Letter to Editor | Ingman on housing & affordability

||| FROM KATHERINE BRYANT INGMAN FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY COUNCIL |||

I know the struggle of housing in the islands, firsthand. We have regularly housed friends and essential workers in the summers because we know that it takes the entire community to seek practical housing solutions. Before we bought our fixer-upper, we moved around to several rentals that were not suitable or sustainable.

During my time working for Housing Lopez, I oversaw the process of leasing to the first residents to move into the Fish Bay Cottages. I experienced the joy, tribulation, surprise, and the range of emotions that go into securing a safe and healthy place to live after not knowing the future of a home for so many island neighbors. I like to take an intersectional approach to housing. Without proper housing for fellow employees and island residents, our economy stalls. Without a growing economy, every business suffers. When businesses suffer, San Juan County takes in less sales tax, and the county general fund can’t stretch as far. When neighbors are living in substandard homes and trailers, our overall community health suffers, and healthcare costs increase.

The lack of safe and affordable housing touches everyone.

We’re lucky in San Juan County to have a robust and growing home fund to help housing organizations build more affordable housing. We’ve seen an increase in low-income availability, but the more present need currently is workforce housing: island friends and neighbors whose income exists in the gap between low-income and being able to afford a home or property on the real estate market. I’m so grateful for the organizations throughout San Juan County, such as San Juan Community Home Trust, OPAL Community Land Trust, Housing Lopez, and Lopez Community Land Trust, that work collaboratively to fundraise, seek grants, and share the San Juan County housing funds to build more homes.

San Juan County partners with its family resource centers to administer rental support and seeks ways to keep people in their homes through the colder months. This is all part of the housing solution.

I would like to pursue ways to remodel and refurbish already existing homes into affordable and safe homes, whether that’s transforming larger homes into apartments or townhomes, or helping folks safely fix up their homes to remain housed. Health begins at home.

Housing equity also centers on making our building codes and land-use regulations more available and easier to understand for our construction industry. The Department of Community Development has made permitting faster over the last two years, and there is still work to be done for complex permits and projects.

Affordable housing is critical to the long-term health of San Juan County. Housing developed by organizations throughout the county provides homes for year-round residents, including island workers, business owners, families, seniors, and students. Maintaining housing affordability is closely tied to the vitality of schools, healthcare services, local businesses, and community life.

As a county councilperson, I would advocate for the following:

 Supporting efforts to increase housing opportunities for low-income, moderate-
income, and working residents.
 Increasing efforts to make all island homes safe and sustainable. Exploring tools
including accessory dwelling unit (ADU) reforms, pre-approved affordable
building plans, permit streamlining, and other measures that may reduce housing
costs and barriers to sustainable development.
 Evaluating current land-use policies and development capacity for their ability to
meet projected housing needs while protecting environmental resources.
 Encouraging housing solutions that balance affordability, sustainability, and
stewardship of the islands’ natural and agricultural landscapes.

To learn more, visit katherinebryantingman.com