Housing Action Plan

Previous Housing Related Efforts:

Two separate efforts assisted in providing guidance during the development of this Housing Action Plan. Policy amendments were made to the City's Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan in 2016. These amendments, along with the existing housing goals and policies, established the foundation for the Housing Action Plan's strategies and recommended actions. Additionally, in 2018, Island County Human Services led the North Whidbey Affordable Housing Task Force, of which City representatives were actively engaged throughout the process. Recommendations from this Task Force have been reviewed and incorporated into this effort, as appropriate.

Elements of the Housing Action Plan project:

To provide a Housing Action Plan which delivers effective and pertinent strategies and recommended actions, several vital elements needed to be addressed. In addition to a balanced and functional document for use by the City of Oak Harbor, the Housing Action Plan was also required to include specific items to satisfy grant requirements. The Housing Action Plan included the following key elements:

• Project Charter: The Project Charter confirms the purpose, scope of work, communication protocols, and project schedule.
• Public Involvement Plan: The Public Involvement Plan was developed to provide forums to receive valuable public input. Methods engaged in this Housing Action Plan included the creation of an interactive website; assembly of a Stakeholder Advisory Group and convening of three meetings; opportunity for review at key junctures by regional housing and community service providers; and, frequent staff presentations to the City's Planning Commission and City Council.
• Housing Needs Assessment: The Housing Needs Assessment is a comprehensive study of Oak Harbor's demographic and workforce profile, income, housing market supply and condition, and land capacity analysis. The Assessment's purpose is to examine all this pertinent existing and projected data to identify housing trends, needs or gaps which would need to be addressed.
• Housing Action Plan: The Action Plan combines and synthesizes all of this information and proposes strategies and actions designed to meet and potentially satisfy the identified trends, needs, or gaps.

Next Steps:

The City Council adopted the Housing Action Plan by Resolution No 21-17 on June 1, 2021. Staff has begun the process of reviewing the recommended actions. This review will assess the components necessary to implement each action, including staff and financial resources required, level of other department/agency/provider coordination, and long-term monitoring or management needs.