County approves transfer of two Lacey parcels to Homes First for affordable housing

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners approved a property transfer agreement on Aug. 19 conveying two county-owned parcels in Lacey—5501 and 5505 Southeast 30th Court—to Homes First, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and maintains affordable rental housing.

Rick Thomas, capital project planning manager, told the board that Thurston County code and state law permit municipalities to transfer surplus public property for the public benefit for affordable housing. The parcels, identified as parcel numbers 83-450001400 and 83-450001500, were leased to Homes First at $1 per year through 2056; Homes First has since built and maintains housing improvements on the sites.

The transfer price in the agreement is $2. The agreement includes a clause stating that, if the property is no longer used for affordable housing, title reverts automatically to the county. The board voted to authorize the county manager to execute the agreement.

Commissioners asked questions about the lease history and the reversion clause; staff noted the county has options at the end of the current lease, including a 10-year renewal, purchasing the value of improvements, or recognizing Homes First’s right of first purchase. No commissioner opposed the motion; the board approved the transfer by unanimous vote of commissioners present.

The action formalizes long-standing county support for affordable housing on these two parcels and preserves a county reversion option intended to protect the parcels’ affordable-housing use.