Editor,

Many of us look to online resources to find rental homes. Today, Feb. 15, one local and widely utilized resource listed two homes for three-month leases, a roommate situation, two office spaces, two storage spaces and 14 families seeking housing. This reflects the changing face of the rental situation in our community on the South End.

The editorial and article in a recent The Record gave an accurate accounting of the escalating need for affordable housing due to, among other things, the Navy bringing in thousands of folks who will not be housed by the Navy.

The South Whidbey Homeless Coalition’s mission is “To make homelessness a brief and rare experience” in our community. We opened May 29, 2015, and have housed 60 persons in that time. Our consistent need is for affordable housing. We are working with property managers and landlords to help create solutions for our guests when they leave our home. Many of our guests who come from poverty situations and struggle with the criteria needed to rent in this market. Indeed,

This is a difficult task when someone has excellent rental and credit history.

We would encourage landlords and property managers to look at our website, www.southwhidbeyhomelesscoalition.org, get to know us, and work with us to help house the most vulnerable in our community. We are more than willing to use our resources and good name to work with you to house folks who come through our home.

Thanks to those managers and landlords who are currently working with us and helping to create affordable housing for our neighbors.

JUDY THORSLUND

Homeless Coalition board member, house manager