Response from Habitat for Humanity

Nonprofit is navigating new challenges

Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County’s Board Vice President sent the following letter to Clallam County Watchdog.

Hi Jeff,

It was great meeting you on Tuesday, and I appreciate your willingness to ask tough questions, dig deep into the issues, and explore potential paths forward. Your insights are valuable, and they challenge us to be better stewards of our mission.

I want to acknowledge that the recent conversation around Jamestown Excavating (JST) has, unfortunately, overshadowed the larger goal we’re working toward—providing affordable workforce housing to families in need. That shift in focus is disappointing because it detracts from the critical work we’re doing to address the housing crisis in our community.

I’ll be the first to admit we could have handled some aspects of this situation better. Habitat for Humanity is navigating new challenges as we take on larger-scale projects like Lyon’s Landing, as opposed to our traditional work of a single house every 12 to 18 months. This growth is exciting but also highlights areas where we need to improve, especially in ensuring transparency and fairness. Our mission remains clear: to create housing solutions that are desperately needed.

JST has been a long-time supporter of Habitat, and they approached us early in the process with cost-effective services and the availability to meet our timeline. Given the delays we faced with our Sequim project, these factors weighed heavily in our decision. I understand, however, the concerns raised about JST’s pricing advantages, which stem from federal and state tax policies rather than decisions made by Habitat.

We take seriously the questions about our decision-making process and our compliance with public works requirements. Habitat for Humanity is committed to working closely with the county to ensure we meet all legal requirements. We regret any confusion over the bidding process and are already taking steps to formalize and improve this process for going forward.

As for the $50,000 donation from Jamestown, I want to be clear: it had no influence on our decision to proceed with JST for Lyon’s Landing. That decision was based solely on pricing, timing, and availability—critical factors in maintaining affordability for the families we serve. Additionally, the donation was received more than a year before the Lyon’s Landing project was presented to Habitat for Humanity. I also want to emphasize that we are fortunate to receive donations from many local businesses, who often provide goods and services to HFH. While these contributions are vital to our mission, all business decisions are made with the primary goal of advancing affordable housing. Moving forward, we recognize that formalized bidding procedures will enhance transparency and help us avoid any potential perceptions of conflict or impropriety.

We also recognize the implications of prevailing wage requirements, which would add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of this phase. This is a significant concern for us, as such costs ultimately impact the affordability of the homes we provide. Nonetheless, we are committed to following all applicable rules and regulations, even as we work to advocate for policies that remove barriers to affordable housing.

We’ve heard some concerns from local businesses about the opportunity to bid on this project, and we understand that such feedback often stems from a desire to contribute and be involved. However, it’s important to acknowledge the partnerships and contributions that have brought us to this point. Over the past two decades, we’ve been fortunate to receive direct support from builders and other community entities, including donated materials like lumber and countless hours of effort from volunteers, as well as discounted prices for work performed.

For those raising concerns now, we encourage reflection on the collective good we can all generate moving forward. The challenges we face in creating affordable housing require consistent, proactive engagement. While it’s natural to feel disappointment over missed opportunities, we hope this becomes a call to action for deeper collaboration and participation in future endeavors, and one that we are committed to facilitating.

Our focus remains on fostering partnerships that actively contribute to solutions. By working together with transparency and mutual support, we can ensure that affordable housing projects continue to succeed and serve our community for years to come.

Thank you again for continuing to ask important questions and shedding light on these issues. I welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters further and to collaborate on ways to advance affordable housing in our community while addressing the concerns you’ve raised.

Respectfully,

Danny Steiger
Board Vice President
Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County