Port Orchard, Washington

6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 market.” Port Orchard has a good mix of single-family and multi-family homes available, with hundreds of homes being added to the mix each year. “We have 10 apartment projects with over 1200 units of housing in them,” Bond explains. “And then we’re adding about 400 single family homes per year.” Housing Kitsap, the region’s housing authority, has also begun a type of “self-help” project in the city, akin to Habitat for Humanity. The project includes two developments – Sherman Ridge included about 30 homes, and Riverstone, which will be 39 homes. Selected home owners help to build their own house and pay for it using sweat equity. “They’re built in groups and they have professional builders there to help these homeowners,” Putaansuu says. “The homeowners have a requirement to help build their home and their neighbor’s home. It serves a lower income demographic that can’t afford traditional home prices. It helps with our workforce housing to ensure that people can afford to live in our community.” Thanks to the city’s careful growth strategy, Port Orchard now has some exciting projects on the horizon. They’ve recently created a zoning and development opportunity for redevelopment of the city’s historic downtown, which will include a three-pronged project that will provide some major change. Driving the development is a new corporate headquarters for Kitsap Bank. The bank’s former headquarters will be redeveloped into a new community center for the city, and eventually, a third structure will be developed to include a mixed-use project and a parking structure. The project is expected to begin next year. Plans are also in place for the Ruby Creek area of town, which will see a new Kitsap Transit Park and Ride lot for more than 200 cars, as well as additional mixed-use projects. “All these upcoming changes are helping to make Port Orchard the city it was meant to be,” PORT ORCHARD , WASHINGTON The Port of Bremerton is the fourth oldest Port in the State of Washington and the largest on the Kitsap Peninsula. Located in the beautiful Puget Sound region, the Port actively maintains and operates the Bremerton and Port Orchard Marinas, Bremerton National Airport, and Olympic View Industrial and Business Park. Its proximity to Seattle and Tacoma affords it the benefits of the larger cities without the associated costs, and easy access to the interstate highway, railroad, and deep-water Ports make an ideal, affordable business location. Bremerton and Port Orchard Marinas draw thousands of visiting boaters every year, not only for their own facilities and location but for the events they host. Events such as the Blackberry Festival, Chris Craft Rendezvous, and Bremerton BrewFest attract many local residents and visitors alike to downtown Bremerton and Port Orchard. In addition, Bremerton National Airport provides world-class general and corporate aviation capabilities, with tenants that range from developing aeronautic spacecraft to offering historic biplane rides. More than 60 companies, employing over 2,500 people, are located at the Port of Bremerton’s Olympic View Industrial and Business Park. Over 1,700 acres of Port- owned land are still being developed, with an additional 9,000 jobs projected by 2025. With the many varying aspects that work to make the Port of Bremerton what it has come to be, we are confident that everyone can find a home here. ...... For more information, please visit our website www.portofbremerton.com