HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRACKS 3 Housing 2025_0423Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–1 Public Review Draft June 2025
3 Housing
Jefferson County continues to exist as a rural region that provides
ideal lands for outdoor recreation, conservation, and resource-
based jobs. While the approximately 34,50031,000 residents
highly value this enviable “quality of life,” there is an existing and
growing lack of affordable housing for many sectors of the
population, especially for the moderate-, low-, and very low-
income, and extremely low-income households. Since 202010,
the county’s average annual growth rate has been 0.5%
countywide and 0.4% in the unincorporated areas only. This is
lower than the decade prior (2010–2020) where the average
annual growth rate was 1.0% both countywide and in the
unincorporated areasnearly 0.6% lower than the 1.6% experienced
in prior decades. Even with Jefferson County’sthe currently lower
growth rate, the shortage of attainable housing is not reconciled.
The condition of average housing prices being beyond what
average wages can attain has been documented over the last
two decades in state and local reports, including the Port
Townsend/Jefferson County Housing Action Plan (2006) and
more recently in this element and Appendix E.
Despite a general national recovery from the Great Recession, defined
by the period of 2007-2009, rural areas nationally had a slower and
longer recovery period that stretched well into 2012, with complete
recovery unlikely to happen in some communities at all.
Carolyn Gallaway
This element supports the Vision Statement by supporting
affordable and attainable
housing across incomes, abilities, and ages through innovations and flexibility in
housing. The element
encourages a variety of housing options that benefits overall community vitality and offer opportunities for all residents to
thrive.
Connection to the
Vision Statement
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–2 Public Review Draft June 2025
Unemployment rates in the county continued to decline leading up to
2020 but spiked during at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which
had profound effects on the labor market in Jefferson County (see the
Economic Development Element for more info). As the lack of
affordable housing grows, we must consider a growing list of
interrelated factors that influence affordable housing outcomes beyond
just housing stock. To develop appropriate housing policies for
Jefferson County, this Eelement discusses considers a few of these
factors such as the economy, jobs, displacement and exclusion, racially
disparate impacts (RDI) in housing, wages, and the influences of
vacation rentals and seasonal homes on housing stock.
3.1 PURPOSE
The purpose of the Housing Element is to ensure the vitality and
character of residential neighborhoods by assessing existing and future
needs for housing in Jefferson County, so that and ensure a variety of
housing is available to meet the needs offor all economic segments of
the community now and in the future. Existing residential patterns and
development trends, demographic trends, and projected population
growth, and housing types typically affordable at various income levels
provide the basis for this assessment. Considering significant and
growing gaps in rural economic development and affordable and
available housing, the Housing Element periodic update will closely
aligns with the:
▶ Economic Development Element: lower- and moderately-priced
housing, as well as permanently affordable housing, is critical to
support job creation and expansion.
▶ Capital Facilities & Utilities Element and Transportation
Elements: additional housing is best planned for where there are
existing or planned utilities, transit/transportation routes. and other
community levels of service.
▶ Land Use Element: land use designations and implementing
development standards are key to supporting housing goals and
policies.
This element addresses the range of housing opportunities and the
challenges that confront Jefferson County in providing a variety of
affordable housing options now and over the 20-year planning period. The
County will work cooperatively with public and private housing providers
to encouragecreate and maintain safe and attractive sufficient housing
stock and encourage the siting and development of affordable housing.
Consistent with RCW 36.70A.070, key components of this element include:
▶ An inventory of housing needs, including permanent supportive and
emergency housing.
Refer to Land Use Element,
Section 1.4 Urban and related
goals and policies
Refer to Transportation Element, Non-motorized Trail
& Standards
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▶ Evaluation of land capacity to meet needs.
▶ Review of the county’s housing and jobs balance.
▶ Displacement risk and anti-displacement measures.
▶ Racially disparate impacts and measures to undo impacts.
▶ Adequate provisions for identified needs and removal of identified
barriers.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–4 Public Review Draft June 2025
3.2 TRENDS &
OPPORTUNITIES
Jefferson County’s existing housing condition and future needs are
detailed in Appendix E. The appendix includes an analysis of
displacement risk and racially disparate impacts and considers
adopted housing targets in relation to capacity, barriers, and
adequate provisions needed to address identified barriers. The
community profile in this appendix also includes a summary of the
county’s current population and workforce, household
characteristics, and inventories of existing housing supply and
affordability.
Housing Stock
Jefferson County’s residents occupy a range of housing types
including private individual single-family residences (9,848), mobile
homes and manufactured units (2,890), multi-family complexes,
including duplexes, condominiums, and apartments (365).
(Washington State Office of Financial Management 2017) As of 2023,
there were an estimated 19,481 housing units in Jefferson County
including 13,677 in unincorporated areas. Exhibit 3-1 breaks down
the housing inventory by housing type for the unincorporated areas.
About three-quarters (76%) of all units in unincorporated Jefferson
County are detached single family homes, which is typical in rural
counties, particularly a county that attracts investments in second
homes for retirement. The remaining quarter of units is comprised
almost entirely of manufactured homes and about 3% of the overall
housing stock is comprised of duplexes or multi-family units.1 As of
2023, OFM estimates there are nearly 3,000 manufactured homes in
unincorporated Jefferson County. Manufactured and mobile home
communities are located outside of Port Townsend, with a
concentration of communities in Irondale and Port Hadlock. There
are also manufactured home communities in Quilcene, Brinnon,
Mats Mats, and in West Jefferson County.
Throughout Jefferson County, aAccessory dwelling units (ADUs) are
allowed in all residential zones in the unincorporated areas though;
the exact contribution of ADUs to overall housing stock in the
county is not known. According to OFM, no ADUs were permitted in
unincorporated Jefferson County between 2010 and 2020 and a total of
11 units were permitted in the unincorporated county between 2021 and
1 WA State Office of Financial Management (OFM), Postcensal Estimates of
Housing Units, April 1, 2020 – April 1, 2023.
Middle Housing: Buildings that are compatible in scale and form with detached houses and contain two or more attached, stacked, or clustered homes including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes,
townhouses, courtyard apartments, and cottage housing.
Emergency Housing:
Temporary indoor accommodations for
individuals or families who are
unhoused or at imminent risk
of becoming unhoused.
Emergency Shelter: A facility that provides a temporary shelter for individuals or
families who are currently
unhoused.
Permanent Supportive Housing: Subsidized, leased
housing with no limit on length of stay paired with voluntary services to help residents, who were unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused, retain their housing and be a successful tenant.
See also RCW 36.70A.030 for
full definitions.
Key Housing Terms
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2023 (3 each in 2021 and 2022 and 5 in 2023) with 3 units each built in
2021 and 2022.2
Exhibit 3-1 Housing Inventory (2023)—Unincorporated Jefferson County
Note: OFM data groups detached and attached single family homes, so townhomes are typically classified as “single
family.”
Sources: OFM, 2023; BERK, 2024.
A recent phenomenon in the short-term, transient housing market is
on-line Web advertising for short term or vacation rentals (e.g.,
VRBOs—vacation rentals by owner, Airbnb). While short-term rentals
support tourism and provide income for homeowners, they reduce
year-round housing supply for permanent residents contributing to
rising rent.
While the County does not have specific data regarding the short-term
transient housing market, state and private data sources can be
analyzed developing basic assumptions for Jefferson County. In
addition to a lack of data, web-based short-term transient rental
companies often sidestep local jurisdiction’s regulatory framework,
further aggravating holistic policy approaches.
Based on the county-wide planning policies adopted by Jefferson
County and the City of Port Townsend, approximately 36% of all new
population growth is targeted to occur in the City of Port Townsend,
which is currently the County’s single incorporated Urban Growth Area
(UGA). The City of Port Townsend’s Comprehensive Plan calls for a
range of household sizes, housing types and densities. The City of Port
Townsend possesses urban levels of planned density and is supported
by urban levels of services such as municipal wastewater treatment.
2 OFM, 2023.
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Housing development at higher densities in the County’s
unincorporated areas are possible in the Irondale and Port Hadlock
UGA. Urban housing densities, however, are were historically stymied
by a lack of municipal wastewater treatment. Substantial work has
been completed to develop this infrastructure and, as of 2025, . A sewer
facility plan was prepared in 2008 and received state review and
approvals along with site design, engineering, and a financing plan.
Cconstruction of the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA wastewater
treatment project to serve the Phase I sewer service area is
underway.has not begun When construction of the sewer system is
complete, the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA will be able to support
new affordable housing, medical facilities, higher density multifamily
residences, and senior housing as well as commercial and industrial
development.; however, the property was purchased. The project is
construction-ready when funding is available and the County is actively
pursuing available sources. For the 2018 periodic update, consideration
is given to options that help in the planning and development of
housing in the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA while funding and
resources continue to be sought for a sewer system.
The City of Port Townsend and Port Ludlow are presently the only two
other communities that have level of service standards that would
accommodate the density, services, and other criteria for locating
multifamily residential housing. The Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA is
planning for a sewer service area that will meet requirements for higher
density housing.
Existing housing in Port Hadlock.
Jefferson County contains a predominately rural residential land use
pattern. This pattern and allows single-family dwellings throughout a
majority of Jefferson Cthe county. The Port Ludlow Master Planned
Resort (MPR), future Pleasant Harbor MPRaster Planned Resort,
Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA, and Rural Village Centers of Brinnon
and Quilcene provide opportunities for greater densities and the
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creation of multifamily housing units, depending on available
infrastructure.
Exhibit 3-2 summarizes total existing estimated housing units by
geographic area. Commerce’s Housing for All Planning Tool (HAPT)
estimated 2020 supply for Port Towsend, the unincorporated UGA, and
unincorporated rural areas—this estimate was used to calculate the
number of additional units needed countywide by income level from
2020– 2045 (see the Housing Plan section for more information) and is
presented here for consistency with future planning. More recent data
from OFM suggests a greater number of existing housing units in the
unincorporated county, particularly in the rural areas outside of the
Master Planned Resort (MPRs) and Rural Village Centers (RVCs), both in
2020 and 2023. OFM’s 2020 count of housing units in Port Townsend
and the unincorporated UGA are consistent with the HAPT estimate.
Exhibit 3-2 Estimated Existing Housing Units (2020 and 2023)
Location (Unincorporated unless noted) 2020 (HAPT)1 2020 (OFM) 2023 (OFM)
Port Townsend (Incorporated)1 5,692 5,692 5,804
Unincorporated 11,159 13,395 13,677
Unincorporated UGA1 1,411 1,411 1,430
Unincorporated Rural1 9,748 11,984 12,247
Port Ludlow MPR2 1,950 1,950 1,950
Pleasant Harbor MPR2 — — —
Brinnon RVC3 1,041 1,041 1,041
Quilcene RVC3 299 299 299
Other Rural Areas4 6,458 8,694 8,957
Countywide Total 16,851 19,087 19,481
Legend: UGA = Urban Growth Area, MPR = Master Planned Resort; RVC = Rural Village Center.
Notes:
1 Commerce’s Housing for All Planning Tool (HAPT) estimates 2020 supply for Port Towsend, the unincorporated UGA, and unincorporated rural areas using U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates from
2014-2018 supplemented with the U.S. Census Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data for the same timeframe.
The HAPT 2020 estimate was used to calculate the number of additional units needed countywide by income level
from 2020– 2045 (see the Housing Plan section for more information).
2 Per County records, there are currently 1,950 residential units in the Port Ludlow MPR and no permanent
residences have yet been developed in the Pleasant Harbor MPR. 3 2020 U.S. Census estimate of housing units for the Brinnon and Quilcene Census Designated Places (CDPs). Note
that the Brinnon and Quilcene CDPs are larger than the RVC boundaries but are presented here for estimation
purposes.
4 Total housing units in the other rural areas were calculated by subtracting the individual rural area estimates from the total rural housing unit estimate.
Sources: Commerce HAPT, 2021; OFM, 2020 and 2023; BERK, 2025.
