Letter to the Editor: Vote Yes for Homes Proposition 1

— by Brian Wiese —

An online survey of visions and values of the Eastsound community survey offered to residents last winter confirmed that the lack of affordable housing was one of the biggest concerns of our community. We have all met someone who has been displaced from a rental by a home sale or conversion to a vacation rental.  We all know someone who is looking for a home to rent or buy.  A standard definition of “affordable” is not paying more than 30% of your income for housing.  How many of us pay much more?

There are many reasons it’s difficult to find affordable housing in San Juan County: the wide economic disparities between our residents—folks who earn their living here and those who bring retirement incomes with them; a market driven by second homes, investment properties and vacation rentals; the high cost of land and building; the overall scarcity of affordable properties on the market.

A dedicated ½% REET will help increase the housing supply for the lower and middle income folks who need it most.  Our 1% Land Bank REET (the only one in this state!)  helps preserve our incredible natural environment. Isn’t it fair that we also invest in the economic “livability” and diversity of our community?

For those of us who already have housing, the REET brings no extra cost; just a step toward a diverse and stable community where working families and retirees can afford to live. For a home buyer new to the Islands, it’s a relatively small fee, paid only once, and it’s an investment in their new community.  For the person or family who needs housing, it means not only a warm and secure home, but a community that is a place to stay.

I support Proposition 1, the Yes for Homes Initiative.