OPAL Community Land Trust seeks proposals from qualified firms to provide a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) for three properties OPAL will be developing within the next two years. The report must meet the current ASTM Standards as of January 1, 2022.
Contact OPAL’s Project Manager with questions at 360-317-5298 or via email jeanne@opalclt.org.
Civil engineer needed to provide full design services for eight affordable single-family homes on Orcas Island in Eastsound WA. Qualified proposals will show a successful track record with green and low-impact development, a history of designing and securing stormwater permits, and completion of new construction projects with 10 units or more. A familiarity with the San Juan Islands and ability to meet on Orcas Island a must.
Submittals due by February 4, 2022. RFQ posted at www.opalclt.org/news or contact OPAL’s Project Manager at 360-317-5298 or via email jeanne@opalclt.org.
The Door County Housing Partnership, a new community land trust in Wisconsin, celebrated the completion of their first home in mid-December. A new housing model in the area, board members reached out to OPAL for advice.
“OPAL offers a picture of how the model could potentially function on Washington Island. Of the more than 250 community land trusts nation-wide, at least three are on islands: OPAL, the Mackinac Island Housing Corporation in Michigan, and the Island Housing Trust on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. While the model can work just as well on the mainland, islands do share some unique challenges when it comes to housing.”
Click the link below to view the full article.
Motivated by their concern about the loss of affordable housing for local families, islanders Maia and John Vechey and Dave Roberts partnered with OPAL Community Land Trust in early May to buy seven apartments on Mt. Baker Road.
“When these units went on the market, there was the very real possibility that the people living there — one household for 20 years — would lose their homes,” said Lisa Byers, OPAL executive director. “Maia Vechey approached us about donating the money to buy the property. The long-time tenants could remain living there and the units, as part of OPAL, would be preserved for the long-term benefit of the Orcas community.”
To read the full article in the Islands’ Sounder click here.
To read the full article on The Orcasonian click here.
OPAL Community Land Trust recently purchased nearly 30 acres of land in Eastsound.
In keeping with OPAL’s long-term strategy of thoughtfully stewarding land for the benefit of the community and assuring that Orcas islanders will have access to homes they can afford, the board of trustees took action to acquire the property with a vision of affordable housing in future years.
To read the full article from the Islands’ Sounder click here.
To read the full article for The Orcasonian click here.
On a cold and sunny October 24, a group of 15 volunteers – April’s Grove residents, OPAL homeowners and trustees, and community members wanting to get their hands dirty – helped to landscape the new April’s Grove neighborhood of affordable rental townhomes in Eastsound.
To read the full article from the Islands’ Sounder click here.
To read the full article from The Orcasonian click here.
The first nine households moved into April’s Grove at the beginning of September. It was a day filled with joy, exuberance and relief. On move-in day one woman arrived at 8 a.m., because she had borrowed a friend’s van and needed to return it that morning. Two single parents now have homes with bedrooms so their kids can be with them. A number of tenants had been couch-surfing or homeless.
To read the full article from the Islands’ Sounder click here.
To read the full article from The Orcasonian click here.
In response to this year’s need for social distancing, OPAL will hold its annual benefit Gala online and expand the event to four days.
OPAL Gala2020 will begin at noon on Saturday, June 27, and end at midnight on Tuesday, June 30.
To read the full article from the Islands’ Sounder please click here.
To read the full article from Orcas Issues please click here.
It’s a new world, and your team at OPAL is adapting. We’re learning new ways to stay connected, new “work from home” routines, and are striving to take frequent, deep, full breaths. Speaking of which, how about we each take this moment … one big breath in … one big breath out … thanks for joining me!
A brief update:
Despite the difficulties and challenges, I’m feeling grateful every day.
Stay well, and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about OPAL’s activities.
From my home to yours,
Lisa
It is better to light a tiny candle, than to rage at the darkness.
– Chinese Proverb
The COVID-19 virus is changing our lives. Your team at OPAL is doing our best to be part of a supportive response. Here’s a quick update to let you know what we are doing:
OPAL’s role is to help any Orcas islanders who are unable to pay their mortgage or rent. We will work with each person in need to find the right solution. We’ll contact banks or landlords to see if they can delay receipt of payment. If not, we’ll make loans or forgivable payments to their landlord or bank. Our work may be eased a bit if Governor Inslee enacts a statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures based on lack of payment, but eventually rents and mortgages will need to be paid.
Donations to the Orcas Recovery Fund to help people impacted financially by loss of wages or other COVID-19 related impacts can be made through the Community Foundation here.
If you are able to help keep OPAL operating during this time, we welcome your support.
–Your team at OPAL
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