A recent phenomenon in the short-term, transient housing market is
on-line Web advertising for sShort term or vacation rentals (e.g.,
VRBOs—vacation rentals by owner, Airbnb) also likely comprise a
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significant portion of the housing stock in Jefferson County. While
short-term rentals support tourism and provide income for
homeowners, they reduce year-round housing supply for permanent
residents contributing to rising rent. See the Housing Affordability &
Attainability section below for additional discussion.
While the County does not have specific data regarding the short-term
transient housing market, state and private data sources can be
analyzed developing basic assumptions for Jefferson County. In
addition to a lack of data, web-based short-term transient rental
companies often sidestep local jurisdiction’s regulatory framework,
further aggravating holistic policy approaches.
Demographics & Household
Characteristics
Total Population
The estimated population of Jefferson County as of April 1, 2024 was
33,700 people with a little over two-thirds of the population living in
unincorporated areas (23,170 people or 69%) and a little less than one-
third living in the City of Port Townsend (10,530 people or 31%)—the
proportion of residents living in incorporated versus unincorporated
areas has remained steady since 2000.3 Since 2010, the percentage of
the unincorporated population living in the Irondale and Port Hadlock
Urban Growth Area (UGA) has decreased from about 13.5% to 12.7%.4
Since the last Comprehensive Plan update in 201804 and continuing for
the 2025–20452018-2038 planning period, population growth is
expected to occur at a rate of approximately 0.8%1% annually. There is
sufficient undeveloped, under-developed and vacant land available to
accommodate future housing needs on a gross unit basis. While there
is sufficient undeveloped rural residentially-zoned land in the
unincorporated county, the barriers to adding to the county’s housing
stock in a way that provides affordability is constrained by the
minimum acreage for creation of new parcels (five acres), land costs,
and utility creation/installation costs and availability (legally available
water supply and affordable on-site waste water treatment). These
factors are principle contributors to a well-documented “affordable
housing crisis.” Refer to the Economic Development Element for
additional information about addressing housing needs as an
economic development strategy.
3 OFM UGA Small Area Estimates, 2024.
4 OFM UGA Small Area Estimates, 2024.
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Age
Exhibit 3-3 shows a breakdown of unincorporated Jefferson County’s
population by age range, with comparison to the City of Port
Townsend. As of 2022. Jefferson County has the oldest median age of
county populations in the state (60.7 years)5 and nearly two-thirds of the
population is aged 50 or older in the unincorporated areas (62%). More
than half of households in the unincorporated areas include one or
more people who are 65 or older (56%) and approximately 17% of
households are older adults living alone, both higher than statewide
and in neighboring counties. The percentage of the population over
age 65 is highest in parts of the Port Ludlow MPR and is generally
5 OFM Median Age, 2022.
1. For planning purposes the definition of “affordable housing” is: Those housing units available for purchase
or rent to individuals or families with a gross income between the federally recognized poverty level and
the median income for working families in Jefferson County; and who’s costs, including utilities, would not
exceed 36% of gross income.
2. The provision of affordable housing is acknowledged as a general public need and will be addressed in Jefferson County through private sector programs and projects. Local government should not assume a direct role in the ownership or administration of public assisted housing to meet low income needs, rather this should be left to private, non-profit or quasi-public entities.
3. The housing and/or land use elements of comprehensive plans will include an assessment of land available
and the process of siting special purpose housing (such as homeless shelters, group homes, etc.), to ensure that such housing can be accommodated.
4. A sufficient quantity of land will be appropriately zoned or designated to accommodate a wide range of housing types, densities and mixtures. Multi-family housing should only be located with UGAs or rural centers.
5. An affordable housing strategy will be developed as part of the housing element of the comprehensive plan. This affordable housing strategy will examine existing regulations and policies to identify opportunities to encourage the previous of affordable housing mechanisms such as accessory dwelling
units (“mother-in-law”) or efficient apartments, density bonuses, mitigation fees waivers, priority permit
processing and the like.
6. Each UGA shall accommodate its fair share of housing affordable to low and moderate income households according to its percentage share of the county population and by promoting a balanced mix of diverse housing types.
7. Undeveloped land owned by the public entities will be inventoried and those that are appropriately located should be considered for development of low income housing. Consideration of assembling these parcels for development by non-profit housing organizations or private developers should be encouraged.
8. The housing element will include criteria for locating higher density residential areas near public facilities
and services, commercial services, arterial or within walking distance of jobs or transit.
County-wide Planning Policy #6
Policy on the Provision of Affordable Housing
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higher along the county’s eastern shorelines.6 In addition, while the
patterns in age ranges in Port Townsend and the unincorporated areas
are similar, the unincorporated areas have a smaller share of youth and
young adults aged 15 to 24. This is likely due to families with high school
aged children and young adults living in the city closer to jobs, schools,
and a greater variety of housing options.
Exhibit 3-3 Age Distribution, Percent of Population (2022)—Unincorporated Jefferson County vs. City of Port Townsend and Statewide
Sources: ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022; BERK, 2024.
The age distribution of the population countywide is expected to change
over time, with the proportion of adults 65 and older decreasing slightly
through 2045 (from 42% in 2022 to 38% in 2045 according to OFM
projections; Exhibit 3-4). However, the number of adults over 65 is
expected to increase countywide from an estimated 13,881 in 2022 to 15,589
in 2045.7 In unincorporated Jefferson County, there are an estimated 5,352
residents aged 50 to 64 as of 2022, many of whom will likely remain in the
county as they age. Demand for accessible supportive housing and
services will likely increase over time as the overall number of older
adults increases.
6 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022 (Tables S0101 and S1101).
7 OFM GMA 2022 Medium Series Projections, Population by Age and Sex (Five-
year Age Groups), 2022.
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Exhibit 3-4 Population by Age Cohort, Estimates and Projections (2020–2045)—Jefferson County
Sources: OFM, 2020; OFM GMA 2022 Medium Series Projections, 2022; BERK, 2024.
Race & Ethnicity
Exhibit 3-5 shows the breakdown of population by race and ethnicity in
unincorporated Jefferson County. By race, Black, Indigenous, and
People of Color (BIPOC) represent about 13% of the population, with 4%
identifying as Hispanic/Latino. From 2017 to 2022, unincorporated
Jefferson County lost population among White, non-Hispanic persons,
while gaining non-Hispanic persons who identify as two or more race.8
The intersection between equity and the distribution of racial and
ethnic groups in the county is discussed in more detail under
Displacement, Exclusion, & Racially Disparate Impacts and in
Appendix E.
8 “Hispanic or Latino” is an ethnicity category that is considered in addition to race, according to the US Census. Ethnicity refers to community groupings that are based on some combination of shared language, history, religion, and culture. Ethnic groups can overlap with racial groups, but there can be
differences. ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2013-2017 and 2018-2022.
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Exhibit 3-5 Population by Race and Ethnicity (2022)—Unincorporated Jefferson County
Notes: With the exception of Hispanic or Latino, all groups are exclusive of persons who identify as Hispanic or Latino.
Sources: ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022; BERK, 2024.
Educational Attainment
Approximately 96% of Jefferson County residents aged 25 and older
have at least a high school diploma or GET, compared to 92% statewide.
The percentage of unincorporated Jefferson County residents with a
bachelor’s degree is slightly lower than statewide (21% versus 23%,
respectively) but the percentage of residents in unincorporated areas
with a graduate or professional degree is higher than statewide (17%
versus 15%, respectively).9 This is consistent with the relative percentage
of older adults in Jefferson County—the county has one of the largest
shares of residents over the age of 60 and the educational achievement
rates of adults 65 and older in unincorporated Jefferson County is
higher than other age groups. See Exhibit 3-6.
9 ACS 5-Year Estimates (Table S1501), 2018-2022.
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Exhibit 3-6 Educational Attainment by Age Group (2022)—Unincorporated Jefferson County
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (Table S1501), 2018-2022; BERK, 2024.
Other Populations with Special Housing Needs
Certain segments of the population often have unique housing needs or
are at increased risk of housing instability. Populations considered to
have "special housing needs" include people with a disability, older
adults, individuals experiencing homelessness, veterans, households with
lower incomes, people with substance abuse issues, and families with
large household sizes, as they may require housing with specific
accessibility features, supportive services, or affordability considerations
to meet their unique needs. Some of these are discussed above (e.g.,
older adults, families with children). Additional groups in Jefferson
County who may have special housing needs include those with a
disability, veterans, and unhoused individuals. This element includes
several policies to address populations in Jefferson County with special
housing needs.
Disability Status
Approximately 19% of unincorporated Jefferson County residents live
with one or more disabilities.10 Disabilities can include sensory disabilities
(such as vision and hearing impairments), physical disabilities, mental
disabilities, self-care disabilities, go-outside home disabilities, and
employment disabilities (difficulty working at a job or business due to
physical, mental, or emotional condition). While disabilities can be
experienced by all age groups, populations with a higher proportion of
older adults (over age 65) may correspond with higher disability rates,
due to the sensory, physical, and mental effects of aging. There is an
ongoing need to promote universal or accessible design in Jefferson
County to allow residents with a disability to live as independently as
possible, including those who would prefer to age in place as they get
older.
10 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022.
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Veteran Status
Approximately 13% of unincorporated Jefferson County residents are
veterans, including approximately 20% of the population between ages
65–74 and 24% of the population aged 75 or older.11 There are limited
housing options available in the county specifically for veterans.
Bayside Housing & Services, located in Port Hadlock, offers transitional
and temporary housing, with priority given to veterans, seniors, and
those in the workforce. The nonprofit, Olympic Community Action
Programs (OlyCAP), operates Vet Connect, an initiative to provide
resources and assistance to veterans, though no information about
housing support specifically is available online. The North Olympic
Regional Veteran’s Housing Network also operates Sarge’s Veteran
Support, a nonprofit that provides services to veterans in Clallam and
Jefferson Counties. These services include emergency shelter and
permanent housing support (see Emergency Housing, Emergency
Shelters, & Permanent Supportive Housing below). All permanent
supportive housing options for veterans are in Clallam County.
Those Experiencing Homelessness
[Discussion of those experiencing homelessness moved from the end of Section 3.2. Move not tracked
for simplicity—additional edits shown in tracks.]
The Annual Point in Time Count found 126 unhoused individuals 187 homeless in Jefferson County in January
2023.on January 26, 2017
People experience homelessness in Jefferson County as well as across
the state. Homelessness in Jefferson County is a very real problem not
confined to any one sector of the county’s population. Homelessness
occurs in a variety of ways—s. Some families or individuals experience
job loss, reduced household income, domestic violence, increases in
11 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022.
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housing, living and medical costs and other displacing events; s. Some
people are become suddenly unhousedhomeless and while others may
be chronically unhousedhomeless.
Homelessness The unhoused population includes those that are
accommodated in emergency shelters, stay temporarily with family or
friends or other transitory housing, or are “unsheltered” living on the
streets, in forested areas, in vehicles, or other conditions that do not
provide safe shelter. Homelessness is a condition found in Jefferson County
as well as across the state. The Washington Department of Commerce
summaries of Point In Time (PIT) Counts for Jefferson County show the
total unhoused populationhomeless counted for years 2020, 2022, and
20232015, 2016, and 2017 as 139, 130, and 126272, 181, and 187 respectively.12
Approximately 63% of unhoused individuals in Jefferson County were
unsheltered in 2023 (79 of the 126 total) versus approximately 51% of
unhoused individuals statewide in 2022 (12,909 of 25,452 total).13 Of these
totals, the average number of sheltered homeless for the three year period
of point-in-time counts was 75. This condition impacts children. All school
districts in the county also documented some level of students
experiencing homelessness as of the 2023-24 school year, particularly in
the Quillayute Valley, but also in Chimacum, and Port Townsend, and
Quilcene.14 In addition, a significant number of people are likely living in
inadequate, unsafe, or otherwise poor housing, such as unpermitted small
structures, yurts or RVs without proper sanitation, or other inadequate
housing structures. These “underhoused” households are often at
increased risk of becoming homeless yet are difficult to count and not
reflected in the PIT counts.
