Joint Olympia Council of Neighborhood Associations & City of Olympia

Housing Affordability Forum

You are invited to participate on May 21st in a dialog about housing affordability and how Olympia neighborhoods and community members are affected. The City will use your input to help inform solutions. You can attend in-person or through Zoom.

The City of Olympia and Council of Neighborhood Associations are co-hosting an opportunity for community members to learn and talk about housing affordability in Olympia. The conversation takes place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 in Olympia City Hall Council Chambers, 601 4th Ave. E, Olympia WA.

Attendees will learn about the issue of housing affordability in our community and the actions the City and its partners are taking to address that challenge. You’ll be invited to talk with others in small groups about how neighborhoods and community members are impacted and explore how the City and broader Olympia community can further address housing affordability. City staff will collect your input to inform what solutions move forward for further analysis and possible consideration by the City Council.

Caregivers are welcome to bring children. If you would benefit from special accommodation, please contact the City two days or sooner in advance of the meeting.

Use the following link to participate through zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/…/register/l6axOD9lQF6vACoyr8YHRw

Stay informed of housing information by signing up for “Housing” e-news notices at www.olympiawa.gov/news.

Habitat Stewardship Work Party

Join Stream Team and the City of Olympia’s Habitat Stewardship team in creating healthier natural areas surrounding Indian Creek in southeast Olympia. 

Join us Saturday, February 8 to remove invasive plants like English Ivy and Himalayan blackberry, followed by planting native trees and shrubs along the Karen Fraser Woodland Trail. 

No experience necessary. Gloves and tools will be provided. Please wear/bring layers to stay warm and wear sturdy footwear. Register here to participate, space is limited.

Date/Time:  Saturday, February 8, 10am to 1pm

Location:  1300 Frederick Street SE
Meet at the Karen Fraser Woodland Trail Parking lot (corner of Frederick St SE & Wheeler Ave SE). 

Annual Meeting Success!

Last week the Eastside Neighborhood Association conducted its Annual Meeting to a great turnout  thanks to Nathan and Casey Allan of the Swantown Inn, who supplied not only the location, but a soup supper! The program that followed included two guest speakers: Chris Hyde, the Souper Sunday guy, and Berenice Hartt Plazas from the Thurston County Food Bank.  Both spoke on the topic of food insecurity.

Chris Hyde has been a great asset to the people of Olympia and has followers from all over the United States, some of which have begun their own free food give aways. He has just successfully become a nonprofit organization, Food Source Foundation, and is hoping to expand to provide more types of free food to more people.

Berenice Hartt Plazas spoke about the Thurston County Food Bank program in existence for over 50 years. It has 20 locations and 18 mobile programs. Besides Thurston County, their programs serve some surrounding counties.  She noted that in the last six years there has been a real increase in need for those who work but do not have enough money for food after paying all their bills. The number of seniors needing food has increased by 50%.

Programs provided by the Food Bank include:  Backpack food for Kids, Holiday meals, hygiene supplies, Birthday bags and Newborn bags. Funding comes from City, State, Federal and donor programs. They have 32 employees and all the rest are volunteers.

For more information on these programs go to:

foodsourcefoundation.com or tcfb.org

To learn more and or become involved with the Eastside Neighborhood Association contact:

pr*******@**************ia.org