About 100 people listened to a virtual discussion Tuesday morning about the current state and future of housing and homelessness in Snohomish County.

Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC) hosted a “Coffee Chat” featuring the following panelists: 

– Chris Collier, program manager for Alliance for Housing Affordability at Housing Authority of Snohomish County

– Bobby Thompson, executive director for Housing Consortium of Everett & Snohomish County

– Tina Vlasaty, deputy director of LISC Puget Sound

– John Hull, CEO of Everett Gospel Mission

– Rachel Downes, director of strategic initiatives for Housing Hope

Collier’s presentation showcased data over the years, including the county’s median household income, what it costs to own a home and what it costs to rent, among other statistics.

The median sale price for a single-family detached home in Snohomish County as of November 2024 is $822,211. He said a loan provider may require a household income of about $194,000 to purchase a home at that price.

In 2021, the median household income was $112,000 – less than what a loan provider may require. Collier said the median household income has declined since then.

Meanwhile, a renter who lives in a studio or three-bedroom apartment – for example – paid an average of $2,200 per month in 2023. The average rent this year is $2,144. He said that is the first time rents have declined in over 15 years.

“Rents are coming down as we have a surplus of housing stock, giving people options,” Collier said. “Landlords are starting to compete and reduce prices, but [home] ownership remains high.”

In the early 2000s, home sales were typically between $200,000 and $500,000. The number of home sales between $500,000 and $600,000 started to increase beginning in 2016. Home sales over $1 million suddenly emerged in 2021, he said.

Those who bought their home in 2014 may be paying about $2,600 per month for their mortgage, which is about the same price as a three-bedroom apartment in 2024, Collier said.

About 81% of the county’s homeowners moved into their place in 2014 or earlier, he said.

“As we think about [housing] and how people relate to it, we have to recognize that most people are living in a circumstance where they aren’t experiencing this housing crisis. It’s only people that are currently renting or trying to be that first-time home buyer today,” Collier said. 

At the event, EASC’s Interim President and CEO Wendy Poischbeg asked Hull of the Everett Gospel Mission how the lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness and how transitional and supportive housing programs help with that.

Hull said homelessness is a housing problem. Accessible, affordable and supportive housing is how people can get out of homelessness. Transitional and supportive housing programs provide unhoused people “a place of stabilization,” he said.

When asked how LISC Puget Sound addresses systemic barriers to housing affordability, Vlasaty said the national economic development and affordable housing organization has been engaged with policy work that encourages the production of more affordable housing units in the region.

Poischbeg asked Downes how Housing Hope ensures that housing solutions are tailored to meet the specific needs of diverse communities. 

Downes said listening to local communities is at the core of the organization’s model. It has regional advisory boards in North County, East County and South County that listen to local leaders and those with lived experiences.

“It’s very important to be person-centered in this work,” Downes said. “For every person who is experiencing homelessness today on our street, they have a unique story of how they got there and what is their path forward.”

The county’s homeless response system is not set up to do prevention work, Downes said. It is set up to prioritize those who are most vulnerable. Increasing housing supply is one of the ways to prevent homelessness, she said.

Thompson said those who are interested in supporting organizations that deal with housing and homelessness should reach out and inquire if there is a chance to get involved.

Businesses and public entities that have surplus land can also partner with those organizations to help boost the housing supply, he said, because purchasing land is one of the biggest challenges of getting affordable housing built. 

For this upcoming state legislative session, Thompson said one of the topics his organization will focus on is rent stabilization — a proposal they are supporting would provide stability and protect low-income renters, he said.

“If we’re going to get in front of the homelessness challenge moving forward, we have to quit making people homeless because of how cost burdened they are becoming,” he said.

Other legislative priorities for Thompson’s organization include creating a permanent funding source for the state’s Housing Trust Fund, as well as preventing cuts to homeless services as the Legislature deals with its budget shortfall. 

LISC Puget Sound sponsored EASC’s event.

— By Angelica Relente

Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network.