12 The PIT Count is an annual count of people living in transitional housing,
emergency shelters, safe havens, and places not meant for human habitation
on one night in January. The totals in 2020, 2022, and 2023 include sheltered
(emergency and transitional housing) and unsheltered individuals.
Commerce Point in Time Count Results, 2023.
13 King County opted out of the unsheltered part of the Point in Time Count in 2023. As a result, 2022 is the most recent year for which a statewide count of
sheltered versus unsheltered individuals is available. Only the total number of
unhoused individuals is available from Commerce in Jefferson County from
2017-2022.
14 OSPI Report Card Enrollment 2023-24 School Year, data last updated June 24,
2024.
Commented [LG1]: This needs a section on people living underhoused, in yurts, unpermitted small structures, RVs with no sanitation etc. There is a
significant and very hard to count population in
Jefferson County living this way. They are often a
phone call and site visit away from being
homeless if they are reported.
Commented [JH2R1]: Yes good call. Added below
(yellow highlight) and to the Housing Tech
Appendix E.
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Jefferson County’s current regulations do not support transitory
accommodations, temporary encampments, or other ways to
provide additional options for temporary housing for the homeless.
This update will includes goals and policies that address a variety of
means to provide shelter and supportive services to transition those
experiencing the homelessness or underhoused and other
vulnerable populations to more permanent housing.
Household Characteristics
As of 2022, there were an estimated 15,859 households living in
Jefferson County including 10,488 in unincorporated areas. About
14% of households in unincorporated Jefferson County include one
or more people under age 18 (including couples, single parents, and
other caregivers with related or unrelated children); approximately
9% of households are married couples with at least one related child
in the house and 5% are single parents with at least one related
child in the house. A little over 17% of households are individuals
living alone and another 37% are non-family households (e.g.,
roommates or unmarried couples).15 Many of the 86% of households
without children are anticipated to include retirees.
About 85% of all households owned their homes, about half of which
had a mortgage, and 15% of households were renters. About 79% of all
households in the unincorporated county have either 1 or 2 members,
while the remainder have 3 or more. Owner households are more
likely to be smaller in size (80% of owner-occupied versus 69% of
renter-occupied households have 1–2 people). In comparison, most
owner-occupied housing units (81%) and renter-occupied units (77%)
have 2 or 3 bedrooms. This suggests a misalignment between the size of
housing units available and the size of households for both renter and
owner households.16
The ACS median household income in Jefferson County was estimated
to be $43,678 for renters, $69,193 for homeowners, and $64,796 across
all households in 2022 (9.4% higher than the City of Port Townsend but
about 72% of the statewide median).17 Median household income was
more than double that of non-family households in the county overall,
similar to the City of Port Townsend and statewide. Countywide,
median household income has grown by 2.8% since 2010.18 Areas with
the highest median household income as of 2022 border the eastern
shoreline, including areas along Oak Bay, Mats Mats Bay, Port Ludlow,
15 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022 (Tables DP02 and S1101).
16 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022 (Table DP04).
17 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022 (Table B25119).
18 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2018-2022 (Table S1903).
There are several types of housing that address
immediate shelter needs and
those that allow a stepping
stone to permanent housing:
Transitory Accommodations—Variety of temporary housing (usually <
1 year) to serve the immediate
needs of homeless people, which may include temporary shelters or camping facilities
at a developed or
undeveloped property, recreational vehicle site, safe parking lot, et cetera.
Transitional Housing—Shelter-to-housing, temporary (e.g. 1-3 years) housing that also provides
network or social services or training; foster care
Temporary Housing
for the Homeless
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–17 Public Review Draft June 2025
and Squamish Harbor as well as near Fort Worden in Port Townsend.
Areas with the lowest median household income are in the southeast
corner of the county (including Wawa Point and Brinnon) and
surrounding most of Discovery Bay.
Some selected statistics on Jefferson County housing, household types
and housing affordability appear below.
Exhibit 3-1 Housing Units by Type, 2017
Source: Washington State Office of Financial Management, 2017.
▶ About 75% of the county’s housing stock consists of single-family
homes, which is typical in a rural county and particularly a county
that attracts investments in second homes for retirement.
▶ Another 17% of the county-wide stock consists of manufactured or
mobile homes.
▶ About 8% of the county-wide stock includes two or more attached
units.
▶ The unincorporated county’s share of housing shows more mobile
homes than Port Townsend, and Port Townsend has a greater
share of two or more attached units.
▶ One of the key means of protecting affordability is retaining older
housing stock. About 40% of the county’s housing stock was built
prior to 1980. Another 40% of the county’s housing stock was built
from 1980-1999. Only about 20% of the stock has been built since
the year 2000 reflecting the slower rate of county growth in more
recent years. (ACS 2012-2016)
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–18 Public Review Draft June 2025
Exhibit 3-2 Household Type, County-wide
Source: ACS, 2012-2016.
▶ Jefferson County’s households consist of about 60% who are
married or single parenting with children. However, about 30% live
alone and another 10% live in a non-family household (e.g.
roommates or unmarried). Many of the 40% of households without
children are anticipated to include retirees.
▶ As children grow and as life stages evolve, housing needs may
change. Forms of housing that may be more attractive as
households shrink in size, or as interest and ability in maintenance
change, include: smaller single-family lots, townhomes, accessory
dwelling units, planned unit developments, etc. Single parents may
also prefer these other housing styles for affordability as well.
Exhibit 3-3 Age, 2016 & 2040
Source: ESD, 2017.
▶ Jefferson County has a much higher share of persons aged 60 or
older compared to the state. By 2040 that share may decrease but
is still expected to be high.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–19 Public Review Draft June 2025
▶ Per US Census and American Community Survey data, in 2010, the
county’s share of retirement aged persons 65+ was 26.3% in 2010
growing significantly to 34.7% by 2016.
▶ Jefferson County has the highest median age in the State of
Washington at 53.9 years, with a negative natural increase—deaths
outpacing births. Population increase is attributed primarily to
migration (2016 Population Trends, OFM).
▶ Meeting the housing needs of an aging population will be an
increasingly important issue in the next 20 years.
▶ Seniors may desire single-family homes at retirement age, but as
their abilities and needs change, other forms of housing with
smaller lots, townhomes, or assisted living may be attractive for
maintenance and affordability purposes. Since these forms of
housing are denser and encouraged in the UGA they would have
more access to healthcare and other supportive services.
Exhibit 3-4 Median Household Income
Location
Median Household Income
2006-10 2011-15
U.S. $55,938 $67,864
State $61,681 $74,702
Jefferson $49,617 $64,612
Note: 2014 (inflation-adjusted dollars)
Source: ESD, 2017; ACS 2010 and 2015.
▶ County median incomes lag that of the state and US.
Exhibit 3-5 Unemployment Rate, Jan 2014-Dec 2016
Location Three-Year Average
Washington State 5.7%
Jefferson County 7.5%
Source: Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017; ESD, 2017.
▶ The county’s unemployment rate is underperforming the state for
several years in a row and exceeds 6.8%, which is considered
distressed.
Exhibit 3-6 Poverty, 2011-15
Location All Individuals Children (<18 years old)
U.S. 15.5% 27.8%
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–20 Public Review Draft June 2025
Location All Individuals Children (<18 years old)
State 13.3% 21.2%
Jefferson 12.0% 20.4%
Source: U.S. Census, ACS 2015, ESD, 2017.
▶ The county’s poverty rate is slightly lower than the state or US
though still high at 12%, and about 20% of children live in poverty.
▶ Attracting higher-wage jobs is a Jefferson County goal to improve
employment opportunities and to support attainment of affordable
housing.
▶ Providing opportunities for workforce housing developments that
are affordable to workers earning low and median incomes is a
Jefferson County goal. Providing a range of housing types is part of
an economic development strategy to retain and attract
businesses.
Housing Affordability & Attainability
Costs to buy or rent homes have risen across the state, including in
Jefferson County. While all households are impacted, renter
households, BIPOC households (regardless of tenure), and lower
income households (regardless of tenure) in unincorporated Jefferson
County spend more of their income on housing, Adopted Countywide
Planning Policy (CPP) #6 concerns the provision of affordable housing
in Jefferson County, including a mix of types and densities to support
housing affordable at all income levels, special purpose housing, and
ADUs.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
defines a home as affordable if the household is spending less than 30%
of their gross income on housing costs. A household is considered cost
burdened when they spend more than 30% of their household income
on housing and severely cost burdened when that share increases to
greater than 50%. In 2020, over a quarter (26%) of all households in
unincorporated Jefferson County were cost burdened, a little over 2,600
households in total.19 Exhibit 3-7 shows the proportion of owner and
renter households by cost burden status in 2020. Renter households
were much more commonly cost burdened than owner households
(34% versus 25%).
19 HUD Comprehensive Houring Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data (based on
2015-2019 ACS 5-year estimates).
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–21 Public Review Draft June 2025
Exhibit 3-7 Households by Cost Burden Status (2020)—Unincorporated Jefferson County
Note: HUD does not calculate cost burden status for households with zero or negative income. These are
represented as “Not Calculated” in the chart. Sources: HUD CHAS data (based on 2016-2020 ACS 5-year estimates); BERK, 2024.
Exhibit 3-8 considers the proportion of all households in the
unincorporated county by race that are cost burdened. BIPOC
households have higher rates of cost-burden compared to White and
Hispanic/Latino households, with a notably higher percentage of BIPOC
spending 30-50% of their income on housing than White or
Hispanic/Latino households. Overall, BIPOC renter and owner
households are the most likely to be cost burdened (spending at least
30% of their income on housing). BIPOC owner households are also the
most likely to be severely cost burdened (spending more than 50% of
their income on housing) whereas White renter households are the
most likely to be severely cost burdened.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–22 Public Review Draft June 2025
Exhibit 3-8 Cost Burden Status of Households by Racial and Ethnic Group (2020)—Unincorporated Jefferson County
All Households
Renter Households
Owner Households
Note: HUD does not calculate cost burden status for households with zero or negative income. These are represented as “Not Calculated” in the chart. Sources: HUD CHAS data (based on 2016-2020 ACS 5-year estimates); BERK, 2024.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–23 Public Review Draft June 2025
Data about rental costs in Jefferson County is somewhat limited
and varies by source. As of March 2024, according to the
Washington Center for Real Estate Research (WCRER), an
average apartment costs $747 per month in Jefferson County.20
In comparison, as of April 2024, the Zillow Observed Rent Index
(ZORI) for Jefferson County was $1,974, notably higher than the
WCRER report.21 A review of recent rental listings on Craigslist and
Zillow also indicates rental rates countywide are higher than the
WCRER average. Based on data gathered in June 2024, the
average rental rate is likely closer to $2,091 for a market-rate unit
throughout the county (approximately $1,500 for a 1-bedroom and
$2,300 for a 2-bedroom).22 A household would need an annual
income of at least $83,636 to afford this average rental rate. Using
HUD standards to calculate affordability, a household needs to
have an income equivalent to 105% of HUD-Area Median Family
Income (MFI) to afford the observed average 1-bedroom
apartment and 122% of MFI to afford the observed average 2-
bedroom apartment.23 However, about 70% of renters countywide
and in the unincorporated areas have an income below MFI.24
Several units in subsidized or income-restricted communities were
listed for rent online at rates closer to the WCRER averages.
The share of cost burdened owner households in unincorporated
Jefferson County has declined since 2015 when about 31% of
owner households in unincorporated areas were cost
burdened.25 However, this reduction most likely reflects changes
in the employment status and income of owner households
rather than reductions in housing costs. Median home values
countywide more than doubled during this period, from about
$275,000 in July 2015 to $650,000 in July 2022, shown in Exhibit 3-9.
After federal interest rates increased in late 2022, home values in the
county dipped slightly and are still below the 2022 peak as of January
2024. The dotted lines show the range of home values in the county
from “low” (median value of the bottom third of all homes) to “high”
(median value of the top third of all homes). The red line represents
median home values in the City of Port Townsend, which have aligned
closely with median home values in the county overall since 2006.
