The open meadow at 231 Mason St. in Port Hadlock, which is currently filled with tall grasses and surrounded by even taller trees, made for a beautiful gathering point on the warm, sunny afternoon of May 30, when Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County was joined by project partners and other community members at the site of its planned housing development.

East Jefferson Habitat Executive Director Jamie Maciejewski congratulated the community members on making the project happen, since Habitat “did not invent the need for housing” in the county. Habitat only moved forward on what’s become known as the Mason Street development after soliciting the input of hundreds of community members over time.

Maciejewski gave an overview of how Habitat master-planned a neighborhood of 150 homes, intended to house residents with a wide range and professions and incomes, all while retaining the current natural beauty of its surroundings, from the trees and the walking paths between them to Chimacum Creek. They don’t want to build a grid of houses with uniform layouts but a community.

State Rep. Steve Tharinger noted some key contributions that have made the Mason Street development possible, from the new sewer system, which he joked was “not sexy, but still important,” to the state kicking in $31 million of the project’s $37 million in funds.

“There’s a need for more housing across the state,” said Tharinger. He said he made it a priority to invest in housing funding through his role as chair of the capital budget committee.

Maciejewski ntroduced Mike Mariano, founding partner of the Seattle-based architectural firm Schemata Workshop, who pointed out that his focus is not only on the townhouses, cottages, apartment buildings and group homes that he plans to build onsite, but also on the spaces between them.

Mariano explained that Schemata will be looking at installing electric vehicle charging stations, walking paths, stormwater swales and “green spaces” between the buildings. In the process, they planned to preserve many of the existing trees, as well as to reintroduce native plant species to the site.

Mariano pledged the neighborhood would be “built to last,” according to “a vision that’s unique to this community,” which should connect residents to both the physical location and each other.

Bob Collins, who serves as director of construction, land and strategy for East Jefferson Habitat, attributed Habitat’s progress on the Mason Street project to tackling “bite-sized pieces.” He also credited Jefferson County’s Public Works, Public Utility District and Department of Community Development.

Jefferson County District 2 Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour touted the development’s proximity to a primary school, the county library and a transit stop, before representatives of U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell referred to the legislation and funding that they intend to further facilitate the project’s progress.