A proposed affordable housing project in Langley is one step closer to becoming a reality.
Goosefoot Community Fund, a South Whidbey nonprofit organization, recently secured enough funding to purchase two adjoining lots located at Second Street and De Bruyn Avenue in the Village by the Sea. Cally and JR Fulton, the former owners, agreed to sell the property to Goosefoot if enough money could be raised over the course of one year, by March 2023. At the outset, two anonymous donors contributed half of the $600,000 cost.
Since then, Island County has awarded Goosefoot a $1.1 million grant through the American Rescue Plan Act, according to an announcement from the nonprofit.
“This is a long time coming for South Whidbey,” said Elise Miller, Goosefoot’s new executive director. “We’re honored to be trusted by individual land owners, community donors and our local government to make sure new affordable rental housing is built.”
The proposed plan is to build 15 units of 2- to 3-bedroom apartments in three buildings spread across the two lots. The housing will be affordable for workers earning up to 80% of area median income. In 2022, for example, that amounted to an annual household income of up to $51,050. Applicants with employment or a job offer in the local area will be prioritized.
A draft of a housing needs assessment for Langley that was published in September 2022 found that only 27 people both live and work in the city, whereas 562 workers commute into the area.
In 2022, Goosefoot convened a working group to address the growing housing crisis on South Whidbey. The housing organization was established under Goosefoot’s fiscal sponsorship, with the expectation that it will someday become an independent entity with some continued financial and staff support from the nonprofit.
Previously, Goosefoot worked with a group of Bayview Rural Area of Intensive Development, or RAID, landowners to look at the possibility of building affordable multi-family housing in the area near Highway 525. The Bayview project is where the Fultons first got involved with Goosefoot.
Goosefoot estimates that developing the site for the Langley project will cost $7.1 million. Construction will start in 2024 if enough funding is raised from public sources, community members, businesses and foundations. If this happens, the affordable housing will be available to rent in late 2025.
Goosefoot’s housing group is currently in the process of selecting architects for the project. Rose Hughes, the nonprofit’s finance director, said Goosefoot is creating templates and process documents to add to a library of resources for the benefit of other local organizations and Goosefoot’s future projects.
“We are keeping options open regarding development, and are exploring soliciting development partners, as well as ensuring resources are at hand to develop it under our own auspices,” she said. “At this point, Goosefoot retains sole ownership over the project.”
Goosefoot is also in the process of planning ways to engage with the community about the project prior to any major design decisions.
“We also intend an inclusive input process that elevates the voices of those most in need of this type of housing, who often do not have the time or resources to attend public meetings,” Hughes said.