20 WCRER Housing Market Data Toolkit: Rental Housing Markets, 2024.
21 Zillow ZORI for Jefferson County, April 2024.
22 Zillow, 2024; Craigslist, 2024; BERK, 2024 (data collected by BERK in June 2024 from Craigslist and Zillow listing).
23 HUD sets affordable rent standards by percent of MFI for all counties
(published by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission [link]). These standards are adjusted to match the assumed household size that
would occupy the unit.
24 HUD CHAS data (based on 2016-2020 ACS 5-year estimates).
25 HUD CHAS data (based on 2011-2015 and 2016-2020 ACS 5-year estimates).
Affordable housing policies often classify all households by
income level relative to the
HUD-area median family income, or MFI. Jefferson County’s MFI was $68,600 in
2020 and $88,300 in 2024. This
represents the median income of a 4-person household. When classifying households by
income level, HUD adjusts for
household size. So, for example, the threshold for determining 80% MFI is lower for a 2-person
household than it is for a 4-
person household.
Note that MFI is a different
measure than median household income, described in
the previous section. They are
not comparable because
median household income includes all households, not just
family households.
Source: HUD Income Limits.
HUD-Area Median
Family Income (MFI)
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–24 Public Review Draft June 2025
Exhibit 3-9 Housing Value Index (2006–2024)—Jefferson County and City of Port Townsend
Sources: Zillow, 2024; BERK, 2024.
Housing values have been rising faster than incomes. In 2012, the
median home value in the county was about 5.4 times the median
family income but by 2022, the median home value was nearly 10 times
as high as the median family income. One reason housing prices have
increased so rapidly is a lack of supply compared to demand, which
increases competition for available units. A healthy housing market has
at least four months of supply available for home buyers. The long-term
trend in the county has been towards a tighter housing supply. By 2021,
during the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply shrank to less than one
month. Since then, the supply has increased slightly to about 2.4
months by April 2024. It is likely that higher interest rates during this
period reduced the number of potential homebuyers, reducing the
number of homes for sale needed to keep up with demand.
As of April 2024, the median sales price for a detached single-family
home in the county was $649,990.26 To afford to purchase a home of
this value, a household would need an income of $157,776, assuming
they can cover a 20% downpayment ($129,998).27 This is about 179% of
MFI for a four-person household. Condos are a bit more affordable at
$494,500, though a household would still need an income of $120,033
26 Redfin Monthly Housing Market Data, 2024.
27 Estimate assumes 7% interest rate.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–25 Public Review Draft June 2025
assuming a 20% downpayment and 7% interest rate (about 151% of MFI
for a three-person household).28
Manufactured homes are often much less expensive to produce than
homes built on site and therefore have potential to be more affordable
than traditional detached homes. Many manufactured homes in
unincorporated Jefferson County are located on an individual parcel
and function like a site-built home in that it can be either owned or
rented by an individual household. The unincorporated areas also have
15 manufactured housing communities (sometimes referred to as
“mobile home parks”) where the resident/homeowner owns the
manufactured housing unit and rents the “lot” or “pad” that the home
sits on from a landlord. Five of these are within the Irondale and Port
Hadlock UGA. Homes in manufactured housing communities cost
significantly less to buy than a traditional detached home on its own lot
because the unit is sold separately from the land. As a result, homes in
manufactured housing communities provide relatively affordable
homeownership opportunities. However, residents of manufactured
home communities do not benefit from home value appreciation as
the land value increases. They are also subject to the rules and
regulations established in their lease agreement with the
landlord/property owner and are vulnerable to displacement if the
owner chooses to close the community or increase the rents and fees
all residents must pay. Approximately 66% of manufactured homes in
unincorporated Jefferson County are located on individual parcels
where the land is owned, 7% are located on individual parcels where
the land is leased, and 27% are in manufactured homes parks. About
24% are within the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA and 76% are in rural
areas. Of those on individual parcels (owned or leased), about 21% are
within the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA and 79% are in rural areas.29
Subsidized and income-restricted affordable housing is another
important component of the regional housing supply as market rate
units are not typically affordable to lower-income households. Both
subsidized rental and subsidized ownership options are available in
Jefferson County. Exhibit 3-10 lists the estimated current (2023) and
planned future stock of subsidized affordable housing units
countywide.
28 Note that Redfin data indicates there are very few condo sales in the county (an average of about 3 out of 44 home sales per month) and even fewer
townhomes (an average of less than 1 per month). So, the median sales price
for this produce is less reliable.
29 Assumes one manufactured home per lot for parcels with a land use code of 1101 (Residential – MH w/Land) or 1103 (Residential – MH on Leased Land).
Jefferson County Assessor, 2024; OFM, 2024.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–26 Public Review Draft June 2025
Exhibit 3-10 Current (2023) and Planned Future Subsidized Rentals and Homes in Jefferson County
Program
Units
(2022-2023)
Demolished / Removed Units (2022-
2023)
Future
Units
Total
Units
Subsidized Rentals
Subsidized Rentals 669 units -17 units +94 units 746 units
Rental Assistance Programs1 1,414
vouchers
-2 vouchers 0 1,412 vouchers
Subsidized Ownership Housing
Subsidized Homes 74 homes 0 homes +102
homes
176 homes
Note: Future units include those in construction and planned as of December 2023.
1 The rental assistance program includes vouchers provided through the emergency rental assistance program (ERAP) in 2022 and 2023.
Sources: Jefferson County Housing Projects Verification Worksheet, 2022-2023; Clark Construction 7th Haven, 2024;
OlyCAP Properties 7th Haven Apartments, 2024; BERK, 2024.
Subsidized rental housing are often units set aside for low-income
households with rates affordable to a target income level relative to
AMI. Rental vouchers are another form of housing subsidy to assist low-
income households to rent in market-rate units. These vouchers are
funded by HUD and administered by the local housing authority.
Households then use these vouchers to rent market rate housing, with
monthly payment capped at 30% of their income. HUD funds cover the
remainder of the rental housing payment.
As of December 2023, service providers and private housing properties
in the county offer an estimated 669 subsidized rental housing units.
These include 209 units specifically for seniors and people with
disabilities. Other projects include Tiny Homes as ADUs, a project
sponsored by Community Build Project that provides 10 affordable
rental units. Another project is the Hendricks St. House, which provides
4 mobile homes as affordable rentals. In addition, there are
approximately 185 Section 8 housing vouchers in use as of 2023. The
non-profit OlyCAP also runs a rental assistance program and
distributed affordable rental vouchers to a little over 1,200 households
in 2022 and 2023, including the emergency rental assistance program.
Another 94 subsidized rental units are expected to be added
countywide in the near future.30
Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County (HHEJC) and the
Peninsula Housing Authority (PHA) provide affordable home ownership
opportunities in the county. As of 2023, there were 74 affordable homes,
30 Jefferson County Housing Projects Verification Worksheet, 2022-2023.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–27 Public Review Draft June 2025
including 63 individual homes and 6 permanently affordable homes in
the Landes North community. The PHA mutual self-help building
program, Phoenix Addition, also helped build 5 affordable homes in the
county available to those earning below 60% of AMI. Another 102
subsidized home ownership units are anticipated countywide in the
near future, and three additional projects are in early planning
stages.31Cost burdened households are those spending 30% or more of
their income on housing and earning less than 80% of the county
median income. Based on US Housing and Urban Development
information based on the 2009-2013 5-year estimates by the American
Community Survey, over 17% of homeowners and 47% of renters are
cost-burdened in Jefferson County.
There is a gap in the supply of affordable housing to lower incomes.
There is only a fraction of housing available to households requiring less
than 30% of their income (17 of every 100 units are available and
attainable with 30% or less of a household’s income). Going to 50% or
less of a household’s income, there are still only 32 of every 100 units
that are attainable at that share of income. (Washington State
Affordable Housing Advisory Board, 2015)Employers in Jefferson County
report they cannot attract and have difficulty retaining qualified
workers due to limited housing supply, including limited affordable
housing stock. In addition, employees are finding housing appropriate
to their needs only at increasing distances from work, many times
outside of the County. Economic impacts from this trend are discussed
in the Economic Development Element.
Promoting housing variety and greater density in land use and zoning
regulations, particularly in UGAs, and securing funding for supporting
capital facilities such as sewer or alternative wastewater technologies can
help address housing supply and affordability concerns going forward.
Short-term rentals can present aAnother challenge to housing
supply and attainability may include short-term rentals. Year
round about 7580% of units are occupied and about 2520% are
vacant in unincorporated Jefferson County. Seasonally, the
population grows in summer months and the shoulder spring and
fall seasons. The almost 25Many of the 20% of vacant units are
likely occupied by second-home owners or, and a share is used as
31 Jefferson County Housing Projects Verification Worksheet, 2022-2023.
Transient housing includes hotels, bed & breakfasts, boarding homes, rooming
homes, and short-term
rentals (e.g., AirBnB/VRBO).
Transient Housing
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–28 Public Review Draft June 2025
short-term rentals.32 Use of housing for short-term rentals can help the
homeowner with their mortgage costs; however, if homes are
purchased with the primary purpose to rent them on a short-term
basis, that can lower the supply of housing and increase costs for
permanent residents. Other communities have developed polices and
regulations designed to ensure short-term rentals are registered and
located in areas that are less disruptive to year-round residents.33
Jobs & Housing
Jobs within the county are heavily concentrated near Port Townsend.
Clusters of employment are also concentrated in Irondale and Port
Hadlock, Chimacum, Port Ludlow, and Quilcene as well as in the
western part of the county west of the Olympic National Park at the
Olympic Corrections Center. Attracting more living-wage jobs to
improve employment opportunities and raise local wages could
support the attainment of more affordable housing However,
eEmployers in Jefferson County report they cannot attract and have
difficulty retaining qualified workers due to limited housing supply,
including limited affordable housing stock. In addition, some
employees are finding housing appropriate to their needs only at
increasing distances from work, many times outside of the county. As of
2021, more individuals commute out of Jefferson County to work in
another location than commute into the county for work (7,003
compared with 2,700 individuals, respectively). Approximately 4,395
individuals that live in the county also work in the county. Workers are
primarily commuting southeast for work in the Greater Seattle
metropolitan area—nearly 40% of Jefferson County residents with a job
work in the county and about one-fourth commute to King County for
work.34 Economic impacts from this trend are discussed in the
Economic Development Element.
The jobs to housing ratio is another measure used to understand
whether there is an adequate supply of housing to support local
employment in a community. The ratio is determined by dividing the
total number of jobs by the number of housing units. A ratio of 0.75 – 1.5
is considered a balanced ratio and can indicate that a community has
sufficient housing for its employees and that area commutes are of
32 ACS data indicates approximately 57% of vacant units in the unincorporated
county are for “For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use” and another 34%
are considered “Other vacant.” Other types of vacancies tracked by the ACS
include for rent, rented but not occupied, for sale, sold but not occupied, and
migrant worker units. ACS 5-year Estimates (Tables B25002 and B25004), 2018-2022.
33 MRSC 12 Examples of Short-Term Vacation Rental Regulations, 2016.
34 US Census Bureau, OnTheMap, 2021; US Census Bureau, Center for Economic
Studies, 2021.
Commented [LG3]: We should add this as a goal
since there is work in progress to assess and
regulate short term housing better.
Commented [JH4R3]: Agree. Added under Goal HS-G-1 below (yellow highlight).
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–29 Public Review Draft June 2025
reasonable length. A ratio higher than 1.5 can indicate affordability
challenges and/or a lack of housing supply. Communities with ratios
below 0.75 may have shortages of employment opportunities and are
often classified as “bedroom communities.” Workers in these areas
likely need to commute to work in surrounding areas. As of 2023, the
jobs to housing ratio in Jefferson County was 0.46 (8,968 jobs divided by
19,481 housing units in the county), lower than the balanced range and
similar to the ratios in 2022 of 0.46 (8,951 jobs divided by 19,430 units)
and 2021 of 0.45 (8,669 jobs divided by 19,244 units). This suggests there
is an undersupply of employment opportunities in the county,35 which
is consistent with employment travel patterns from the U.S. Census
OnTheMap tool. However, the jobs to employment ratio may be closer
to the balanced range given the high number of older adults and
retired households in Jefferson County who are not looking for
employment.
