Ex-church answers prayers for affordable housing

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 10, 2023

In the face of steep rents across Kitsap County owners of a former Port Orchard church plan to transform the building into low-cost housing for young adults who are working or going to school.

“We are trying to get young adults together. We are finding that social media, life and school being taught online are pulling young adults away from each other. We are trying to get them back to each other so they can build relationships, build their communication skills and work together,” said Aaron Bates, a Port Orchard general contractor, with Amici House LLC, a real estate development company that purchased the building for $600,000 in April of 2021.

The working name for the proposed residence — located southeast of the intersection of Dekalb Street and Harrison Avenue — is Amici House.

If approved by the city, the building — which had been a house, then a grocery story and eventually a church — will feature 22 sleeping units, Bates said. The structure will house up to 40 residents ages 18-25. The three-story building at 902 Dekalb St. will have five shared bathroom facilities and a large, shared kitchen, according to plans.

Monthly rent is expected to range between $550-$700, well below most local rates, Bates said. “We will be a dry house,” Bates said. “There will be no cigarettes, vaping, alcohol or marijuana.”

The Amici House will be a faith-based facility but not tied to a specific religion, Bates said.

Residents will be required to participate in study groups. “We are trying to create open discussions, not so much about religious points of view and not associated with any denomination,” he said.

Tenants must be single and have goals. “We need a plan from them about what their goals are moving into this house. We want to make sure they are not just looking for cheap rent and are going to be bums. We are looking for young adults who want to succeed and live in a house with like-minded people,” Bates said.

Applicants will undergo criminal background checks and have references checked, he said. Those selected will help prepare group meals, assist with cleaning and do community service, Bates noted. “We will offer to mow lawns of the neighbors every once in a while, help bring in their groceries or assist them with moves. We are looking to have (residents) experience the benefit of giving of themselves to those around them,” he said.

Before the project can be given the green light the city needs to issue a conditional use permit authorizing the structure to be a “congregate living facility” and approve a building permit. “Congregate living facilities” under city code are buildings that contain sleeping units where nontransient residents share bathroom or kitchen facilities, or both. Most residents will be on 12-month leases, Bates said.

Mayor Rob Putaansuu could not comment on the project since it is still going through the city’s permitting process but did say such endeavors meet important needs. “These are the type of facilities that our community, and every community, need to have. Projects along these lines are necessary because of the way housing costs and rents are rising. We need to provide alternatives for young adults,” Putaansuu said.

The Amici House development group is owned by Bates, his wife Janna Bates, bookkeeper at the family’s construction company, and Andrew and Julie Cain. Andrew is a principal at Cedar Heights Middle school in Port Orchard. He and his wife are involved in commercial development in Seattle’s Green Lake area.

Previously, the group played a role in another project aimed at providing young adults with housing. Last year the group purchased The Poplars, a mixed-use building in Silverdale, and dedicated 32 apartments for younger adults, Bates said.

Opponents of the housing project voiced their concerns at a recent public hearing. They expressed concern that residents in the Amici House will increase street traffic and impact parking. Others noted concern over public safety issues the residents could create for the neighborhood.

If the city approves the project, remodeling is expected to begin in June with Amici House opening its doors to residents in January of 2024, Bates said.