Skagit Housing Consortium: 2023 Membership

Dear Housing Advocate:

To help address housing issues in Skagit County, the Skagit Housing Consortium invites you to join us as a founding member. Together we will work to address housing through education, identification of resources and support of increased housing so all our residents can have suitable housing.

Housing, or the lack of it, is a concern for many of us in Skagit County. Skagit County consistently has the lowest apartment vacancy rate (less than 1%) of any county in Washington. From Mount Vernon to Burlington to Sedro Woolley to Anacortes and in between, a person earning the median salary cannot afford to purchase a home. Over 50% of our population is “burdened” by housing costs, defined as paying more than 30% of gross income to cover housing costs. We have both an affordability and an availability problem.

The Skagit Housing Consortium is a new, public-benefit corporation formed in Skagit County, Washington with the mission to ensure housing is available, affordable, and of sufficient quality for all income levels in Skagit County across the continuum of needs. The Consortium is an open tent, welcoming to all who are interested in constructively addressing the issues of housing availability and affordability. The Consortium is not a funder, developer, or builder, and will not absorb or compete for resources targeted to housing development. Rather, this organization will provide education, explore best practices, and promote support for housing solutions and opportunities across the County. Similar organizations in our neighboring counties have found success in these ventures.

The Consortium has been working since June 2021 to build our common understanding of the collective needs of Skagit’s housing systems and its impacts on our social, economic, and environmental success moving forward. Early milestones completed include incorporation with articles and bylaws; establishing a board of directors and officers; executing a 2023 fiscal sponsor agreement with the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County; educating each other on a variety of topics in monthly meetings; advocating for a new, county-wide housing initiative; and forming a working committee structure. Most importantly, we’ve developing an impactful and measurable 2023 draft work plan that matches our capabilities and community’s needs.

The Consortium’s board of directors believes the time is now to build our formal membership and the financial resources to implement our work plan. We are happy to announce our first three financial contributions, including $10,000 from Peace Health, $5,000 from Community Action of Skagit County, and $5,000 in-kind from EDASC. However, to be successful, we need a robust, dues-paying membership, and we are writing today to ask you formally to join this membership for 2023. Funds will be used initially for administrative and organizational purposes, with the goal of eventually employing or contracting with a housing expert who can direct the Consortium on a part-time basis. The Skagit Housing Consortium offers four classes of membership, including:

• Individual membership, defined as any citizen living or working in Skagit County ($100); 

• Non-profit membership, defined as any not-for-profit, public-benefit organization ($200);

• Industry membership, defined as a for-profit business, corporation, or sole proprietors ($250); and

• Governmental membership, defined as the municipalities or other political subdivisions ($250)

In addition, to become fully functional, the Consortium will need a few donations of greater size. To that end we have created three major donor levels:

• Foundational Donor: $1,000 annually

• Atrium Donor: $2,500 annually

• Rooftop Donor: $5,000 annually

Membership signifies public affirmation of support for the Consortium’s mission, and requires simply completing the attached membership form and paying annual dues. We highly value member participation and respect that discretionary funds may be limited, so any potential member may request a dues waiver annually.

Membership allows the Consortium’s name and logo to be displayed on appropriate publications and electronic media, and provides the satisfaction of knowing that you or your organization is working collaboratively towards collective impact addressing one of the most pressing needs in our rural community. The board of directors looks forward to defining and executing those positive impacts jointly with you.

Please join us as a founding member of the Skagit Housing Consortium for 2023.