Letter to the editor

Published 1:30 am Friday, September 19, 2025

County negligence

To the editor:

A historic home in Port Orchard, rented by my family, is slated for demolition by the county—not because it’s unsafe, but for convenience. For seven years, our rent should have gone toward maintaining the property, but instead, the county paid a management company that neglected basic upkeep. County workers have even removed an entire bathroom wall, leaving us without a sink or lights, and damaged the floors and trim during “repairs.”

I proposed managing the property myself at zero cost to the county, preserving the historic home and ensuring safety—but the county rejected it. Meanwhile, our lease extension caused us to lose another home, leaving my family effectively homeless.

It’s hard to reconcile this with the county’s recent $10 million grant for preserving natural spaces like Wynn Jones Preserve, while historic homes are left to deteriorate and residents lose housing.

Michael-LA Jones

Port Orchard