Fishbay Cottages

The Units

The Project consists of six two-bedroom, one-bath homes constructed by Method Homes.

Each unit contains 843 square feet, with attention to sustainable design and construction, using quality materials to provide comfortable, efficient spaces to live. The entrances are across the deck and through a “mud” room. Each unit contains two bedrooms. Appliances include a refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Each unit has a small, attached, enclosed storage unit.

Housing Lopez negotiated extensively with SJC to achieve relatively flexible income constraints so that the Project could serve essential workforce members currently living on or soon to be relocating to Lopez. Housing Lopez intends the project rents to fully cover operating costs, i.e., the project will be self-sustaining and permanently dedicated to affordable rentals. The project rents areset to be affordable for families with incomes between 60% and 80% of area median household income.

Projected Rent:

Unit Layout

Preliminary Site Design

Why Method Homes?

We decided to partner with Method Homes, a prefab modular homes builder based in Ferndale, WA, for the FishBay project because of their commitment to sustainable, modern, efficient design. Modular building provides the advantage of fast construction as well a predictable construction timeline: Method can build a custom home 60% faster than the traditional site-built construction cycle. Their process is especially useful to our island community, where construction is often more burdensome than in other locations. Method also has experience building in the San Juans. Their process reduces on-site work by 60 to 80% and total construction costs by up to 50%. Sections of the Cottages were built in Method’s factory, then shipped, and installed together onto the prepared site using cranes.

We also used a local contractor to prepare the site.

Current Status

The project is managed directly by the HL Board of Directors through its Management and Project Operations Committee. The Board decided to self-manage the property due to its small size, simple and consistent unit design, straightforward tenant affordability requirements and the presence on the Board of members with relevant rental housing management experience. Management is overseen by a standing Board committee.

There is a part-time property manager who reports to the Chair of the Management and Project Operations Committee. They handle the day-to-day operations of the Cottages. Monthly landscape maintenance is outsourced to a licensed landscape contractor.

The target demographic for this project is essential workers on Lopez Island. If vacancies occur, marketing will primarily involve outreach to essential services.