Displacement, Exclusion, & Racially
Disparate Impacts
Consistent with the Growth Management Act(GMA) amendments in
HB 1220, Jefferson County has a duty to begin to undo policies and
practices that lead to racially disparate impacts (RDI), displacement,
and exclusion in housing. Overall, the analysis of existing conditions and
historical trends in Appendix E shows evidence of displacement risk,
exclusions, and racially disparate impacts in unincorporated
Jefferson County. These include:
▶ Displacement risk is high in western Jefferson County, the south
portion of eastern Jefferson County (including the Quilcene,
Brinnon, and Pleasant Harbor MPR communities), and on
Marrowstone Island.
▶ Homeownership rates are lower among BIPOC and Hispanic/Latino
households (78% each versus 86% for White households).36
▶ Renter households are significantly more likely to be cost burdened
(34% versus 25), and BIPOC households have higher rates of cost
burden compared to White and Hispanic/Latino households (for
both renter and owner households), with a notably higher
percentage of BIPOC households spending 30–50% of their income
on housing than White Hispanic/Latino households.
35 ESD Covered Employment, 2021 and 2022; OFM Postcensal Estimates of
Housing Units, April 1, 2020 to April 1, 2023.
36 Note that Hispanic/Latino households represent about 4% of the population
in unincorporated Jefferson County.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–30 Public Review Draft June 2025
▶ A higher percentage of BIPOC households are extremely low- or
very low-income compared to White and Hispanic/Latino
households (32% versus 20% and 17%, respectively).
▶ The BIPOC share of the statewide population was higher in 2017 and
2022 than in unincorporated Jefferson County as was the percent
change from 2017 to 2022 which could indicate exclusion of BIPOC
households.
▶ American Indian and Alaska Native populations experience a high
level of segregation within the county overall and more so in the
unincorporated areas, similar to levels of segregation present
statewide and in neighboring counties. A higher share of American
Indian and Alaska Native populations are concentrated in western
Jefferson County (which includes the Hoh Indian Reservation and a
small portion of the Quinault Reservation), in the southeast (near
Wawa Point and Brinnon), and in the Irondale and Port Hadlock
UGA.
▶ Hispanic/Latino populations are more concentrated in western
Jefferson County and surrounding Discovery Bay. Asian alone
populations are more concentrated near the Port Ludlow MPR and
in Port Townsend.
The County also reviewed goals and policies from the 2018
Comprehensive Plan for their capacity to support diversity, equity,
Displacement refers to instances when a household is forced or pressured to move from their home or community because of conditions beyond their control. each yearDisplacement can be physical, economic, or cultural.
▶Direct, physical displacement occurs in cases of eviction, the termination of a tenant’s lease, or public
land claims through eminent domain. Physical displacement can also occur when a property owner decides to renovate units to appeal to higher-income tenants or when buildings are sold for redevelopment. Another cause might be the expiration of an affordability covenant and resulting
conversion of the unit to market rate housing.
▶Economic displacement occurs when a household relocates due to the financial pressure of rising housing costs. Renters are more vulnerable to economic displacement, particularly those who are low-
income, although some homeowners can experience this as well with significant increases to property tax
bills.
▶Cultural displacement is the result of fractured social fabrics. When physical and/or economic
displacement affects community businesses, social institutions, and a concentration of racial or ethnic
households, other households who affiliate with the affected cultural group may begin to feel increased pressure or desire to relocate.
Exclusion is the act or effect of shutting or keeping certain populations out of housing within a specified area, in a manner that may be intentional or unintentional, but which leads to non-inclusive impacts.
Racially Disparate Impacts occur when policies, practices, rules, or other systems result in a disproportionate
effect on one or more racial groups. Disparities in housing measures among different racial and ethnic groups
are evidence of racially disparate impacts.
Key Terms
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–31 Public Review Draft June 2025
inclusion, and anti-displacement and undo impacts identified above.
Recommendations from that analysis are detailed in Appendix E and
were incorporated into this element’s updated goals and policies.
Emergency Housing, Emergency
Shelters, & Permanent Supportive
HousingAssisted Housing Programs &
Resources in Jefferson County
A limited number of emergency housing and permanent supportive
housing options are currently available in Jefferson County. These
housing types provide shelter and housing for those who are currently
unhoused or facing eviction. Emergency housing and emergency
shelter both provide temporary services; the difference being that
emergency housing provides overnight accommodations while
emergency shelter may not. Permanent supportive housing is long-
term housing targeted to people who need comprehensive support
services to retain tenancy. The desired proximity that is needed to
services that help the county’s most vulnerable populations—including
low-income seniors, disabled Veterans, disadvantaged youth, and
persons with mental and/or physical disabilities—presents a notable
challenge to planning and developing emergency and PSH in a rural
county.
The primary providers of emergency housing, transitional housing, and
permanent supportive housing in the county are Bayside Housing,
Dove House, OlyCAP, and OWL360 (many of which provide subsidized
and income-restricted housing as well). Exhibit 3-11 summarizes the
estimated current (2023) and planned future supply of emergency
housing beds and permanent supportive housing units countywide.
Exhibit 3-11 Current (2023) and Planned Future Emergency and Permanent Supportive Housing in Jefferson County
Program
Units
(2022-2023)
Demolished / Removed Units (2022-
2023)
Future
Units1 Total Units
Emergency and Transitional Housing 285 beds 98 beds 40 beds 227 beds
Permanent Supportive Housing 47 units 0 units 92 units 139 units
1 Includes in construction and planned units as of December 2023.
Sources: Jefferson County Housing Projects Verification Worksheet, 2022-2023; BERK, 2024.
Emergency housing provides temporary or transitional housing
services and may be targeted towards specific populations, such as
young adults or veterans. There are currently 187 emergency and
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–32 Public Review Draft June 2025
transitional housing beds available in the county. OlyCap is also
currently constructing another 40 beds as part of the Caswell-Brown
Village Phase 3 development. Once that project is complete, there will
be a total of 227 emergency and transitional housing beds available
countywide, less than half the anticipated future need for 560
emergency housing beds countywide by 2045 (see the Future Need &
Our Housing Plan section for more information).37
Permanent supportive housing (PSH) is long-term housing intended
for people who may need comprehensive support services to retain
tenancy. It may also be targeted toward specific populations, such as
those with disabilities or seniors aged 62 and over. OlyCAP and Olympic
Neighbors are the primary providers of PSH units in the county
providing a total of 47 PSH units. Other providers are planning or
currently constructing an additional 92 PSH units, bringing the total
PSH units to 139 units in the near future, still far less than the
anticipated future need for 1,614 PSH units countywide by 2045 (see the
Future Need & Our Housing Plan section for more information).38
Jefferson County participates and supports area programs that provide
housing assistance to income-limited families and individuals and to
other special needs groups. The Peninsula Housing Authority, Olympic
Community Action Programs and other public and private, non-profit
groups provide assistance in the form of funding, services, rental
assistance, home rehabilitation and/or homeownership help. Based on
recent data, there are insufficient funds and resources to serve all
individuals and households that qualify for housing assistance. There is
a well-documented lack of affordable rental apartments and houses.
The lack of affordable rental units means that households that qualify
for rental assistance cannot find homes and apartments whose rent
meets “fair market rates.” Another challenge to planning and
developing affordable housing is the desired proximity that is needed
to services that help the county’s most vulnerable populations
including the low-income elderly, disabled Veterans, disadvantaged
youth, and persons with mental and/or physical disabilities.
3.3 FUTURE NEED & OUR
HOUSING PLAN
Housing is a basic human need that all residents and communities
should have access to in the county. Quality and accessible affordable
housing is important for the social and economic vibrancy of the
37 Jefferson County Housing Projects Verification Worksheet, 2022-2023.
38 Jefferson County Housing Projects Verification Worksheet, 2022-2023.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–33 Public Review Draft June 2025
county’s neighborhoods and is the foundation of equitable access to
opportunity in the county.
GMA Growth Targets
The GMA requires that Jefferson County and Port Townsend allocate a fair
share of housing over a 20-year period through CPPs. In 2021, the WA State
Legislature also passed House Bill 1220 (HB 1220), which amends the GMA
to require the housing element of comprehensive plans to include explicit
consideration of capacity to meet housing needs for extremely-low to
moderately low-income households, permanent supportive housing (PSH),
emergency housing and shelters, and duplexes, triplexes, and
townhomes.39 The County’s housing growth targets overall and by income
band are summarized in Exhibit 3-12, including specific rural sub-
allocations.
Exhibit 3-12 Jefferson County and City of Port Townsend Housing Growth Targets (2020–2045)
Location
Total Housing Need
0–≤30% AMI
>30–≤50% AMI
>50–≤80% AMI
>80–≤100% AMI
>100–≤120% AMI >120% AMI
Emergency Housing Beds1 PSH Non-PSH
Port Townsend (Inc.) 1,648 807 124 286 186 75 94 76 280
Unincorporated 2,471 807 124 285 298 112 142 703 280
Unincorporated UGA 1,648 807 124 285 186 75 94 77 280
Unincorporated Rural 823 — — — 112 37 48 626 —
Port Ludlow MPR 300 — — — — — — 300 —
Pleasant Harbor MPR 127 — — — 52 — — 75 —
Brinnon RVC 30 — — — 30 — — — —
Quilcene RVC 30 — — — 30 — — — —
Other Rural Areas 336 — — — — 37 48 251 —
Countywide Total 4,119 1,614 248 571 484 187 236 779 560
Legend: AMI = Area Median Income; PSH = Permanent Supportive Housing; UGA = Urban Growth Area, MPR = Master Planned Resort; RVC = Rural Village Center.
Note: While additional units have been built since 2020, the location of those units (e.g., within the unincorporated UGA
or unincorporated rural areas) and affordability level of those units is unknown at this time. These units have therefore
not been deducted from the overall target to ensure the analysis doesn’t imply less remaining need than actually exists.
1 Emergency housing includes emergency housing and shelter and is in addition to permanent housing needs.
Source: Jefferson County, 2025; BERK, 2025.
The greatest need for new units is at the lowest end of the affordability
spectrum (less than or equal to 80% AMI). About 1,862 units countywide
are needed for households with 30% AMI or less, including 1,614 units of
39 HB 1220 Guidance for Evaluating Land Capacity to Meet All Housing Needs.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–34 Public Review Draft June 2025
permanent supportive housing that include wrap-around services for
people who need support to maintain residency. It is anticipated that the
rural allocation would consist primarily of low density detached units
which likely would serve households greater than moderate income.
Some rural areas include housing growth targets at lower income levels
consistent with the MPR development agreements and community
priorities. The urban allocations would serve all income bands.
Emergency housing targets are in addition to permanent supportive
housing.
Appendix E includes a detailed discussion of production trends in
unincorporated Jefferson County from 2015-2022 and identified barriers
to meeting housing needs for all income groups. To meet the 2045
housing growth target of 2,471 units in unincorporated Jefferson
County, about 99 units must be built annually between 2020 and
2045.40 Between 2015 and 2022, an average of 118 net new units were
built in unincorporated Jefferson County. This is greater than the
annualized total housing target per year but the types of housing
produced did not necessarily align with the types of housing needed to
meet the targets at each income level, particularly housing for low-
income (0-80% AMI) and moderate-income (80-120% AMI) households.
This indicates that there are barriers to sufficient housing production
among these housing types. There is a surplus of homes developed for
higher-income (120%+ AMI) households, indicating no barriers to
meeting those housing needs.
