The Poulsbo City Council was given an update on the Nordic Cottages project at its July 2 meeting and was told that the tenant waiting list is expected to open sometime this month as construction is slated to finish in September.

The project involves two cottages consisting of eight one-bedroom apartments at 609 NE Lincoln Road, otherwise known as the “Triangle Property.” The residences will be reserved for people age 62 and older who make 30% or less of the area median income ($26,000 in Kitsap). Up to two people will live in each residence, and preference will be given to those who live or work in the Poulsbo area, and who are rent-burdened in their current home.

Housing Kitsap is providing project management and expertise during construction and will provide property management when tenants move in. The award of project-based vouchers attached to the units is intended to provide affordability for many years to come, per city documents.

HK will announce the dates the waiting list will open on its website sometime this month. The waiting list will be open for two days. HK will accept applications in their lobby with staff and laptops to assist applicants. The lobby will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on those two days, located at 2244 NW Bucklin Hill Road in Silverdale. Tenants are tentatively expected to move in Sept. 15 following the selection process by HK.

Construction is on track to finish one month ahead of schedule in September. Interior finish, trim, cabinets, and bathrooms are currently underway, and exterior site work is still to be completed. Additionally, all utilities have been completed, and curbs, gutters and sidewalks have been installed. A gazebo, fencing and site landscaping will also be added, along with a “Hope Garden.”

The overall budget for the project is $3.96 million. Funding for the cottages comes from the city’s local one-tenth of one percent affordable housing tax, passed in 2021, along with county, state, and federal grants.