Submitted by the San Juan Community Home Trust

The San Juan Community Home Trust held its 16th annual meeting on Thursday, Nov. 16 at the Grange. More than 50 people attended and enjoyed hearty dishes. They also heard updates on the Home Trust’s progress to provide permanently affordable housing by David Gow, executive director, and Sarah Crosby, president. A special presentation was made by Mallory Hagel of OPAL, the affordable housing/land trust organization on Orcas Island.

Crosby reviewed the Home Trust’s successes: 37 homes have been built to date in the Salal neighborhood off Carter, Sunrise I off Grover with eight classic homes reclaimed and barged from the Victoria/Oak Bay areas on Vancouver Island in Sunrise II, also off Grover. Four lots await more of these lovely older homes that will be barged to San Juan Island beginning in 2018 and will complete this third development. If you are interested in a tour of any or all of these neighborhoods, call the office at 360-378-5541.

Goals for more homes and neighborhoods are in the planning stages and will be the concentrated tasks of the returning board members Chary Caren, Sarah Crosby, Gay Graham, Bob Kleven, Bridget Nyberg and Chinmayo Ricketts. Joining them are new board members Marilyn Gresseth, Faim Melic, Chris Pope, Ashley Sherlock, AJ Tokunaga and Karen Vedder.

For more information on the Home Trust or to make a donation, visit hometrust.org, call 360-378-5541 or drop by the office at 435 Argyle Avenue.