The County’s proposed land use map revisions and code updates result
in adequate capacity to support the desired densities and mix of
housing types expected to accommodate housing needs at all
affordability levels. See Exhibit 3-13. Under the proposed future land
use map and with proposed code revisions, there is capacity for 3,662
units in the unincorporated Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA, Port
Ludlow and Pleasant Harbor MPRs, and Brinnon and Quilcene RVCs,
above the total housing target for unincorporated Jefferson County.
Note also that there is sufficient capacity within each individual
planning area in Exhibit 3-12 and for emergency housing as detailed in
Appendix E. The County is planning for growth consistent with the
adopted targets. See also Exhibit 1-2, Exhibit 1-3, and Exhibit 1-11 in the
Land Use Element.
40 A total of 119, 97, and 138 housing units were completed in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, in unincorporated Jefferson County. All but 6 of these were
single family units.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–35 Public Review Draft June 2025
Exhibit 3-13 Housing Capacity vs. Growth Targets for Unincorporated Jefferson County
Housing Need
(% of AMI) Zone Categories
2020-44 Target (Urban, MPR, & RVC Only)1 Aggregated Target1 Capacity2 Surplus / (Deficit)
0-30% PSH
Low-Rise, Mid-Rise, ADUs
807
1,514 1,8453 331 0-30% Non-PSH 124
>30 to ≤50% 285
>50 to ≤80% 298
>80 to ≤100% Moderate Density 75 169 2884 119 >100 to ≤120% 94
>120% Low Density 452 452 1,6635 1,211
Total 2,135 2,135 3,796 1,661
Legend: PSH = Permanent Supportive Housing. 1 Subtracts the “Other Rural Areas” targets of 37 units for 80-100% AMI, 48 units for 100-120% AMI, and 251 units for >120% AMI assuming most units will be low density with some limited moderate density housing types based on current zoning. The rural residential zones (RR 1:5, RR 1:10, and RR 1:20) currently allow single family homes, ADUs, duplexes, co-housing, manufactured housing, and residential care facilities for up to 5 people outright. While most
new housing is expected to be lower density and affordable only to higher income households, the allowed housing types also include some housing typologies considered affordable for moderate- and lower-income households. Moreover, while single family housing tends to be affordable only at higher income levels, manufactured housing allowed and spread throughout the rural areas is often affordable to moderate- and lower-income households.
2 Assumes maximum density from the capacity results in Exhibit 99 in Appendix E.
3 Includes capacity in the UHDR, UC, and RVC zones as well as capacity for 52 staff housing units in the Pleasant Harbor MPR and 25 ADUs (based on the revised ADU capacity analysis in Appendix E). ADUs are considered affordable to households with 50–80% of AMI per Exhibit 87 in Appendix E.
4 Includes capacity in the UMDR zone (considered affordable for households with 80–120% of AMI per Exhibit 87 in Appendix E) plus the 148 units from Habitat for Humanity’s pipeline project. While the 12 group home units may be affordable for households with 80% of AMI or less, this analysis considers the whole development as “Moderate Density” for a more conservative estimate of capacity to meet needs at the lowest income levels.
5 Includes capacity in the ULDR zone as well as capacity for 300 low-density units in the Port Ludlow MPR and 75
low-density units in the Pleasant Harbor MPR.
Sources: Jefferson County, 2025; BERK, 2025.
Housing Challenges & Opportunities
Housing Affordability
The number of households that are cost-burdened is a good indicator of
current housing affordability needs. In unincorporated Jefferson County,
one in every four households are cost-burdened (Exhibit 3-7). As
described above, housing affordability needs are disproportionate across
tenure, income groups, and racial and ethnic groups. One likely reason
for the housing affordability needs in Jefferson County is the challenging
trend in rising housing costs (Exhibit 3-9). As of April 2024, a household
needs to have an income equivalent to 105% of MFI to afford to rent the
average 1-bedroom apartment, 122% of MFI to afford to rent the average 2-
bedroom apartment, and 179% MFI to afford to buy a median priced
Commented [JH5]: 652 in UHDR + 765 in UC + 52
in Pleasant Harbor MPR + 96 in Brinnon + 121 in
Quilcene + 25 ADUs
Commented [JH6R5]: Updated per revisions to UC
zone approach discussed with Joel 4/3. Now 899
in UC (all others the same).
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–36 Public Review Draft June 2025
detached single-family home.41 However, about 70% of renters countywide
and in the unincorporated areas and 43% of homeowners have an income
below MFI. Housing values have also been rising faster than incomes and
there is a lack of supply compared to demand, resulting in increasingly
limited home ownership opportunities. Other reasons are that the
existing housing inventory consists primarily of larger detached homes
(Exhibit 3-1), and smaller units and rental housing are limited to certain
neighborhoods. Single-family and owned housing are typically more
costly than rental housing, although none of these housing types are
typically affordable to an 80% MFI household or below.
Two of the key means of protecting affordability are retaining the
county’s manufactured housing and older housing stock. OFM
estimates there are nearly 3,000 manufactured homes in
unincorporated Jefferson County as of 2023, or about 22% of the total
housing stock. As discussed above, manufactured homes are often
much less expensive to produce than homes built on site and therefore
have potential to be more affordable than traditional detached homes.
For all housing units in the unincorporated county, nearly three-
quarters were built prior to 2000 including 32% built prior to 1980.42
Older homes can be more affordable rental and ownership options,
although the County should continue to support and promote
programs that help households with home repairs, climate resilience
improvements, and other housing rehabilitation to maintain these
housing options.
In addition, pPromoting housing variety and greater density in land use
and zoning regulations, particularly in UGAs, and securing funding for
supporting capital facilities such as sewer or approved alternative
wastewater technologies can help address housing supply and
affordability concerns going forward. Diversifying the county’s housing
stock (particularly in the unincorporated UGA) to include more smaller
unit multiunit and rental housing could lower housing costs overall.
However, this would require a marked shift in recent production trends.
In recent years, single family homes have been built at the fastest rate
among housing types followed by manufactured homes. Multi-family
production has been extremely limited, with middle housing (duplexes
and middle-family units that are three to four units) showing an overall
decrease in the net change in units. Diversifying housing options may
also help address identified racially disparate impacts, reduce
displacement risk, and support opportunities for workforce housing
developments that are affordable to households with lower incomes.
41 HUD sets affordable rent standards by percent of MFI for all counties
(published by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission [link]).
These standards are adjusted to match the assumed household size that would occupy the unit.
42 ACS 5-Year Estimates (Table S1501), 2018-2022.
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However, for the lowest income households, the market often does not
produce affordable housing even if a diverse range of housing types are
built. In these cases, income-restricted or government supported
affordable housing can be part of the solution. Currently, there are 652
subsidized rental units and 74 subsidized home ownership units
countywide, representing about 4% of the countywide housing stock,
and another 94 subsidized rental units and 102 subsidized home
ownership units are planned (Exhibit 3-10). The data reviewed in
Appendix E indicates there is demand for more income-restricted units
across all groups earning below MFI.
Special housing is also needed to support those experiencing
homelessness. While the total number of people experiencing
homelessness appears to have declined slightly from 2015 to 2023,
approximately 63% of unhoused individuals in Jefferson County were
unsheltered in 2023 versus approximately 51% of unhoused individuals
statewide in 2022. All school districts in the county also documented
some level of students experiencing homelessness as of the 2023-24
school year.43 There are currently 227 existing or planned future
emergency and transitional housing beds and 139 permanent and
supportive housing units available countywide, many of which are
intended to serve specific household income levels, ages, or with other
special housing needs (Exhibit 3-11). The County could consider
working with partners to fill existing gaps in the availability of income-
restricted, subsidized, emergency, and permanent supportive housing.
A Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness in Jefferson County was drafted
by Olympic Community Action Programs (OlyCAP) in 2011 and updated
in 2015, which documents homelessness in Jefferson County from the
annual Point In Time Count. While the Plan has not been updated since
2015, the values and principles, priorities, and This plan provides
information about multiple documented programs providing support
to community efforts for people at risk of becoming homeless are still
applicable. , such as permanent and temporary housing
search/assistance programs for the homeless and rental assistance
programs. The 2017 Point In Time Count was lower than previous years;
however, it is assumed that the lower 2017 counts relate to systematic
issues relating to counting the homeless population within the County.
Priorities of the 2015 plan Ending Homelessness in Jefferson County
include:
1. Move people into housing first;
2. Stop discharging people into homelessness (healthcare or justice
systems);
43 OSPI Report Card Enrollment 2023-24 School Year, data last updated June 24,
2024.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–38 Public Review Draft June 2025
3. Improve outreach to homeless people;
4. Emphasize permanent solutions through innovative partnerships;
5. Maintain and preserve the existing supply of affordable housing;
6. Increase the supply of permanent supportive housing;
7. Make the rental assistance system more effective;
8. Increase economic opportunity for homeless people;
9. Implement and utilize new data-collection technology throughout
the homeless services system; and
10. Identify and fill gaps in the system.
With consideration of the 2015 Ending Homelessness plan priorities and
how the County can participate with housing agencies and
stakeholders, thise Housing Element addresses the following:
▶ Remove potential barriers to housing
▶ Create additional permanently affordable housing opportunities
▶ Seek and promote funding sources to retain and add housing
Some of the potential actions toward solutions include:
▶ Convene or participate in an ad-hoc local panel of for-profit and
non-profit developers and housing stakeholders to consider
barriers to implementing diverse and affordable housing types.
▶ Evaluate short-term rentals and consider policies to ensure a
sufficient housing supply for year-round residents.
▶ In the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA, allow some development
activity on alternative wastewater treatment systems.
▶ In the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA, offer incentives and fee
waivers for infill housing.
Creating additional housing opportunities includes:
▶ Consider allowing tiny homes as ADUs or where co-housing or
mobile home parks are allowed.
▶ Allow Homestead Parcels for resource lands and potentially
agricultural activities on larger lots in rural areas.
▶ Evaluate the development of a housing incentives program for
Urban (Irondale and Port Hadlock) and Rural areas per RCW
36.70A.540.
▶ Explore alternative, GMA compliant, development and performance
standards that define bonus residential densities by measuring the
reduced levels of resource use and reduced adverse ecological
impacts relative to those associated with conventional
development. This would be similar to the Planned Rural
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–39 Public Review Draft June 2025
Residential Development standards, but would provide potential
density bonuses to projects with smaller acreages.
Funding sources may include:
▶ To incentivize development of multifamily dwellings in the Irondale
and Port Hadlock UGA, advocate the legislature for multifamily tax
exemptions in unincorporated UGAs in smaller rural counties,
where they are now only allowed in large incorporated UGAs and
counties with large populations.
▶ Support Commerce’s Low-Income Home Rehabilitation Revolving
Loan Program for rural property owners.
Support expansion of federal tax credit programs, such as the Low-
Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).
Housing Needs of People of Different Ages & Abilities
Meeting the housing needs of an aging population will be an increasingly
important issue in the next 20 years. Jefferson County has the oldest
median age of county populations in the state as of 2022 (60.7 years)44 and
nearly two-thirds of the population is age 50 or older in the unincorporated
areas (62%). More than half of households countywide and in the
unincorporated areas include one or more people who are 65 or older
(56%) and approximately 17% of households in unincorporated Jefferson
County are older adults living alone. The percentage of the population over
age 65 is currently highest in parts of the Port Ludlow Master Planned
Resort and is high in most block groups along the county’s eastern
shorelines, including the unincorporated UGA. Approximately 19% of
unincorporated Jefferson County residents also live with one or more
disabilities; while disabilities can be experienced by all age groups,
populations with a higher proportion of those over age 65 may correspond
with higher disability rates, due to the sensory, physical, and mental effects
of aging.
