Bremerton Housing Authority has a vision.  We see a future where everyone has the opportunity for a home that is safe and affordable; people are treated with respect regardless of their income level or background; and a person’s income cannot be identified by the neighborhood in which they live.  This vision is our target and guides the work we do each day.

We made significant strides this past year towards achieving this vision. Let me take this opportunity to share some of our accomplishments:

• Completed the acquisition of two properties to add to our portfolio of affordable rental housing – Wright Court (13 units for families, located in East Bremerton) and Charter House (30 units for seniors, located in Manette).  Both properties were purchased with the purpose of ensuring that they would be available in perpetuity to lower income households
  
• Sold 6 acres of land in the Bay Vista community (the site of the former Westpark public housing project) to Peninsula Community Health Services for future development of a community health facility serving west Bremerton.  This sale is partial fulfillment of the redevelopment masterplan for Westpark in which a new mixed-use, mixed-income, mixed-housing type neighborhood would be created
  
• Sponsored and hosted two major events in 2016 that brought attention to the critical need for “Housing First”, a model of housing delivery to address chronic homelessness.  Lloyd Pendleton, a national leader in Housing First initiatives, participated in both events as BHA’s guest.  Significant progress is now being made towards real solutions to homelessness in our community
  
• BHA was recognized by the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance with their Advocacy Award for our work in the Washington legislature towards ending discrimination based on a person’s source of income
  
• At HUD’s invitation, BHA’s Contract Management Services division began performing Management Occupancy Reviews again in the four states we are a Performance-Based Contract Administrator – Washington, Hawaii, Utah, and Nebraska
  
• Worked closely with local housing professionals and community leaders to bring homelessness among veterans in Kitsap County to virtual zero
  
• Made it possible for 30,857 households to sleep each night in safe, decent, and affordable housing

The work we do is important because it affects a basic human need, shelter.  We are proud of what we have accomplished and will continue to work collaboratively and earnestly to achieve our vision.

Sincerely,

Kurt Wiest, Executive Director

BREMERTON HOUSING AUTHORITY VISION

BHA envisions a future where everyone has the opportunity for a home that is safe and affordable; people are treated with respect regardless of their income level or background; and a person’s income level cannot be identified by the neighborhood they live.

Click here for BHA Vision, Mission and Statement of Values