Build our communities with local builders

In early July, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, Gov. Jay Inslee and other local officials to celebrate $130 million in federal grant money to support projects across our area.

Part of President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan not only brings fresh life to Port Orchard’s downtown area, but also provides an opportunity to infuse millions into Kitsap County businesses, creating new jobs and contributing to our tax base.

Sadly, to date, that’s been a missed opportunity.

Millions arrived, but missed opportunities

Recent public investment include $11 million for a city hall project, $28 million for the community event center and library, $900,000 for the Orchard Street Plaza, and $16 million for the marina lift station.

After the celebrations died down, the Kitsap Building Association invited Port Orchard Mayor Rob Putaansuu to discuss these downtown projects and plans to spend the funds.

The burning question? How many local builders/developers do you plan to use in these projects? The shocking answer, according to Mayor Putaansuu: Very few, at least so far.

The listed projects only represent the public projects using non-local workers. At least one other large private business project will also use a contractor from outside Kitsap County.

Local builders, ready to build

In reality, at least five builders in the Kitsap Building Association could have handled all of these projects, but local builders didn’t even get enough of a chance at them.

Giving credit where credit is due, the Kitsap Public Facilities District contracted with Kitsap Building Association members for architecture and mitigation. But the real opportunity to build our community’s economic base lies in contracting with KBA builders for the bulk of the projects.

These builders employ local workers and build the next generation of trades workers through the Kitsap Builder Grant program. They volunteer in our communities, build and remodel our homes and support local non-profits. Contracting with a KBA builder creates an economic ripple effect as they subcontract with other KBA members for concrete, landscaping, flooring, painting, electrical and more.

Between permit delays, land use constraints and other regulatory delays, KBA builders are stymied in their efforts to build the nearly 9,000 homes our county needs to keep up with demand. Because they’re unable to build homes, some of them are pivoting to building multifamily units or exploring other work. This trickles down to their workforce and subcontractors as well. They are ready and available to do this work.

Building local builds communities

It’s not too late to make a difference. We urge everyone from the local level all the way to the federal level to think local when new construction dollars — public or private — come to our communities. Make it a priority to proactively inform the local building community when you’re putting new projects out to bid. It’s one thing to post these projects on a website somewhere. It’s another to take the added step of reaching out to local builders with the opportunity to bid. Let’s keep local funding local.

Randall King is the executive officer of the Kitsap Building Association.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Build our communities with local builders