Our Vision

Through our work, Cortes is:

1. A Thriving and Inclusive Community   Cortes is a place where people of all ages—families, youth, and seniors—can live affordably, engage meaningfully with the community, and access essential services, creating a vibrant, multigenerational society. Through innovative housing and financing solutions, homeownership and land access become attainable, especially for young families. Housing development is thoughtfully designed to preserve the island’s rural character, mitigate gentrification, and enhance the vitality of downtown villages.
2. An Economically Self-Reliant and Environmentally Sustainable Community   Cortes has a vibrant local circular economy that relies less on off-island contractors and seasonal employment, emphasizing on-island manufacturing, local trades, trades-training programs and year-round jobs. New housing is low-carbon, energy efficient, renewably powered, fire-smart, water efficient and built within easy access to island amenities.

Our Objectives

To support our vision, the Cortes Housing Society will:

1. Increase Affordable Housing Availability   Develop, operate, and support affordable housing and DIY homebuilding on CHS and private land; purchase additional properties for long-term rentals; and facilitate alternative financing options—such as investment pools and lender networks—to lower barriers to land ownership and provide affordable mortgages for local families.
2. Produce Housing in a Way that Promotes Sustainable Economic Development   Foster vibrant town centers and year-round cooperative business spaces—such as a laundromat, tool library, co-working areas, and worker housing—while supporting local enterprises and on-island manufacturing to reduce reliance on off-island contractors; partner with schools and local organizations to build a robust trades program offering scholarships, apprenticeships, and strong connections with local businesses to equip youth with valuable skills and encourage their return to the island.
3. Build a Thriving Organization   Leverage our assets to create a vibrant and financially sustainable organization, providing well-paid and rewarding jobs working with an engaged community of Cortes residents.

Our Strategies

To achieve our Vision and our Objectives we will pursue the following strategies between 2025 and 2030.

Primary Strategy:

1. Leverage Opportunities on CHS Land  
   • Rainbow Ridge – Develop housing on our 50-acre site, starting with the 24-townhome project.
   • Orchard Village – Build 4 additional cabins at our 3-acre site with the two existing homes.
   • Seniors Village – Ensure full tenancy within the 10 units at the senior’s village.
   • Purchase Additional Properties with Existing Homes – Purchase 1 property per year with a focus on existing properties on Cortes to create immediate rental housing opportunities.

Secondary Strategies:

2. Enable Housing on Private Land
   • Partner – Work with large property owners to establish affordable home ownership opportunities for Cortes residents.
3. Provide Education, Engagement and Guide Policy
   • Provide Education – Continue to provide in-person and online education.
   • Promote Local Trades – Utilize the trades directory to support on-island trades and reduce ferry trips for construction vehicles.
   • Support Pro-Housing Zoning and Land-Use Policies – Provide education and promote land-use policies that support environmentally sustainable housing.
   • Promote Life Estates and Land Share Models – Educate Cortes property owners and prospective buyers on alternative ownership models.
4. Fund Operations with Social Enterprises
   • Property Management Service – Create a property management social enterprise to support CHS operations.
   • Wood Makerspace – Create a makerspace to support local homebuilders and CHS operations.
   • Tiny House Manufacturing – Explore tiny house construction to produce income and support homeowners.
   • Laundry Facility – Create laundry facilities for Cortes residents that don’t have adequate water services in their own living situations.
   • Homeshare Service – Pilot a homeshare portal to help people find accommodations and support elders to age in place.
5. Emergent Opportunities and Projects
   • Aquifer Project – Conduct an aquifer health assessment for Cortes to establish underground water supplies strategies.
   • Employee Housing – Explore tiny house construction to produce income and support homeowners.