Affordable Housing in Kitsap County
Kitsap County needs thousands more homes that people with low and moderate incomes can afford. This page gathers the numbers, plans, funding and actions behind affordable housing in Kitsap, so residents, partners and decision-makers can make the case for building more of it.
Kitsap County Department of Human Services, Housing and Homelessness Division · Last reviewed October 2026
The need at a glance
Each figure is labeled with the area it covers. Countywide figures include unincorporated Kitsap and the cities of Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island.
-
Countywide791
homes a year
needed through 2044 for households earning 80% of area median income (AMI) or less: 18,986 homes in all.
Source:
Countywide Planning Policies, Appendix F (2024), County and four cities combined
-
Unincorporated Kitsap42
of 348
Homes at or below 80% AMI built each year on average, against 348 a year needed.
Source:
Housing Element Technical Analysis, Table 17 (2024); building permits 2013–2019
-
Countywide$1,716
a month
Average rent in 2024, up from $917 in 2014. After inflation, that is a 41% increase.
Source:
Kitsap County briefing to the Planning Commission, July 2026
-
Countywide$39.06
an hour
Full-time wage needed to afford a typical two-bedroom rental in the Bremerton–Silverdale–Port Orchard area, about $81,000 a year.
Source:
National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach 2026
-
Countywide64%
of renters earning under 30% of AMI are severely cost burdened, spending more than half their income on housing.
Source:2025-2030 Homeless Housing Plan, Appendix A, Figure 9 from HUD Office of Policy and Research (PD&R) CHAS Data 2017-2021
-
Countywide551
people
were counted experiencing homelessness on January 29, 2026, including 230 without shelter.
Source:
2026 Point-in-Time Count
The Affordable Housing Report
Kitsap’s in-depth local study · March 2020
City of Bremerton & Kitsap County Affordable Housing Recommendations Report
Kitsap County and the City of Bremerton hired the consulting firm ECONorthwest to examine Kitsap’s housing market in depth and recommend ways to produce and preserve more affordable homes. The study was paid for with federal Community Development Block Grant funds from both governments and countywide homeless housing funds. It draws on interviews with developers, nonprofits and local staff, a full inventory of Kitsap’s housing, and a 17-year forecast of housing need. It is still the most detailed study of housing affordability written specifically for Kitsap.
What the report found
Countywide figures, using data from 2010 to 2019.
-
Supply had fallen behind. Kitsap needed about 25,150 new homes of all kinds from 2019 to 2036, about 1,480 a year. That is nearly three times the pace of 2010–2017.
-
Building had not kept up with households. From 2010 to 2017, about 42 homes were built for every 100 new households.
-
The deepest shortage is at the lowest incomes. Kitsap was short about 5,800 rental homes affordable to renters earning under 30% of median income.
-
Many households were stretched. About half of renters and nearly a quarter of homeowners spent more than 30% of their income on housing.
-
Costs were climbing. Median rents rose about 59% from 2011 to 2019, and median home prices rose 34% from 2008 to 2019.
-
Affordable homes are concentrated. Of about 4,200 income-restricted homes in Kitsap, about two-thirds of those serving households under 30% of median income were in Bremerton.
-
Common barriers: low allowed densities, limited sewer and water outside cities, parking requirements, permit timelines, too little local funding, and neighborhood opposition.
The ten priority recommendations
Expected impact on affordability, as rated by the report.
-
Preserve existing affordable homes and prevent displacement, including mobile home parks and expiring income-restricted homes.
High
-
Update the land strategy: surplus public land, land banking and help assembling sites.
High
-
Create a revolving loan fund for acquisition, predevelopment and construction.
High
-
Form an investment fund to buy and keep moderately priced housing affordable.
Medium
-
Add local funding sources, such as a sales tax, levy or real estate excise tax.
High
-
Pool County and city housing funds into larger awards that draw in state and federal money.
High
-
Expand the community land trust model countywide.
