New rental townhomes with supportive services
||| FROM SUZANNE OLSON for PEA PATCH PROJECT |||
On the recently acquired Pea Patch Lane property, OPAL Community Land Trust (OPAL) will provide permanently affordable rental housing with dedicated supportive services for people who are currently living in marginal or unhoused situations. The 20 one- and two-bedroom townhomes will be available to Orcas Islanders with very-low incomes and include a dedicated on-site support staff person to assist seniors, those exiting homelessness, and islanders with special needs such as disabilities, recovery from substance abuse or survivors of abuse.
This is an evolution from a type of housing and services that OPAL and the Orcas Community Resource Center already provide on Orcas. There are nine apartments at April’s Grove that are designated to serve islanders with similar backgrounds and needs. OPAL currently has an agreement with the Orcas Community Resource Center to provide supportive services, but the Pea Patch homes will have a half- time staff person from the Resource Center dedicated to providing supportive services to the renters residing in the Pea Patch homes.
OPAL is collaborating with the Resource Center and the Orcas Island Food Bank to develop the Pea Patch Community Campus, where in addition to the new rental housing, the Resource Center and Food Bank will increase their ability to serve islanders in new buildings that are walking distance to town and the new homes.
Housing with supportive services is defined by Washington state law as “subsidized, leased housing with no limit on length of stay that prioritizes people who need comprehensive support services to retain tenancy and utilizes admissions practices designed to lower barriers to entry.” “Supportive Services” includes facilitating access to health care and counseling, administering peer-support programs, offering financial literacy training, assisting with employment and other programs that help people stay connected to the community.
Orcas Island’s households who are homeless include many seniors who find, as they age, that housing situations that were once acceptable (structures that require chopping wood for heat, lack of indoor plumbing, “work-trade” arrangements that rely on physical labor) are no longer feasible. Low-income and marginally housed households include many workers whose full-time wages are too low to afford market rate housing and who are unable to find housing due to the severe shortage of rental housing and are often living on couches, in cars, boats or RVs, and lack basic amenities such as bathrooms, kitchen facilities and showers.
The San Juan County 10-year Plan to End Homelessness, updated in 2023, identified the development of additional permanently affordable rental housing for families who are homeless in San Juan County as Housing Strategy #1, the top priority. A 2022 study by the Coalition to End Homeless on Orcas Island identified more than 50 individuals who meet the definition of homeless or marginally housed. Washington State has awarded the project a $10.9M grant through the Department of Commerce’s Housing Trust Fund.
The Pea Patch Community Campus is currently in the design phase and expects to begin the permitting process this fall. Site work could begin as soon as fall 2025 with construction of the housing to follow in 2026. Construction of the Resource Center and Food Bank buildings will likely follow soon after.
Once the townhomes are built, OPAL will contract with Ad-West Realty to manage the housing, as they do for three of OPAL’s five rental neighborhoods. Full eligibility criteria are pending, but rents, with all utilities included, are projected to range from $485/mo for a studio apartment (for a household of one with annual income up to $21,350/year) to $1,038/mo for a two-bedroom apartment (for a household of two with annual income up to $40,600/year). Ad-West Realty will solicit for applications when construction is nearing completion.
OPAL Community Land Trust is working to maintain the character, vibrancy and diversity of the OrcasIsland community by providing access to land for permanently affordable housing and other community needs. OPAL is a member-based, registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and is funded by private donations and public grants. More than 460 islanders live in in one of the 206 homes provided by OPAL (110 homeownership and 96 rentals). In addition, OPAL rents or leases five offices, and co-stewards 107 acres of land, including access to five community gardens.
This is a great project that will add 20 affordable dwelling units in a tight rental market. Loosening restrictions on accessory dwelling units (ADU) could also increase housing opportunities here. In Sweden property owners whose lots meet certain size requirements can erect an ADU, also called a friggebod, without obtaining a building permit. Imagine that, skipping any red tape to put up an ADU! Swedish property owners are expected to follow the building codes when putting up ADUs. The city of Bellingham has made a start in deregulating installation of ADUs by pre-approving designs for certain tiny homes. Permit applications that use these designs can skip design review. I am not a builder and wonder what the cost, timeline, and ease of obtaining a permit for ADUs are in San Juan County. FWIW I am a home owner and full time resident in Eastsound and rent a mobile home on my property to a local.
Hopefully the resource center will do background checks on people that move into temporary housing since it’s so close to the schools and preschools. Let’s all hope for that.
RRDavis: The townhomes at Pea Patch Lane will offer permanent homes through lease agreements – this is NOT temporary housing. Screening will be thorough, as it is for all of OPAL’s housing options.
Will they be advertising Washington State wide or San Juan Islands only?
All OPAL Community Land Trust housing is for Orcas residents. OPAL has a great system of vetting renters and candidates for homeownership. This neighborhood will be a stones throw from Aprils Grove and Lavender Hollow, both OPAL rental communities. All are walking distance to the schools, shopping, medical facilities, and more. Such a great option for folks who may not have a car.
I am very glad to hear that it will be for current Orcas residents. Thank you
OPAL’s rental eligibility checklist is quite comprehensive:
https://www.opalclt.org/our-properties/aprils-grove/
Children are statistically far more likely to be harmed by their caregivers or close family and friends than by unknown people, regardless of their income level or support needs, such as addiction or mental health challenges. If we’re truly concerned about the well-being of children on this island, supporting affordable housing, food access, healthcare, and basic human needs for overstretched islanders is essential. These efforts strengthen the overall health of our community and provide a safer environment for kids, particularly those impacted by domestic violence.
A strong, stable foundation for individuals of all economic backgrounds makes for a healthier, safer island.
On a related note, if we are serious about reducing violence in children’s lives, we should be prioritizing increased funding for organizations like Safe San Juans, the Funhouse, and any programs focused on domestic violence prevention.