Building Community with Housing Resources Bainbridge

The roof over your head determines a lot of what happens in your day-to-day life. It’s one of the reasons I’m passionate about my work, helping people on their real estate journey, selling their home and finding the next stewards who will care for the gardens, raise little ones, or settle peacefully into a well-deserved retirement.

And while houses are my business, the heart of a home (and the heart of my practice) is its people. I’m a proud supporter of Housing Resources Bainbridge (HRB,) and the organization just held its annual fundraiser at Wing Point Golf and Country Club. It was a wonderful evening supporting an organization that I find increasingly vital.

The median home price on Bainbridge Island is nearly three times as high as the rest of Kitsap. [AM1] Some who can’t afford the Island’s basic services are leaving, while others who grew up on Bainbridge and want to return, or those with diverse backgrounds who would bring new ideas and energy, are kept away from island living, our wonderful schools, and community connection because of the cost of living.

HRB reports that housing is one of the biggest determinations of health and wellbeing—families burdened by housing costs and instability have less money to spend on food and healthcare. HRB works to provide housing and counter displacement, foster stability, and sustain the social connections across generations, cultures, and classes that strengthen and enliven Bainbridge Island.

Suzy and I were thrilled to be a presenting sponsor at the annual fundraiser. HRB, its sponsors, and volunteers, are all working to envision a more inclusive Bainbridge. We also heard an inspiring talk from Erin Christensen Ishizaki of Mithun, she’s a pioneer in design for health and well-being. Her early career focused on housing and neighborhood redevelopment planning and has spent over a decade advancing mixed-use, mixed-finance projects for private and public sector clients across the country.

I’m so thankful for the opportunity to gather in service of an organization that is so important to me. If you’d like to learn more about Housing Resource Bainbridge, I encourage you to visit their website here.