Editor,

A shortage of housing coupled by the rise in rents and the increase in Airbnb market for in-home apartments has left many of our local workers and support staff without housing. The question is, what can we, as a community, do to keep these very necessary workers here so the businesses we rely on stay open?

The new nonprofit, thincwhidbey.org, wants to build a little community of tiny houses that will rent on a sliding scale, dependent upon a person’s income. A board composed of members from seven South Whidbey churches plans to start with each church building one house with their funds and volunteers.

Please help get the word out that we are looking for land for sale in Langley.

At this time, only Langley has authority to make this happen and it’s a huge advantage to have both city sewer and water. We need at least a half acre on which to put seven houses of 220 sq.ft. each. This would be a total of 1,500 sq.ft., about the size of just one average house. If a house is already on the property, it could be well served as the meeting house and also to house computers and a laundry room.

We have just begun to raise funds, collecting $50,000, plus a $50,000 pledge for a matching contributions.

If someone would want to donate the land, it would be named after them as a perpetual memorial. Their benevolence would be clear on the sign bearing their name.

Donations can be made through participating churches, or to our nonprofit directly at P.O. Box 974, Langley, WA 98260

For more info check our website or call me at 360-969-9444.

Coyla Shepard

Langley