The proportion of adults 65 and older countywide is expected decrease
slightly through 2045 (Exhibit 3-4) but the overall number of adults over
65 is expected to increase countywide from an estimated 13,881 in 2022
to 15,589 in 2045.45 In unincorporated Jefferson County, there are an
estimated 5,352 residents aged 50 to 64 as of 2022, many of whom will
likely remain in the county as they age. As children grow and as life
stages evolve, housing needs may change. Demand for accessible
supportive housing and services will likely increase over time as the
overall number of older adults increases. Older adults may desire
44 OFM Median Age, 2022.
45 OFM GMA 2022 Medium Series Projections, Population by Age and Sex (Five-
year Age Groups), 2022.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–40 Public Review Draft June 2025
single-family homes at retirement age, but as their abilities and needs
change, other forms of housing with smaller lots, townhomes, or
assisted living may be attractive for maintenance, accessibility, and
affordability purposes. These forms of housing are denser and
encouraged in the UGA where residents would also have more access
to healthcare and other supportive services. Other household types,
including individuals living alone or single parent households, may also
prefer smaller housing types for affordability as well.
Unincorporated Jefferson County also has a smaller share of youth and
young adults aged 15 to 24 compared to the City of Port Townsend
(Exhibit 3-3). One reason for this could be a gap in housing options for this
demographic (although families with high school aged children and
young adults may also choose to live in the city to be close to jobs, schools,
and other amenities). Most housing units have 2 or 3 bedrooms, but
average rents and median housing cost are unaffordable for many
households. While many households with children in unincorporated
Jefferson County likely have fewer children per household than
neighboring counties and statewide, only 2% of rental units have 4 or more
bedrooms, suggesting that rental stock includes few detached homes that
may be attractive to families with multiple children looking to rent.
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3.4 GOALS & POLICIES
Safe, affordable housing is a fundamental need for all citizens residents
in Jefferson County. Jefferson County communities are strong, vibrant,
and healthy when there is safe and reliable housing that meets the full
range of income levels, household sizes, preferences, and needs.
Jefferson County citizens’ The average household income of Jefferson
County residents hasve not kept up with increasing prevailing housing
costs. The result is a widespread lack of safe and affordable housing for
many county residents and especially for populations with special
needs.
Community engagement in the 202518 periodic update reflected a
strong desire for improved housing opportunities on a countywide
basis to address affordability, homelessness, and improved access to
economic opportunities.
Goal HS-G-1 Encourage and support efforts to
increase affordable housing options and availability
for current and future county residents of all income groups.
Policy HS-P-1.1 Allow for and incentivize a variety of housing options,
typologies, and densities to meet the needs of all people who work and
desire to live in Jefferson County.
Policy HS-P-1.1Policy HS-P-1.2 Identify locations where housing
development can be promoted and wWork with inter-jurisdictional and
public-private cooperative groups to increase the permanent supply of
a broad spectrum of housing supplies including market-rate homes,
moderately-priced homes, and affordable rental and ownership
housing opportunities for housing for lower income households of all
sizes and income levels.
Policy HS-P-1.2Policy HS-P-1.3 Assess the progress of County-wide
Planning Policy #6 to better dDocument successes, challenges, and
opportunities to support the accommodation of affordable housing,
and inform housing programs, the development community, and
housing advocacy groups. Measure the impact of these policies on
displacement risk and the effect of strategies identified to mitigate
impacts.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–42 Public Review Draft June 2025
Policy HS-P-1.3Policy HS-P-1.4 Update codes and development
standards that preserve existing higher densities and improve housing
development and redevelopment opportunities for a mix of housing
types across various affordability levels in County Urban Growth Areas
(UGAs), Rural Village Centers (RVCs), Rural Crossroads (CCs), Limited
Areas of More Intensive Rural Development (LAMIRDs), and Master
Planned Resorts (MPRs).
Policy HS-P-1.4Policy HS-P-1.5 Provide public and private non-profit
housing assistance programs with information on areas where
moderate- to extremely low-income housing can be accommodated
based on zoning, existing lot density, access to transit, jobs, or other
support services.
Policy HS-P-1.6 Support the Peninsula Housing Authority, Habitat for
Humanity, and Olympic Community Action Programs, in their efforts to
assist income-limited households with funding for home repairs,
climate resilience improvements, and other housing rehabilitation
assistance, including support for multifamily tax credits such as federal
low incomelow-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) and project-based
vouchers (Section 8).
Policy HS-P-1.5Policy HS-P-1.7 Prioritize improvements that improve
climate resilience and leverage programs that ensure vulnerable
populations have increased climate resilience while improving housing
quality.
Policy HS-P-1.8 Utilize zoning, incentives, and other strategies to
Through zoning, incentives, and other strategies, encourage the
development of housing affordable to the county’s workforce across all
incomes. These housing types may include housing single family
dwellings with a variety of lot sizes, manufactured homes, clustered
homes, co-housing, accessory dwelling units, townhouses, apartments,
or other forms appropriate to the urban or rural location. New
workforce housing should increase Promote workforce access to
services and transportation options for commuting.
Policy HS-P-1.9 Develop an affordable housing incentives program for
the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA per RCW 36.70a.540, as funding
allows. [Moved from Land Use, revised version of old Policy LU-P-32.9]
Policy HS-P-1.10 Support alternative homeownership models that lower
barriers to ownership and provide long-term affordability, such as
community land trusts, limited or shared equity co-ops, and integrated
multi-generational communities.
Refer to Land Use Element, Section 1.4 Urban and related goals and policies
Refer to Transportation Element, Public Transit
Refer to Goal CE-G-12 in the
Climate Element
Commented [JH7]: Added per EJC equity analysis
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Policy HS-P-1.11 Support legislative efforts to allow tax exemptions for
housing in unincorporated urban growth areas for rural counties like
Jefferson County. Include support for multifamily tax credits such as
federal low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) and project-based
vouchers (Section 8). [Moved from Land Use, revised version of former
Policy LU-P-32.10]
Policy HS-P-1.12 Ensure that affordable housing created or preserved
using local public resources or by regulation retains its affordability over
time for at least 50 years. Promote retention of affordability for
properties with expiring covenants with county, state, or federal funds
and incentives.
Policy HS-P-1.13 Establish long-term strategies to retain existing
affordable housing through public incentives or incentives to
developers for the longest possible term.
Policy HS-P-1.14 Periodically review potential affordable housing
barriers in the development regulations with for-profit and non-profit
housing providers and community members. [Moved from Land Use,
revised version of former Policy LU-P-32.11]
Policy HS-P-1.15 Develop residential anti-displacement strategies in
collaboration with community-based organizations and social service
providers.
Policy HS-P-1.16 Develop policies and adopt regulations designed to
ensure short-term rentals are registered and located in areas that are
less disruptive to year-round residents
Goal HS-G-2 Promote a variety of quality housing
choices throughout the county with innovative land
use practices, community redevelopment strategies,
development standards, design techniques, and building and infrastructure permit requirements.
Policy HS-P-2.1 Explore regulatory opportunities that help minimize
costs to developing affordable housing while ensuring that public
health, safety, and environmental quality standards, and carbon
reduction and climate resilience standards are not compromised.
Policy HS-P-2.2 Encourage and support greater opportunity for the
development of innovative housing types to increase the inventory of
affordable housing throughout the county.
Refer to Land Use Element,
Section 1.4 Urban and related policies
Commented [JH8]: Added per comment from
Lara above on short-term rentals.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–44 Public Review Draft June 2025
Policy HS-P-2.3 Work cooperatively with public and private housing
experts on community redevelopment strategies, residential mixed-
use development, single and multi-family attached housing,
accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, apartment houses,
mixed-usemiddle housing, senior, and multi-care facilities,
community housing, apartments, farmworker housing, tiny homes,
etc.
Policy HS-P-2.4 Prioritize moderate and higher density residential
development in the UGA and in limited rural areas with access to
available or planned services.
Policy HS-P-2.2Policy HS-P-2.5 Encourage development patterns,
such as clustering, in Rural Village Centers and Urban Growth Areas
provided adequate infrastructure and services are in place.
Policy HS-P-2.3Policy HS-P-2.6 Pursue demonstration and pilot
projects that document the safety and reliability of innovative
technologies such as composting toilets, gray water systems, site-
specific nutrient management plans, water conservation, and net
zero energy systems that minimize housing development costs, reduce
environmental impacts, and provide more affordable housing options
throughout the county, especially for traditionally underserved and
historically marginalized communities.
Policy HS-P-2.4Policy HS-P-2.7 In response to the critical lack of
affordable housing, work with stakeholders to initiate housing
developments in the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGArban Growth Area
and other established rural employment areas allowing higher
residential density with a mix of housing typologies to meet housing
needs at all income levels to be served by more inexpensive wastewater
treatment options than a traditional public sanitary sewer facility.
Policy HS-P-2.8 Review and revise development standards and land
use codes to allow for manufactured home parks, other types of
residential parks such as parks for tiny homes, RVs, and community
land and housing trusts in order to increase available and affordable
housing supplies.
Policy HS-P-2.5Policy HS-P-2.9 Consider allowing tiny homes and RVs
as accessory dwelling units or where manufactured home parks are
allowed. Adopt tiny home building standards such as Appendix Q,
International Residential Code. [Moved from Land Use, revised version
of former Policy LU-P-32.12]
Policy HS-P-2.6Policy HS-P-2.10 Consider Adopt development
standards that would provide bonus densities in return for providing a
percentage of low or moderate-income housing units for multi-unit
residences in the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGArban Growth Area and
Rural Village Centers.
Port Hadlock Properties, PHA
(top) and Zillow (bottom)
Commented [LG9]: This is very useful.
Commented [JH10]: Added per EJC equity analysis
Commented [JH11]: Added per Lara’s comment on Action Plan below
Commented [JH12]: Note Brent’s staff report recommends zoning text amendments that will implement a program similar to the City of
Burien’s, which is codified as Ordinance 718.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–45 Public Review Draft June 2025
Policy HS-P-2.7 Reference the Transportation, Capital Facilities, Utilities,
and Urban Growth Area Elements of this Plan for public facilities
planning in connection to planning for affordable housing
development sites.
Policy HS-P-2.8Policy HS-P-2.11 Consider Support developing an
affordable housing incentives program that encourages a mix of
affordable housing types and densities for urban areas (Irondale and
Port Hadlock UGA), and rural areas, and LAMIRDs that allow residential
consistent with RCW 36.70A.540.
Policy HS-P-2.9Policy HS-P-2.12 In the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA,
allow some residential development activity on approved alternative
community wastewater treatment systems that do not preclude future
hook-up to traditional sewer.
Policy HS-P-2.10Policy HS-P-2.13 In the Port Hadlock/Irondale UGA,
oOffer incentives and fee waivers in the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA,
as funding is available, for infill housing such as ADUs and for lot
consolidation, while also incorporating anti-displacement measures,
like the development and promotion of community land trusts, to
promote equitable housing in Jefferson County..
Policy HS-P-2.14 To support the Port Hadlock/Irondale UGA, aAdvocate
the legislature for multifamily tax exemptions in unincorporated UGAs
in smaller rural counties to support the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA.
Policy HS-P-2.11Policy HS-P-2.15 Encourage programs to help
homeowners—particularly extremely low-, very-low, and low-income
households—access financing, technical support, or other tools needed
to participate in and benefit from infill development opportunities.
Policy HS-P-2.16 Support Commerce’s Low-Income Home
Rehabilitation Revolving Loan Program for rural property owners.
Policy HS-P-2.17 Support septic repair and septic installation via grant
and loans programs to help homeowners, particularly extremely low-,
very-low, and low-income households.
Policy HS-P-2.18 Incentivize the retention of naturally occurring
affordable housing by making development standards more flexible
when additional units are added to existing homes.
Policy HS-P-2.12Policy HS-P-2.19 Adopt clear and objective sustainable
and climate-informed design guidelines for new development.
Commented [JH13]: Clarified per comment from Carter Erickson in Land Use (LU-P-30.4).
Commented [LG14]: Support septic repair and septic installation loans.
Commented [JH15R14]: Added as new policy just below (yellow highlight).
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–46 Public Review Draft June 2025
Goal HS-G-3 Develop and maintain partnerships with the housing assistance programs, and other public
and private groups and agencies to support
maintenance and rehabilitation of existing housing
stock and provide new and affordable housing opportunities.
