North Star will host a “Building our Future: From Housing Crisis to Thriving Community” forum on Tuesday, September 9^th, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Library Commons. The event will feature keynote speaker, Gregg Colburn, University of Washington College of Built Environments Professor and published researcher on topics related to housing and homelessness. The community is invited to attend and learn more about the future of housing in our community, including current efforts to increase the housing supply and affordability in Skagit County, and make an impact on the homelessness crisis in our region.

The forum will include a panel of local housing and planning experts to discuss the nature of our housing shortage, how it drives increasing rates of homelessness in our community, and solutions to restore balance to regional housing markets. Panelists will explore what infill housing could look like and how it’s beneficial for ensuring smart and cost-effective growth, including how changes to zoning and development standards support a shift towards more housing-friendly options.

To learn more about the North Star Housing Forum and register for the event, visit www.northstarskagit.org/housing-forum. Space is limited; register for the event today!

The North Star housing forum aims to build on the discussion and connections built during the inaugural symposium this past June. North Star is working to facilitate access to diverse housing options and envisions a community where every person has safe, stable housing. To achieve this, we must all come together to find and implement housing options designed to meet the needs of our residents and enhance the quality of life of our community.

Background on North Star

North Star is a public-private partnership between Skagit County, our four local cities, housing and healthcare providers, first responders, and many other community leaders. Using a collaborative approach to pool our resources, coordinate action, and streamline essential community services in housing, behavioral health and recovery, and crisis response, North Star is working to address chronic homelessness and create a thriving Skagit for all. Working together across jurisdictions to solve complex issues is unique in our region. It is also more effective, costs less, and gets people the support and services they need, when they need them.

To learn more about North Star, visit www.northstarskagit.org.