San Juan County reports Home Fund has financed 13 projects and leveraged roughly $80 million in development

San Juan County staff reported an update on the county's Home Fund, saying the local revenue stream and a one-tenth percent sales tax for affordable housing have produced a little more than $15 million as of March 1 and that county investments have been used to leverage roughly $80 million in total project costs.

The presentation, by county housing staff, said the Home Fund and related local dollars have been committed to 13 projects to date. Staff reported 104 housing units are completed and occupied (51 rental units and 12 homeownership units plus preserved units) and that another 75 rental units and 17 homeownership units are in development. County staff said four projects were under construction and expected to be finished by the end of 2025.

County staff told the joint meeting the Home Fund combines voter-approved refunds and a local sales tax. Staff said the county has generated about $350,000 in earnings by investing funds temporarily held in the county treasury and that the first year of the sales tax produced about $870,000. The presentation noted the county budgeted roughly $500,000 of sales tax revenue for construction and acquisition costs and allocated other sales tax proceeds to housing case-management services delivered by local resource centers on all three major islands.

Staff also said the county has committed more than $13 million in county funding to the 13 projects and that these county funds helped attract state grants and private financing. The presenter reported the county has been awarded nearly $1 million in SHIP (State Housing Infrastructure Program) grant funding to support utility infrastructure for three affordable housing projects. The presenter said a specific large project on San Juan Island has received about $700,000 in initial county funding to date and that the county has committed about $750,000 so far to another island project the presenter identified as the Park Island project.

The presentation included examples: modular housing units that were built off-site and installed on Lopez Island (the presenter named a modular vendor), a preservation project in Friday Harbor where the county helped fund roof replacements, rehabilitation funding for the Harborview Apartments that the Opportunity Council purchased, and new community land-trust apartments on Orcas that were acquired with Home Fund support.

Staff provided a unit-level accounting: 51 new rental units and 12 new homeownership units occupied; 35 rental units and 6 homeownership units preserved; 75 new rental units and 17 homeownership units in development; four projects underway expected in 2025. The presenter said the county's roughly $13 million contribution has supported an estimated $80 million in overall project costs through state and private financing.

The presenter told council members that the county planned another funding round this summer and that contracts with resource centers for housing case-management services are in place for 2025. Staff also said three requests for proposals (RFPs) were active for interim service providers and that staff expected to process quotes and set short-term contracts to ensure service continuity while longer contracts are negotiated.

The presentation did not include any formal motions or binding council votes during the update. Staff recommended continuing the current approach and proceeding with the next funding round and contract work.

Next steps: staff said they would return to the councils with contract recommendations and noted the county expects additional state funding opportunities to be available in the coming years.