As the Navy moves forward with its plans for additional personnel here, we are already starting to see the impacts of the base growth island-wide.
Real estate sales inventory is growing scarce, and affordable rentals are at a premium. Meanwhile, the greatest growth at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station is still on the horizon.
The number of personnel associated with NAS Whidbey is projected to increase by 1,320 people, or 7 percent, to 19,560, by 2018 and by 3,740 people, or 20 percent, to 21,980, by 2019.
Real estate agents are reporting that affordable homes are selling nearly as fast as they’re listed, and property managers say they have little to rent.
Oak Harbor’s Tara Property Rentals typically has 10-15 properties, out of its inventory of 300, available to rent at any one time, said Brittany Azevedo, the firm’s receptionist.
Right now, she said, “we have nothing. As soon as I put something up, it’s gone.”
The Navy has no plans to start building additional housing, according to base spokesman Mike Welding, adding there may be a study done on the subject, but that’s not a certainly.
The time, however, is now to prepare for the inevitable population growth. Affordable housing is critical to military personnel and their dependents.
If rents are rising, as noted by Oak Harbor Windermere property manager Jason McFadyen, what will the housing market look like later this summer? In a year?
South Whidbey’s rental market is also reportedly getting “very tight,” according to Windermere’s property manager there.
Under the law of supply and demand, it stands to reason that rent and home sales prices will continue rising. Do we want to risk having demand become so great that the cost of housing falls out of reach for many?
As housing options dry up on North and Central Whidbey, people will be forced to expand their home searches to South Whidbey, Anacortes and elsewhere in Skagit County.
That means more commuters crossing Deception Pass Bridge and on Whidbey Island’s two-lane highway.
Part of what has always made Whidbey Island so appealing to military families and others is the quality of life, and that includes access to affordable housing.
Failing to act now to increase the housing inventory on Whidbey isn’t fair to the many new service personnel and their families that about to make this island their home.
Whether it be city, county or federal representatives, it’s time for government leaders to start taking whatever steps are needed to ensure that new and affordable housing is in the pipeline, and to address the impacts of having more people on Whidbey Island’s roads and in our schools.
