[7/27 CHI Mtg Video] Housing & Point in Time Homelessness Count

Over 2.5 years ago, we heard the results of the 2020 Okanogan County Housing Study. Like the rest of the nation, in Okanogan County, the demand for housing outpaced supply, most residents agreed the cost of rent was too high, and the proportion of the population that needed senior housing increased dramatically. Unique data to our county included the high proportion of second-home owners in the Methow Valley (a whopping 43% of units were vacant in 2020), the need for affordable housing was greatest in Brewster, and our subsidized housing waitlist was around 300 people long. 

This year, the Department of Commerce projected that Washington needs to build 1.1 million new homes in the coming 20 years with 20K to 71K units each year to stay on track with this need, and noting that 50% of those units must be affordable to individuals with the lowest incomes. Humane housing (affordable, safe, stable) is a vital condition necessary for positive health outcomes, economic stability, and healthy communities. Below is a recording from our Thursday, July 27th that shares what members of our Okanogan County Housing Coalition are doing to ensure Okanogan County has a plan for those furthest from health and housing opportunity.