High
-
Encourage “missing middle” housing: duplexes, cottages, townhomes and ADUs.
Medium
-
Remove barriers in land use rules and speed up permitting.
Medium
-
Allow more homes near transit and ferries.Low
The report also lists 33 additional recommendations.
What has changed since 2020
-
New local funding (recommendation 5). Kitsap County now uses a 0.1% sales tax for affordable housing through the
Community Investments in Affordable Housing (CIAH) program. Since its first grant year in 2024, about $20 million has gone to 16 projects.
-
Planning for every income level. State law (HB 1220, 2021) requires housing plans to accommodate homes at every income level. In 2024 the County and cities adopted shared targets for 2020–2044 (see below).
-
More housing types allowed (recommendations 8–10). State laws passed in 2023 require many cities to allow middle housing and require cities and counties to allow accessory dwelling units in urban areas. In unincorporated Kitsap, the County has raised densities and heights, allowed more multifamily and middle housing, relaxed parking and ADU rules, offers a multifamily tax exemption, and offers pre-approved ADU plans.
-
Tenant protections (recommendation 1). Washington’s rent stabilization law (HB 1217, 2025) limits yearly rent increases for most rentals.
-
Easier siting of supportive housing. HB 2266 (2026) requires cities to allow transitional and permanent supportive housing in residential zones and hotel zones inside urban growth areas.
How many homes Kitsap needs
Washington’s Growth Management Act requires every county and city to plan for homes affordable at every income level. Through the
Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council, Kitsap County and its four cities agreed in 2024 on how to share the housing needed from 2020 to 2044. Together they must plan for about
32,950 new homes, and
58% of those homes are needed for households earning 80% of AMI or less. The market rarely builds homes at those prices without public funding or incentives.
More than half of the homes Kitsap needs are for households at or below 80% of AMI
New homes needed countywide, 2020–2044, by household income (% of AMI)
-
0–30% AMI
9,050
-
31–80% AMI
9,936
-
81–120% AMI
4,637
-
Above 120% AMI
9,327
Plus 1,390 emergency housing beds. Source: Countywide Planning Policies, Appendix F (Ordinance 631-2024). Countywide totals are the sum of the five jurisdictions in the table below.
New homes each jurisdiction must plan for, 2020–2044, by household income (% of AMI)
| Jurisdiction |
All new homes |
0–30% |
31–80% |
81–120% |
Above 120% |
Emergency housing beds |
| Unincorporated Kitsap County |
14,497 |
3,982 |
4,372 |
2,040 |
4,103 |
612 |
| Bremerton |
9,556 |
2,624 |
2,882 |
1,345 |
2,705 |
403 |
| Port Orchard |
4,943 |
1,358 |
1,490 |
696 |
1,399 |
209 |
| Bainbridge Island |
1,977 |
543 |
596 |
278 |
560 |
83 |
| Poulsbo |
1,977 |
543 |
596 |
278 |
560 |
83 |
| Countywide total |
32,950 |
9,050 |
9,936 |
4,637 |
9,327 |
1,390 |
Source:
Countywide Planning Policies, Appendix F: Housing Allocation Through 2044. The 0–30% column includes permanent supportive housing. Each city’s plan shows how it will accommodate its share; see
County and city housing plans.
Unincorporated Kitsap: building far below the need at lower incomes
The County’s own analysis for its Comprehensive Plan compares recent building with the need. Homes for higher-income households are being built faster than the plan requires. Homes affordable at or below 80% of AMI are being built at about one-eighth of the needed pace.
Homes needed each year vs. homes built each year, unincorporated Kitsap County
Need is the 2020–2044 allocation divided by 24 years. Built is the historical yearly average from building permits, 2013–2019.
