The new Sequim

[CalWorth]

^^I'm the OP of this thread and the topic is "The new Sequim", if you remember. So, the fact that his house has been assessed as such is certainly relevant as it points to the lack of affordable housing in the area. As housing prices increased, rents did as well. It wasn't long ago that a apartment or even a small house was $800/month. Try that now.

IMO, housing prices didn't skyrocket only because of "rich retirees", there is more to it than that. I have seen quite a few Teslas & Rivians in town this winter. That is a new thing; summer, sure, dead of winter, no.

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by bartonizer

A glut of 55+ mobile homes in leased communities doesn't solve the lack of housing affordability, for people who are looking. Then again, if I told you ten years ago - or even five years ago - that "low cost housing" included the $300-$500k+ range, you would have laughed in my face.

One problem in many areas is that there isn't a wide variety of types of housing being built, and it's not all that cost effective to build anything in-between, and it hasn't kept pace with growth since 2008, so there's not much available (relatively) and the demand has caused prices to skyrocket. Yes, there are big custom homes, and mobile homes, but there's a huge of people hoping to find something in the middle, and a number of factors in the last 3-5 years- like a trend of WFH, people being priced out of cities, and demographic shifts has created a crazy market.

I'm not really sure what you're arguing, but the fact that you bought your house for $187k in 2003 and it's now worth $700k proves my point. Would you or could you afford your house if you just moved to the area and it was listed for $700k? I couldn't.

Highlighted above^^...Why not?

As for the manufactured homes in Sequim or Dungeness Meadows which is north of town, I believe they are 55+ housing. Not sure about Parkland in Carlsborg. And FYI not all manufactured home are on a lease. My first home in Sequim (2001) was a manufactured home ($110 including the lot) put up on my own lot by the company that built Hendickson Estates, which is the large site of manufactured homes in Sequim.

https://www.bing.com/homes/map?q=man...mltype:%220%22

A manufactured home is a in the middle. Between those houses being built that cost $400K+ and a manufactured home costing around $150K or less to put up on a lot. Leased lot or not.

https://factoryexpohomes.com/ppc/nor...722c1a6408e913

But if you look around there is plenty of affordable housing in the Sequim area.
Manufactured homes may not be for everyone but if one's budget is not up to a $400k+ house a manufactured home maybe the answer.

Yes I could afford a new $187K home in 2003 (paid cash) and yes I could afford a $700K home now if I was inclined to do so.
Define in-between ^^a custom built and a mobile home/manufactured?

Oh and I am not arguing I am point out facts.

[rantiquity]

I read a news article in the the local news paper that let citizens and business express their views on the homeless problem that has grown, in my opinion, since the MAP center opened. There has been a major up tick in businesses calling the police complaining about things like homeless sleeping on the door step of their businesses. There appears to be some kind of church service organization that feeds the homeless and in turn they are camping out outside of their door. Since this is a problem maybe this Church service should be shut down. Thus discouraging the homeless in the down town core area.

I have also notice a major up tick in people who are holding signs begging for money on most entrances to Safeway and Walmart and on River road on ramp of 101. The article also says their are cars and RV around the city that seem to house some of these people. The small park and parking area just off Washington and Sequim ave seems to be a landing spot for the homeless.
Your thoughts...

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by MechAndy

There might be zoning issues on a property like that.
If that area is zoned for 5 acre parcels they might not let you build a new house there when the mobile home/trailer needs replacement.
They might not even allow a new mobile home if the zoning ordinance prohibits it.
It might just be a property that a neighbor absorbs into theirs.
There are very strict building restrictions in my area, some that most would find shocking.

I went by there last week after visiting my mother in the hospital, and the new people have moved in. There doesn't appear to be any sign of plans to demolish and build. That area was zoned for 5 acre minimum and there home was grandfathered.

[MechAndy]

Nice.
Glad that is working out.

I have dealt with tons of permitting issues and zoning issues in my past life as a contractor.
One thing I noticed was this last 20 or so years (in CA but WA seems to always follow bad precedence) is that you no longer go in to “pull a permit”, you go in to “submit for review”.

One of the craziest situations was a 2’x3’x6’ shovel and rake shed in Ruby Hills.
Honey fricken cow! I must have had near 40 man hours into this submittal before I threw in the towel on this seemingly sensible idea.

This was not the only situation like this that I've had to deal with so I’ve become rather jaded when it comes to the local building departments.

The way Sequim and the surrounding areas run things doesn’t seem like they have our best interest at heart.
Just sayin.

[CalWorth]

The church referenced in the Sequim newspaper article is a storefront next to A-1 Auto Parts on Washington Street. There have been different businesses there thru the years. Now it's a Calvary Church. Homeless people sleep in the doorway & the sidewalk & they run a soup kitchen in the alley. It's right in the middle of the tourist area in downtown Sequim.

[mayfair]

Originally Posted by CalWorth

The church referenced in the Sequim newspaper article is a storefront next to A-1 Auto Parts on Washington Street. There have been different businesses there thru the years. Now it's a Calvary Church. Homeless people sleep in the doorway & the sidewalk & they run a soup kitchen in the alley. It's right in the middle of the tourist area in downtown Sequim.

This happened in Mt. Vernon with a church. Sequim will eventually have to deal with the aftermath of a good deed that doesn't end well with the addicted crowd.

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by mayfair

This happened in Mt. Vernon with a church. Sequim will eventually have to deal with the aftermath of a good deed that doesn't end well with the addicted crowd.

You are right...this feeding station for the homeless will only attract more homeless when the word gets out. Its bad enough that the homelessness has increased since the completion of the MAT center...now this.
The city of Sequim should try to discourage homelessness to camp out on our streets and not encourage it by allowing this church group to feed and allow them to stay near by until the next

meal time.
This will be a blithe on our city when the tourist season is in full swing and possibly discouraging tourist to return.

[CalWorth]

Originally Posted by mayfair

This happened in Mt. Vernon with a church. Sequim will eventually have to deal with the aftermath of a good deed that doesn't end well with the addicted crowd.

You are right. And yet it continues & expands.

I am curious regarding what is currently happening with this situation in Mt. Vernon

[mayfair]

Originally Posted by CalWorth

You are right. And yet it continues & expands.

I am curious regarding what is currently happening with this situation in Mt. Vernon

The church stopped serving 3 meals a day after complaints from businesses and downtown is much better now. It looks like just the usual homeless problems (unavoidable in WA) and not homeless congregating and sleeping downtown in large numbers.