data showed that 61 percent of current Orcas residents moved into their current home in 2000 or later. The Orcas population is also divided into more households; the average household size on Orcas is 1.7, compared to a state average of 2.54 persons. In 2015, single persons made up 1,032 of 2,755 total Orcas households. Another 1,160 households had two people. Yet despite the number of small families and single wage-earners, the island lacks naturally more affordable multi-unit housing. Just 14.53 percent of housing on Orcas is multi-unit, compared to a 37 percent state average.

Data from 2009-2013 showed 765 housing units being rented on Orcas: 76 units with no bedroom, rented from $200 to $999 per month; 216 units with one bedroom, rented from $200 to $1,000-plus; 323 units with two bedrooms, rented from $300 to $1,000-plus; and 150 units with three or more bedrooms, mainly rented from $500 to $1,000-plus. But Robertson agreed with attendees who said rental costs have gone up significantly since these numbers were gathered.

According to local Windermere realtor Helene Picone, the bulk of rentals fall between $1,000 to $1,300 per month, with the lowest currently a $775 apartment. At present, “There are no rentals currently available,” said Picone, who receives many requests each week for housing that just isn’t there. And when a rental does become available, there are four to five hopeful islanders vying for the spot. At the same time, many local businesses are advertising for more workers.

In the affordable housing world the market is tight as well. OPAL’s current waitlist includes 67 households in need of housing, 23 complete applications for purchase, three purchases pending and 19 rental inquiries. There is one OPAL home currently listed for sale at $211,775. OPAL purchase prices range from $160,000-$212,000, with monthly mortgage payments ranging from $650-¢1200, depending on income and subsidies.

Of 103 existing OPAL homes for homeownership, ten were funded exclusively with private funds are therefore available to serve households whose income and assets make them unable to purchase a home in the traditional market. The remainder involve government funding,and so are available only to households earning less than 80 percent of the Area Median Income, which ranges from $37,100 for one person to $57,200 for a family of five. The 29 OPAL rental apartments serve only families whose incomes are at 65 percent of Area Median Income or less, and most of those apartments serve households with incomes at or below 50 percent of Area Median.

The needs of Orcas Island

Some attendees shared stories of landlords who have refused to put effort or funds into the basic upkeep of their properties because it’s so easy to find tenants desperate for a place to live. Others mentioned a significant homeless population, or spoke of single friends who are couch-surfing or living in tents.

Attendees said many working islanders would welcome an affordable communal home with a common kitchen and bathrooms, in addition to more private one- and two-bedroom units and three-bedroom units for larger families. They asked for rentals costing between $500 and $1,200 per month. They also said there is a strong need for transitional, emergency and summer housing.

While there is legal potential for 45 units on the property, attendees expressed hopes that the new OPAL property on North Beach will achieve good aesthetics and retain some trees, provide privacy and offer direct, safe pedestrian access to the school and town.

Concerns included potential liability for OPAL or the school from outside children coming to play in either area; the needs of those earning too little to qualify for an OPAL home; and the potential for residents with criminal backgrounds to live in close proximity to the school.

On the wish list for the development were: adequate storage facilities, covered bike sheds, sufficient parking, garden space, single-level duplexes and adequate sound-proofing to minimize neighbor noise, good lighting, apartment-style two-bedroom units, an on-site handyman or manager, and financial planning aid for those hoping to purchase an OPAL home in the future. In the end, attendees worried that even 30 new housing units just won’t provide nearly enough affordable housing for Orcas Island’s low- and middle-income residents.

To join this discussion, contact OPAL at 376-3191 or email opalclt@opalclt.org. More info is available online at www.opalclt.org.