Housing | The JOLT News Organization, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

A slide from Tumwater Assistant City Administrator Kelly Adams’s presentation to the Tumwater City Council on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, shows the city’s proposed allocations for a $911,000 fund from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program.

Tumwater City Council proposes distributing federal grant money to local organizations

The Tumwater City Council recommended hundreds of thousands of dollars in allocations from a fund to help local organizations with ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 5/12/26

Women volunteers participated in the construction of houses at the Tâlíčn development in Tumwater on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

Women volunteers build homes at Tâlíčn development in Tumwater

Women volunteers are helping to build several homes at the Tâlíčn, a 28-home affordable housing development in Tumwater by South Puget ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 5/8/26 | 3 comments

A single-family residence under construction at 3rd Avenue and Sunbeam Street in south Olympia on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Residential sales jump, median price falls in Thurston County

The residential housing market heated up in the final days of winter and early part of spring, as home sales jumped amid a slight decrease in the median ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 4/30/26

The Thurston Regional Housing Council deliberated on affordable housing funding at a meeting on April 22, 2026.

Regional Housing Council recommends funding for nine affordable housing projects

The Thurston Regional Housing Council (RHC) advanced a slate of affordable housing recommendations totaling nearly $7.3 million ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 4/29/26 | 8 comments

The site of the 3900 Boulevard housing project being developed by South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity.

Olympia committee supports housing emergency declaration renewal

About 16 months after the City of Olympia declared an affordable housing emergency, more than 500 housing units have entered the development ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 4/27/26 | 8 comments

Longtime Olympia resident C-C Coates spoke about housing insecurity and safety concerns during the city’s Fair Housing Month proclamation at a city council meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Olympia residents and advocates call for stronger housing protections

Residents and advocates urged Olympia leaders to take immediate action on housing access and anti-discrimination protections, tying their ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 4/16/26 | 16 comments

Mayor Andy Ryder presented the Fair Housing Month proclamation to Thurston County Realtors Association President Dawn Baker at a Lacey City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

Lacey City Council proclaims April as Fair Housing Month

Affirming its commitment to equitable housing access, the Lacey City Council proclaimed April 2026 as Fair Housing Month at a meeting ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 4/8/26 | 3 comments

An architectural rendering shows the proposed five-story Franz Anderson Permanent Supportive Housing project in Olympia. The Low-Income Housing Institute would develop and manage the 71-unit building.

Thurston Regional Housing Council backs Franz Anderson unit mix change

The Thurston Regional Housing Council (RHC) formally expressed support for a proposed change to the unit mix of a planned Franz Anderson ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 4/1/26 | 15 comments

Home and condo sales up, prices down in Thurston County

An increase in home and condominium sales did not translate to higher prices in Thurston County, as both markets posted ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 3/31/26 | 2 comments

Members of the Thurston Regional Housing Council reviewed a short-term funding request for the Quince Street tiny home village at a meeting on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.

RHC recommends allocating $440K for Quince Street village

The Thurston Regional Housing Council (RHC) has recommended allocating $440,000 to help sustain operations at Olympia’s Quince Street ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 3/26/26 | 12 comments

Olympia committee to discuss manufactured home preservation measures

The Olympia Land Use & Environment Committee is set to consider potential policies to preserve manufactured home communities, as concerns ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 3/24/26 | 3 comments

Thurston County Community Planning and Economic Development Director Ashley Arai spoke to county commissioners about the Home Energy Score ordinance at a meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

County commissioners approve Home Energy Score ordinance

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners passed an ordinance requiring home sellers to conduct Home Energy Score ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 3/18/26 | 22 comments

The Lacey City Council reviewed co-living housing regulations at its regular meeting at Lacey City Hall on March 3, 2026.

Lacey City Council adopts co-living housing regulations

New regulations for co-living housing are in place after the Lacey City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance that addresses the ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 3/11/26 | 1 comment

Median home price drops, inventory levels swell in Thurston County

The Thurston County housing market was a bit mixed to start the year, with the median sales price for a single-family home and condominium heading in different ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 2/27/26 | 1 comment

At a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, the Olympia City Council approved Urban Village Code amendments, which could reshape Briggs Urban Village housing and grocery options.

Olympia City Council approves Urban Village code amendments, terminates Briggs development deal

The Olympia City Council approved a set of amendments to the Urban Village zoning code and voted to terminate the Briggs Urban Village ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 2/25/26 | 9 comments

The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency Finance Committee discussed proposed asbestos and demolition fee increases during a hybrid meeting on Feb. 11, 2026.

ORCAA Finance Committee recommends raising asbestos, demolition fees for single-family homes

Asbestos and demolition notification fees for single-family residences could more than double under a recommendation unanimously approved by ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 2/20/26

Olympia City Council to consider zoning changes, Briggs Village development agreement termination

The Olympia City Council is set to take action on two proposals that could reshape the development of Urban Village, which is known as ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 2/20/26 | 4 comments

Thurston County Realtors Association President Dawn Baker addressed the Tumwater City Council at a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.

Realtors association urges pause on proposed Home Energy Score ordinance

Members of the Thurston County Realtors Association want local jurisdictions to pause any planned adoption of a proposed countywide Home ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 2/19/26 | 27 comments

A map of Tumwater showing the approximate areas of the lands involved in an urban growth area swap proposed by Bar Holdings LLC.

Tumwater council backs letter supporting review of adding Salish Landing to urban growth area

The Tumwater City Council voted 4–1 to approve a letter from Mayor Leatta Dahlhoff supporting the continued review of an urban growth area ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 2/5/26 | 11 comments

The Lacey Planning Commission members and city officials met in person and virtually to review accessory dwelling unit code amendments required under Washington House Bill 1337. The meeting was held on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026.

Lacey Planning Commission begins review of state-mandated ADU changes

The Lacey Planning Commission got its first look at code changes to accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 2/4/26 | 2 comments