Clallam County holds $15.90 housing fund steady while weighing bond, county-led and capacity options

Clallam County staff presented the 2026 budget overview for the county'restricted affordable housing fund (the county'referenced "15.90" fund), saying investment income projections rose from $90,000 to $130,000 and that several large project amounts would carry into 2026.

The fund supports construction and planning for multiple projects, officials said. The budget includes an anticipated $1.5 million carryover for the Peninsula Behavioral Health Second & Oak project and a separate $1.5 million commitment for a Peninsula Housing Authority project identified in the meeting as "Gail's seventh project." Staff also said they planned to hold $1 million in an "unanticipated" line for emergent needs or new opportunities until grant results are known.

Why it matters: The fund is a primary local source of capital for affordable housing in the county; staff and commissioners said getting projects to shovel-ready status is critical to leveraging larger state or federal grants. County leaders noted that a single failed large project would expose the fund and argued for stronger due diligence and project-management requirements for recipients of larger allocations.

Key details

- Funding and carryovers: Staff reported higher investment interest and the three major allocations described above; receipts from the 15.90 sales-tax stream were described as steady,…