-
Needed each year
-
Built each year
-
At or below 80% AMI348 needed42 built
-
81–120% AMI85 needed77 built
-
Above 120% AMI171 needed262 built
Source:
Kitsap County Housing Element Technical Analysis (Comprehensive Plan Appendix A, July 2024), Table 17. This comparison covers unincorporated Kitsap only; the cities report their own figures.
The same analysis found that land zoned in the 2024 Comprehensive Plan could hold about 7,175 homes affordable at or below 80% of AMI, 1,179 fewer than the 8,354 needed. In 2025 the state Growth Management Hearings Board found parts of the plan, including its housing provisions, out of compliance, and the County has been revising them through a remand process. Follow that work on the
Comprehensive Plan page.
Who affordable housing is for
A home is considered affordable when a household spends no more than 30% of its income on rent or mortgage plus utilities. Households paying more than that are
cost burdened, and those paying more than half are
severely cost burdened. Housing programs set eligibility by
area median income (AMI). In 2026, Kitsap’s median family income is
$129,600.
2026 Kitsap County income limits and affordable monthly housing costs
| Household size |
30% AMI
(extremely low) |
50% AMI
(very low) |
60% AMI |
80% AMI
(low) |
| 1 person |
$27,500 |
$45,400 |
$54,480 |
$72,600 |
| Affordable monthly cost |
$688 |
$1,135 |
$1,362 |
$1,815 |
| 2 people |
$31,150 |
$51,850 |
$62,220 |
$83,000 |
| 3 people |
$35,050 |
$58,350 |
$70,020 |
$93,350 |
| 4 people |
$38,900 |
$64,800 |
$77,760 |
$103,700 |
| Affordable monthly cost |
$973 |
$1,620 |
$1,944 |
$2,593 |
Income limits:
Kitsap County briefing, July 2026 (HUD FY2026). Affordable monthly cost is 30% of the income limit divided by 12.
Compare those amounts with Kitsap’s 2024 average rent of $1,716. A single person earning $27,500 can afford about $690 a month. Affordable housing serves a wide range of neighbors:
- Workers in retail, food service, child care, health care support and other jobs essential to daily life
- Older adults on fixed incomes, who the County identifies as at growing risk of displacement
- People with disabilities and others who rely on fixed or limited incomes
- Young families and first-time homebuyers
- People leaving homelessness, who need deeply affordable homes, often with support services
Funding and programs
Affordable homes usually need several funding sources: local dollars help projects compete for state funds, federal grants and housing tax credits. These are the main local programs.
-
Community Investments in Affordable Housing (CIAH)
Kitsap County. A local sales and use tax dedicated to affordable and supportive housing, shelter, and related services. It is collected countywide outside Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island, about $5.5 million a year. Since its first grant year in 2024, CIAH has awarded about $20 million to 16 projects.
-
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME
Kitsap County. Federal funds from HUD for affordable housing, community facilities and economic opportunity for low- and moderate-income residents. The County’s CDBG program serves the county outside Bremerton; its HOME program serves the whole county, including Bremerton. From 2021 to 2025, the County awarded about $7 million to 17 capital projects.
-
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
City of Bremerton. Bremerton receives its own CDBG funds from HUD for projects inside the city and receives HOME funds through an agreement with Kitsap County. The City and County share a coordinated grant application and a five-year Consolidated Plan.
Funds at work in 2026: County affordable housing funds are supporting 268 new homes, 55 rehabilitated homes and down payment help for 8 households. Recent projects include Meadowdale in Silverdale (262 homes), Times Square Apartments in Kingston (16 homes), Nordic Cottages in Poulsbo (8 homes) and new townhomes in Bremerton’s Manette neighborhood (9 homes).
Other sources that complete the financing
A missing piece is ongoing operating money. Capital grants pay to build homes, but homes for households at 0–30% of AMI, especially permanent supportive housing, also need ongoing funding for operations, maintenance and services.
County and city housing plans
Each jurisdiction’s comprehensive plan includes a housing element that shows how it will accommodate its share of the need at every income level. These plans are where zoning, density and housing policy are set, and each is adopted after public hearings.
