LIHI Bainbridge Island development in the news

Concept drawing by Runberg Architecture Group

LIHI is working on developing affordable workforce housing with the city of Bainbridge Island. News was featured in a February 5th Seattle Times Article (PDF). The property at 625 Winslow Way E is located close to the transit center and the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal. This new housing would bring much needed affordable housing to a community where many of those employed in the city must commute to the island due to high housing costs.

Please also read these op-eds

• Bainbridge Island’s affordable housing problem is rich with excuses (PDF) by Josh Farley

• Kitsap Sun Op-Ed: A housing project that's showing the island's truecolors, one way or the other (PDF) by Caitlin Lombardi

Project snapshot

• 90 units

• For families and individuals at 50 - 80% of the area median income (AMI)

• Long term lease on City-owned property

• Close to ferry terminal and transit center

• Walking distance to downtown

• Critical need in community for affordable workforce housing

625 Winslow Way E Housing will consist of a mix of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments that will serve households with incomes ranging from 50%-80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). The lack of affordable housing is impacting the community and businesses on Bainbridge Island as people employed in restaurants, stores, schools, and services, including teachers, librarians, grocery clerks, landscapers, technicians, baristas and police officers can’t find affordable housing. According to the City of Bainbridge Housing Action Plan, a staggering 79% of workers surveyed who work on Bainbridge Island do not live there, but would if they could afford to do so. These are community members that cannot afford to live where they work. The high cost of housing and limited supply of affordable housing have negatively affected the economic health of the community as businesses cannot attract and maintain employees.

According to the National Community Survey, Bainbridge Island scored in the bottom 3% of the national benchmark for availability of affordable housing, with only 3% of the 11,000 housing units on the island considered to be affordable or income restricted. In January 2026, the average monthly rent for an apartment on Bainbridge Island is $2,341 (Zillow). A person working full-time at minimum wage can only afford to pay $890 in rent monthly, or $1,780 monthly at double the minimum wage.