Finch Green: Building an Intentional Community
by Anne Blair

As housing costs continue to rise, finding a home on Bainbridge has become increasingly difficult, especially for young families, single parents, elders, and people living on fixed or modest incomes. Affordable housing is more than shelter; it is critical community infrastructure. We all benefit when teachers, caregivers, service workers, families, and elders can remain part of the community they help sustain.

We come to Bainbridge Island for many reasons: family, opportunity, faith, friendship, open space, excellent schools, the arts, and the creativity of island life. We stay because of the community we have found here- a community shaped by caring neighbors, generosity, and a spirit of welcome.

But a strong community cannot be built on good fortune alone. It is built intentionally, by making sure that the people who help create and sustain it can afford to live here.

Finch Green is an opportunity to act on that belief.‍ ‍

Bethany Lutheran Church generously donated eight acres of its land to create affordable family housing—a population whose needs are not being adequately addressed by other projects underway on the Island. Finch Green LLC, a nonprofit created specifically for this purpose, is developing the property in collaboration with community volunteers and housing advocates.

The project will create a neighborhood of 22 separate, accessible, thoughtfully designed homes for households earning approximately 60-80% of Area Median Income. A mix of home sizes will welcome families of different ages and stages of life, including elders. The design emphasizes intentional neighboring: a safe, accessible, friendly, and nurturing place where people can build connections and belong.

With the donated land and grants already secured for early development, Finch Green is ready to move toward construction in September 2026. State and federal grants and loans will provide much of the financing. Of course, community support also is essential to making this project a reality.

We are all invited to be part of Finch Green.

While we intentionally grow our own beloved community, our awareness, interest, and involvement will help create homes that make it possible for more people to live, contribute, and thrive on Bainbridge Island.

Together, we can turn a generous gift of land into a lasting gift to Bainbridge: a place where more people can afford to call the Island home.

—Anne Blair