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Poulsbo forms Blue Ribbon Commission to design 12‑unit workforce homeownership pilot
Summary
The council heard a Blue Ribbon Commission update on a pilot to seed 12 detached workforce‑homeownership units (target prices $340K–$520K; 80–120% AMI = "$83,000 to $124,000 per year" for a two‑person household). The group will analyze city and UGA parcels, incentives and financing and report back with an implementation roadmap.
Planning Director Heather Wright briefed the council on the Blue Ribbon Commission's work to design an implementation‑ready pilot for workforce homeownership aimed at households earning between 80% and 120% of area median income.
Wright summarized the commission's mission and the price band the group is targeting for workforce homeownership, noting the commission is focused on a small, replicable courtyard model of 12 detached units using pre‑approved ADU plans. She told the council the AMI band used for the work is, in her words, “between $83,000 to $124,000 per year for a 2 member household.”
The commission reviewed city land and identified three city‑owned parcels that may be developable with further site work (Viking Avenue/public works site, a parks and recreation lot on Front Street, and the Klingle property). Wright said the group will also evaluate urban growth area (UGA) parcels and potential county‑owned parcels; the work groups will examine financing, construction costs, incentives and regulatory barriers with an expected deliverable in December that could include an RFP for pilot development.
Council members raised questions about resale restrictions, wealth versus income eligibility, and how to avoid unintended exclusions (for example military families who fit the income band). Heather Wright and city staff said they will surface those policy options for council consideration as the commission refines its recommendations.
