will take ownership of the Pea Patch property.
With approval by the boards of all four participating organizations, OPAL will become the new owner of the Pea Patch property in Eastsound, with the sale closing this fall.
Acquiring the 11-acre parcel, an effort initiated by the Community Foundation, marks the first step in an ongoing collaboration by the Food Bank, the Community Resource Center, and OPAL to address homelessness and provide a better safety net for islanders. The land will be a part of OPAL Community Land Trust, held in trust for the benefit of the Orcas community.
The land purchase and future coordinated efforts will offer a permanent, expanded home for the Food Bank, a new home for the Community Resource Center with convenient access to support services and a day-use center for islanders living in unstable or substandard situations, and 20 new affordable rentals for low- and very-low-income households, to be constructed by OPAL.
“The decision that OPAL assumes ownership speaks to the trust our fellow organizations have in us and in the community land trust model,” explained Lisa Byers, OPAL executive director. “It reflects our experience in owning and managing land on Orcas for 35 years. Taking this on goes to the very heart of our values of serving the needs of our community.”
The land purchase and future coordinated efforts will offer a permanent, expanded home for the Food Bank, a new home for the Community Resource Center with convenient access to support services and a day-use center for islanders living in unstable or substandard situations, and 20 new affordable rentals for low- and very-low-income households, to be constructed by OPAL.
Funding for the Pea Patch purchase came from private donations to OPAL and the Community Foundation, along with a low-interest loan from the state Housing Finance Commission. Pre-development activities are being supported by donations and grants, including one from San Juan County.
Taking this on goes to the very heart of our values of serving the needs of our community.”
— Executive Director Lisa Byers
Next Steps:
Governing Documents, a Steering Committee and an Open, Inclusive Design Process,
The next critical steps will involve drafting governing documents and establishing a steering committee. Then, meetings will be held with neighbors, community leaders, and islanders who have experienced housing instability to gather input and begin the design process. OPAL’s goal is to start housing construction in 2025.
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