We, the members of Huddle Lopez Island, believe that everyone should have the opportunity to live in a safe, healthy home and still have money left over for basics like food, transportation and child care. We believe housing stability results in a secure, balanced and diverse population. These things are essential to the economic vitality, health and quality of life of our island communities.

However, in San Juan County with the average home costing $500,000, it has become more and more difficult for working people, on an average income of $30,000 a year, to find homes they can buy or even rent. Among the most affected are service industry workers, health care providers, teachers, and retail, home care and construction personnel — the most essential members of a thriving community.

Voting YES for this REET (one-time Real Estate Excise Tax paid by the buyer at the time of a sale – NOT a property tax) would create the San Juan County Home Fund and generate millions of dollars for the production and preservation of affordable homes, helping over 400 families in our communities. It will be responsibly and locally managed through the existing SJC Health and Community Services Department assisted by the established Housing Advisory Board and is based on a proven Housing Trust Fund model that has delivered hundreds of long-term affordable homes across Washington state.

San Juan County residents have stated that ensuring our hardworking neighbors have a decent place to live is the No. 1 problem in our county, and here is one simple but powerful solution.

Please vote YES for San Juan County Proposition 1!

Huddle Lopez Island

https://huddlelopez.us/