-
Unincorporated Kitsap County
2024 Comprehensive Plan, with housing revisions in response to a 2025 Growth Management Hearings Board decision. Need: 14,497 homes, 8,354 at or below 80% AMI.
-
City of Bremerton
Bremerton2044 Comprehensive Plan, adopted June 2025, with a housing appendix. Need: 9,556 homes, 5,506 at or below 80% AMI.
-
City of Port Orchard
Comprehensive Plan with a housing chapter and a Housing Action Plan (Appendix H). Need: 4,943 homes, 2,848 at or below 80% AMI.
-
City of Poulsbo
2024 Comprehensive Plan, adopted June 18, 2025, with Chapter 7: Housing. Need: 1,977 homes, 1,139 at or below 80% AMI.
-
City of Bainbridge Island
Comprehensive Plan; see the City’s 2024 periodic update page for the status of its housing element. Need: 1,977 homes, 1,139 at or below 80% AMI.
-
Countywide
The Countywide Planning Policies set shared housing goals and divide the 2020–2044 housing need among the County and cities. They call for dispersing affordable housing, locating it near transit and jobs, and preventing displacement.
Related County plans: the
2026–2030 Consolidated Plan (federal CDBG and HOME priorities) and the
Kitsap Homeless Housing Plan 2025–2030.
How to close the gap
No single tool will close a gap this large. The 2020 report, the Countywide Planning Policies and the County’s current plans point to the same set of strategies.
-
Fund it
Keep local funds like CIAH and federal block grants strong, combine them to draw in state and tax-credit financing, and add ongoing funding for operations and services.
-
Zone for it
Allow more homes and more types of homes in urban areas, especially near jobs, transit and ferries. Reduce parking requirements and speed up permits.
-
Preserve it
Keep existing affordable homes affordable, including mobile home parks and aging apartments, and help residents stay in their homes.
-
Share it
Site affordable and supportive housing in every community, as the Countywide Planning Policies call for, rather than concentrating it in a few places.
-
Partner on it
Work with housing authorities, nonprofit developers, land trusts, employers and faith communities, which can bring land, capital and services.
-
Measure it
Track homes funded and built by income level in each jurisdiction against that jurisdiction’s share of the need, and report progress every year.
How you can help
Talking points
- Kitsap must plan for about
791 new homes a year for households earning 80% of area median income or less through 2044.
- In unincorporated Kitsap, about
42 such homes a year were built, against a need of 348.
- A full-time worker needs
$39.06 an hour to afford a typical two-bedroom rental here.
- Average rent nearly
doubled in ten years, from $917 in 2014 to $1,716 in 2024.
- More than
3 in 4 of Kitsap’s lowest-income renters spend over half their income on housing.
- Homelessness here is local:
80% of unsheltered people surveyed in the 2026 count who gave a last address had stable housing in Kitsap before.
Reports and resources
Kitsap County
Regional (external links)
Washington State (external links)
National (external links)
Key terms
-
Area median income (AMI)
- The middle household income for the area, set each year by HUD and adjusted by household size. Programs define eligibility as a percentage of AMI.
-
Cost burdened
- Spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Severely cost burdened means spending more than 50%.
-
Income-restricted housing
- Homes whose rent or price is kept affordable to households below a set income, usually in exchange for public funding or tax credits.
-
Permanent supportive housing
- Affordable housing paired with services, such as case management and health care, for people who have experienced homelessness or have disabilities.
-
Missing middle housing
- Housing types between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, such as duplexes, cottages, townhomes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
-
Housing tax credits
- Federal low-income housing tax credits, awarded in Washington by the Housing Finance Commission, that investors buy to finance affordable rental housing.
-
Comprehensive plan and housing element
- The 20-year plan each county and city adopts under the Growth Management Act. Its housing element shows how the jurisdiction will accommodate housing for every income level.
