Kitsap Review

Kitsap County issued the following announcement on May 13.

Kitsap County and the City of Bremerton partnered to hire local consulting firm EcoNorthwest to perform a countywide affordable housing inventory and market analysis study. The study includes information about the current state of the affordable housing market, an analysis of the gap between available affordable housing and needed units, projections of future housing needs, and recommendations for policy tools that would impact development of additional units of affordable housing. The scope of the study covers all of the Kitsap cities and county, with additional aspects focusing on Bremerton. 

Funding for the study comes from the City of Bremerton, the Kitsap County Block Grant Program, and the Kitsap County Housing and Homelessness Division.

“An analysis of the current housing market helps us identify where to preserve and improve existing affordable housing and support development of new housing that is rent-restricted or available for low-income home ownership,” said Commissioner Charlotte Garrido, chair of the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners. “Partnerships are vital to increase and diversify the housing supply for our workforce and families throughout the county.”

The study was called out in the 2018 update to Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan as an implementation strategy in the housing and human services element. It provides information for future comprehensive plan updates and the upcoming Kitsap County and City of Bremerton HOME Consortium Consolidated Plan 2021-2025, which includes priorities and goals to guide the allocation of Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership Program funds over the five-year period.

EcoNorthwest is an experienced consultant in the areas of affordable housing, land use, transportation, and economic development with offices throughout the Northwest. The firm has offered consulting services since 1974 and conducted similar studies in Skagit County, Island County, Issaquah, and other states. Recently, it assisted the City of Bainbridge Island with an affordable housing and inclusionary zoning project.

Several public presentations of the study were cancelled due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. Instead, a virtual open house and presentation will be scheduled in the next few months.

Original source can be found here.