Policy HS-P-3.1 Support weatherization, housing rehabilitation and
energy conservation activities and programs to ensure households are
safe, and well maintained, and climate resilient for low-income
households and as a means of preserving naturally occurring affordable
housing. Programs should be focused on serving historically
underserved communities and extremely low-, very low-, and low-
income households.
Policy HS-P-3.2 Coordinate with the Peninsula Housing Authority and
other groups and agencies to identify areas most in need of
rehabilitation assistance and infrastructure improvements, including
historically underserved communities. To the extent possible,
coordinate public investments in capital infrastructure with
rehabilitation efforts.
Policy HS-P-3.3 Reinvigorate cooperativeCoordinate with the City of
Port Townsend-County coordination regarding affordable housing,
emergency and permanent supportive housing, and special needs
household assistance and regulatory updates to support affordable
housing development throughout Jefferson County, particularly for
extremely low-, very-low, and low-income households. Determine and
fund staffing and other resources necessary to sustain continuous
coordination regarding affordable housing.
Policy HS-P-3.4 Identify, preserve, and rehabilitate historically
significant or naturally occurring affordable housing. Provide technical
support for owners of such dwelling units in applying for appropriate
assistance programs.
Policy HS-P-3.5 Support opportunities to acquire land for affordable
housing ahead of planned infrastructure investments or other
investments that may increase land and housing costs.
Policy HS-P-3.3Policy HS-P-3.6 Leverage clean energy credits for
extremely low- to moderate-income households to provide expanded
energy efficiency incentives (e.g., Washington Families Clean Energy
Credits Grant Program, Residential Energy Assistance Grant and
Project Share programs).
Commented [LG16]: We need something on
expanding emergency shelter hours and
availability during extreme weather events such
as heat waves, wildfire smoke and winter storms.
Commented [JH17R16]: Agree. Added new policy
under Goal HS-G-4 below (yellow highlight)
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–47 Public Review Draft June 2025
Goal HS-G-4 Pursue housing programs that address homelessness and encourage the development of
housing for people with special needs such as
seniors, vulnerable populations, historically
marginalized groups, and people with disabilities (individuals who require assistance for disabilities
that may be physical, medical, social, or
psychological).
Policy HS-P-4.1 Continue to work with other jurisdictions and health
and social service organizations to develop a coordinated, regional
approach to homelessness.
Policy HS-P-4.2 Allow for a continuum of care for special needs
populations, in UGAs and Rural Village Centers, including emergency
and permanent supportive housing, transitory accommodations,
transitional housing, assisted living, group homes, housing for those
with a developmental disability housing, housing for seniors housing,
and low-income housing for extremely low-, very-low, and low-income
households.
Policy HS-P-4.1Policy HS-P-4.3 Continue to partner with regional
housing developers and housing programs that encourage the
development of emergency housing and permanent supportive
housing, with efforts that prioritize accessibility, affordability, and
services that support long-term stability and financial independence for
vulnerable populations.
Policy HS-P-4.2Policy HS-P-4.4 Encourage and support the
dDevelopment and implementation of a transitory accommodation
permitting process that considers the variety of transitory
accommodations that may be deployed, for single-family, small, and
large indoor and outdoor transitory accommodations in cooperation
with willing public and private landowners.
Policy HS-P-4.5 Coordinate with Olympic Community Action Programs,
the Peninsula Housing Authority, nonprofit housing providers, and
other public and private housing interests to ensure that low income
and special needs housing is sited in locations that are adequately
served by necessary support facilities and infrastructure and at reduced
risk to climate change impacts (e.g., inland flood zones).
Policy HS-P-4.6 Allow a range and balance of housing types for seniors
affordable to all income levels, including nonspecialized units,
specialized senior housing (including assisted living units), and nursing
homes.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–48 Public Review Draft June 2025
Policy HS-P-4.7 Support housing options, programs, and services that
allow seniors to stay in their homes or neighborhoods. Promote
awareness of Universal Design improvements that increase housing
accessibility.
Policy HS-P-4.8 Support the efforts of public and private non-profit
agencies which develop assisted housing and/or housing-related
human services, such as services which enable residents to remain in
their homes.
Policy HS-P-4.9 Regulate group homes, foster care facilities, and other
residential care facilities the same as similar residential structures
occupied by a family or other unrelated individuals, with reasonable
accommodations as needed.
Policy HS-P-4.10 Enhance the County’s rental protection policies to
establish, update, or strengthen tenant protections and resources.
Policy HS-P-4.11 Coordinate with emergency housing providers to
expand emergency shelter hours and availability during extreme
weather events such as heat waves, wildfire smoke and winter storms
3.5 ACTION PLAN
[Limited draft revisions to the action plan are shown below based on early public input and discussion
with County staff. The action plan will continue to be refined following the release of the public draft
and additional input from the public and Planning Commission on community priorities.]
Exhibit 3-14 highlights key activities the County can use to implement
the Housing Element over the next eight ten years prior to the next
periodic update, several in partnership with other entities:
Commented [JH18]: Added per comment from
Lara above.
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–49 Public Review Draft June 2025
Exhibit 3-14 Housing Action Plan
Action Description
Remove Potential Barriers to
Housing
▶ Convene or participate in an ad-hoc local panel of for-profit and non-profit
developers and housing stakeholders to determine if procedural or market barriers need to be addressed to encourage forms of housing already allowed, such as ADUs, co-housing, and manufactured/mobile home parks.
▶ Evaluate short-term rentals using available local and state data sources. Determine if a registration program and limits on numbers, zones, or locations are appropriate to help ensure a sufficient housing supply for year-round residents.
▶ In the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA, allow some development activity on approved alternative wastewater treatment systems.
▶ In the Irondale and Port Hadlock UGA, offer incentives and fee waivers, as
funding is available, for infill housing such as ADUs and for lot
consolidation.
▶ Participate in planning efforts with other jurisdictions and housing stakeholders to address housing affordability and those experiencing homelessness, and convene an ad-hoc local panel of for-profit and non-
profit developers and housing stakeholders to determine if procedural or
market barriers are causing impediments to implementing housing types
that are innovative or higher density.
▶ Evaluate short-term rentals. To ensure such uses do not further restrict the
housing supply for year-round residents, the County could examine the
prevalence of short-term rentals and determine if a registration program and limits on numbers, zones, or locations are appropriate.
Create additional housing
opportunities
▶ Evaluate the overall role and purpose of emergency, transitional, and
affordable housing categories—including types of structures such as tiny
homes and RVs—and evaluate their place within housing strategies,
including opportunities, locations, and consequences.
▶ Consider allowing tiny homes and RVs as ADUs or where co-housing or
mobile home parks are allowed, and by adopting International Residential
Code standards addressing tiny homes.
▶ Allow Homestead Parcels for resource lands and potentially agricultural activities on larger lots in rural areas. A minimum parent parcel size, and
siting criteria, may need to be set to ensure that this allowance does not interfere with goals of supporting agriculture.
▶ Evaluate the development of a housing incentives program for Urban (Irondale and Port Hadlock) and Rural areas to advance housing variety
and affordability per RCW 36.70A.540.
Seek and promote funding sources to retain and add housing
▶ Advocate the legislature for multifamily tax exemptions in unincorporated UGAs in smaller rural counties. Pursue multi-family tax credits, especially at the federal level such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and project-based vouchers (Section 8)
▶ Support Commerce’s Low-Income Home Rehabilitation Revolving Loan Program for rural property owners. Determine how the County can help educate rural property owners about the program.
▶ Support expansion of federal tax credit programs, such as the Low-Income
Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).
Source: Jefferson County, 202518.
Commented [JH19]: Clarified per comment from
Carter Erickson in Land Use (LU-P-30.4).
Commented [LG20]: Can this include RVs, as there are so many people currently living in them on various levels of support. Working in Jefferson County code enforcement, we have had a very
hard time helping people find safe and legal places to park their residential RVs.
Commented [JH21R20]: Yes, I think that’s a great addition. Added here and to HS-P-2.9 as well.
Commented [JH22]: Has this been done?
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–50 Public Review Draft June 2025
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–51 Public Review Draft June 2025
Remove prior intentionally blank page from PDF if needed—formatted
as a placeholder to ensure each element starts on a right hand spread.
Do not publish from this point forward. Remove pages from
consolidated PDF. These sections should be updated and copied into
their appropriate chapters (TOC, References) as needed.
References [to be updated]
City of Port Townsend and Jefferson County. Housing Action Plan.
(2006). Adopted by City of Port Townsend October 2, 2006 (Res. No.
06-026) and Board of County Commissioners for Jefferson County
October 9, 2006 (Res. No. 69-06).
ESD. (2017). Jefferson County Profile: County Data Tables. Retrieved
from Washington State Employment Security Department
(ESD): https://esd.wa.gov/labormarketinfo/county-
profiles/jefferson
MRSC. (2016, November 22). 12 Examples of Short-Term Vacation Rental
Regulations. Retrieved from MRSC: http://mrsc.org/Home/Stay-
Informed/MRSC-Insight/November-2017/Short-Term-Vacation-
Rental-Sample-Regulations.aspx
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2017). Preserving
Affordable Rental Housing in Rural America. Retrieved from
HUD User Home: PD&R EDGE:
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-featd-
article-071017.html
Washington State Affordable Housing Advisory Board. (2015).
Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB). Retrieved from
Washington State Department of Commerce:
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2016/10/AHAB-Housing-Needs-
Assessment.pdf
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–52 Public Review Draft June 2025
Contents
3 HOUSING 3–1
3.1 Purpose 3–2
3.2 Trends & Opportunities 3–4
Housing Stock 3–4
Demographics & Household Characteristics 3–8
Total Population 3–8
Age 3–9
Race & Ethnicity 3–11
Educational Attainment 3–12
Other Populations with Special Housing Needs 3–13
Household Characteristics 3–16
Housing Affordability & Attainability 3–20
Jobs & Housing 3–28
Displacement, Exclusion, & Racially Disparate Impacts 3–29
Emergency Housing, Emergency Shelters, &
Permanent Supportive Housing 3–31
3.3 Future Need & Our Housing Plan 3–32
GMA Growth Targets 3–33
Housing Challenges & Opportunities 3–35
Housing Affordability 3–35
Housing Needs of People of Different Ages & Abilities 3–39
3.4 Goals & Policies 3–41
3.5 Action Plan 3–48
Exhibit 3-1 Housing Inventory (2023)—Unincorporated Jefferson County 3–5
Exhibit 3-2 Estimated Existing Housing Units (2020 and 2023) 3–7
Exhibit 3-3 Age Distribution, Percent of Population (2022)—Unincorporated Jefferson County vs.
City of Port Townsend and Statewide 3–10
Exhibit 3-4 Population by Age Cohort, Estimates and Projections (2020–2045)—Jefferson County 3–11
Exhibit 3-5 Population by Race and Ethnicity (2022)—
Unincorporated Jefferson County 3–12
Exhibit 3-6 Educational Attainment by Age Group
(2022)—Unincorporated Jefferson County 3–13
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Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan 3–53 Public Review Draft June 2025
Exhibit 3-7 Households by Cost Burden Status (2020)—Unincorporated Jefferson County 3–21
Exhibit 3-8 Cost Burden Status of Households by Racial
and Ethnic Group (2020)—Unincorporated
Jefferson County 3–22
Exhibit 3-9 Housing Value Index (2006–2024)—Jefferson
County and City of Port Townsend 3–24
Exhibit 3-10 Current (2023) and Planned Future
Subsidized Rentals and Homes in Jefferson
County 3–26
Exhibit 3-11 Current (2023) and Planned Future Emergency and Permanent Supportive Housing in Jefferson County 3–31
Exhibit 3-12 Jefferson County and City of Port Townsend Housing Growth Targets (2020–2045) 3–33
Exhibit 3-13 Housing Capacity vs. Growth Targets for
Unincorporated Jefferson County 3–35
Exhibit 3-14 Housing Action Plan 3–49