‘Gimme Shelter’ – LWV Looks at Housing Problems

Monday, September 21 at Noon at the SJI Grange
from the League of Women Voters of the SJ Islands

Affordable housing is in short supply in San Juan County, and without living options we risk our community’s health and economic future.

All interested citizens are invited to join the League of Women Voters of the San Juans Monday, September 21 at Noon at the San Juan Island Grange for a panel discussion on the extent of the problem and how we can work to fix it.

Our program, “Gimme Shelter,” will feature panelists:

• Greg Winter, Director of the Homeless Services Center of the Opportunity Council in Bellingham and leader of that agency’s community needs assessment for San Juan and other counties
• Nancy DeVaux, Executive Director of the San Juan Island Home Trust and Chair of the County’s Housing Bank Commission
• Justin Roche, Executive Director of Homes for Islanders, which sponsors sweat-equity home building projects
• and Lisa Byers, Executive Director of OPAL (Of People and the Land) on Orcas Island and a nationally recognized authority on housing affordability.

Barriers to home ownership, availability of reasonably priced rentals, seasonal population pressures, land use regulations and variety of other factors influence housing affordability and supply. This meeting will offer a chance to explore the difficulties and to brainstorm solutions so our people can have roofs over their heads.

Please join us as we address the critical issue of housing affordability in San Juan County.

The Fall 2015 ferry schedule that will accommodate travelers from other islands for this event:

Leaves for Friday Harbor:

• Lopez at 9:55 a.m.
• Shaw at 10:15 a.m.
• Orcas at 10:35 a.m. for the ferry arriving in Friday Harbor at 11:15 a.m.

Departs from Friday Harbor at 2:20 p.m. for:

• arrive at Orcas at 3:10 p.m.
• arrive at Shaw at 3:25 p.m.
• arrive at Lopez at 3:45 p.m.

(check at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/pdf/2015Fall.pdf )

Contact: Sarah Crosby, jscrosby [@] rockisland [.] com 378-3021

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