Two of our longtime affordable‑housing leaders say Anacortes’ draft Comprehensive Plan fails the basic requirements of the Growth Management Act — especially when it comes to housing for low‑income residents.
Their message: The GMA demands specifics. Not vague promises, not “the market will fix it,” but real numbers on who needs housing, how many units are required, where those units will go, and how the city will pay for them. Recent rulings in Mercer Island and Kitsap show that cities must identify land, funding, and concrete actions for each economic group — not lump everyone together and hope capacity magically solves affordability.
They argue Anacortes has had a Housing Action Plan since 2016 and has done almost nothing to implement it. Habitat for Humanity even tried partnering with the city to build homes — no progress, no transparency, no follow‑through.
Meanwhile, the housing crisis has gone from “problem” to “three‑alarm fire,” and the city’s housing subcommittee has produced no agendas, no minutes, and almost no public outreach. It looks busy, but residents have no idea what it’s actually doing.
Bottom line: The draft plan doesn’t meet GMA standards, doesn’t show how the city will fund housing, and doesn’t provide a real path for serving low‑income residents. After 35 years of knowing affordability requires subsidies and action, the city still isn’t doing the work.
If Anacortes wants real affordability, it needs real planning — not wishful thinking and empty process.
