A Year in Review – Listening Closer to Housing Issues in Jefferson County
The theme of Listen Closer, Love Harder, and Dream Bigger, inspired by Niama Penniman of Climbing PoeTree, gave us the framework for programs that would allow us to delve deeper into local community issues.
A member survey identified Housing, Child Care and Food Insecurity as the top three issues impacting our community. Although we originally thought we would touch on all three topics, housing issues of unavailability, unaffordability, transitional housing, homelessness, and tiny shelters required all of the next 5 months of programs.
Have you found the vision worth your devotion?
For further inspiration check out the links below.
Housing Solutions Network: https://housingsolutionsnetwork.org/
Volunteer opportunities: https://housingsolutionsnetwork.org/volunteer/
Bayside Housing and Services: https://www.baysidehousing.org/
Volunteer Opportunities: https://www.baysidehousing.org/volunteers
Bayside Videos about clients
Danny Youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tImeCnBiORs
Summer – Youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igfrs-76mN4
Shelter from the Storm and Peters Place Youtube video https://youtu.be/dqLtVtfy3uY
OlyCAP: https://olycap.org/
Volunteer Opportunities: https://olycap.org/volunteer-opportunities/
7th Haven Project: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2o4AmqhogL85PVmK7
Caswell-Brown Village: https://photos.app.goo.gl/cQmMjchVNjNBf7iq9
NextDoor group: https://nextdoor.com/g/vlpdga98m/
JeffCo.Wa Trash TaskForce https://www.facebook.com/JeffCoWa-Trash-Task-Force-101189652037411/
Volunteer Opportunities: https://olycap.org/americorps-seniors/
WE ARE HIRING! PLEASE SHARE! https://olycap.org/employment/
Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County: https://www.habitatejc.org/
Volunteer Opportunities: http://www.habitatejc.org/new-volunteers/
Community Build: https://www.community-build.org/
Volunteer Opportunities: https://community-build.org/volunteer/
For frequent updates see Facebook www.facebook.com/communitybuildproject
Local Projects and Organizations
This list includes the many organizations and community groups that are working to address our housing challenges in Jefferson County. Please visit the websites of each group to learn more and get involved, and learn about their specific one-time needs at the Community Engagement and Investment Portfolio. If you know of a group who should be included on this list, please reach out to justine@jcfgives.org.
Permanent Affordable Workforce Housing Providers
- Habitat for Humanity. Working with low-income families using a sweat-equity homeownership model to build and sell homes to individuals and families.
- Homeward Bound. Community land trust model, focused on offering permanently affordable homes, and home-owernship opportunities.
- Peninsula Housing Authority. Administers regional Section 8 voucher program as well as the Mutual Self-Help Build Program (in partnership with the USDA), an affordable homeownership program that serves those making up to 80% of area median income. The program supports groups of families building their homes together under the supervision of PHA staff.
- Olympic Neighbors. Provides permanent, affordable housing and support for adults with developmental disabilities.
Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing Providers
- Bayside Housing and Services. Provides transitional housing at the Old Alcohol Plant and newly pursuing development of tiny home communities, boarding houses and other affordable permanent housing options.
- Dove House Advocacy Services. Provides emergency shelter to people fleeing domestic violence.
- OlyCAP. Provides a range of temporary and permanent housing options for low-income and homeless individuals and families. Currently moving forward with a 44-unit affordable project in Port Townsend.
Affordable Housing Groups and Projects
- Community Build Project mobilizing volunteer resources to build projects that will benefit those who are underserved in the community. In 2020 the Community Build Project finished their first project, the development of Peter’s Place, a
temporary tiny house village in Port Hadlock. The village, Built in Partnership with Bayside Housing & Services and with the Community United Methodist Church, temporarily houses twelve residents. - The Community Boat Project provides paid internships to 18-25 year old Jefferson County residents and teaches job and life skills through building tiny houses, which are then passed on to members of the community.
- Real Estate Professionals for Affordable Housing provides grants to low income home-owners for home repairs that will allow individuals to stay in their homes.
- QUUF Affordable Housing Action Group. A project of the local Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
- Quimper Housing Development Cooperative. Supports local housing cooperatives, co-housing and other alternative housing organizations. Contact Viki Sonntag at vikis@ecopraxis.org.
Special thanks to Adrienne Robineau from Isabel Bay Design for our logo design, and Regis Hastings for the website development.