Housing Legacy Program

Unlock The Power of Your Property

By arranging a donation of a house or land to Olympic Housing Trust, you are ensuring that local families have a place to call home while also enjoying significant benefits for yourself. Donations can be planned to occur now or well into the future. We are honored to offer you a unique opportunity to contribute to permanently affordable housing through our Housing Legacy program.

Why Donate Property?

  • Create Lasting Impact: Your gift is an investment in our housing stock and in the lives of generations of locals who make our community unique.

  • Simplify Your Estate: Donating can simplify your estate planning and reduce the complexity of property management, especially if you are no longer using the property.

  • Tax Benefits: Depending on the arrangement, you may qualify for a substantial charitable tax deduction based on the fair market value of your property.

We celebrate our generous donors, like Pete, pictured above. His outright donation of five city lots allows us to build permanently affordable housing and steward a community garden. That is a gift with a legacy.

Types of Property Gifts

Outright Gift of Housing or Land:

Are you considering gifting a house or vacant land for affordable housing? Perhaps you have a piece of land that you don’t know what to do with, or you’ve inherited property, are maybe you are moving but don't need the proceeds of the sale to make the move. As an outright gift and depending on your tax situation, you may avoid capital gains taxes and could take a charitable deduction on the fair market value of the property (up to 30% of your adjusted gross income per year).

Future Gifting Through a Bequest :

A bequest means that the property would be transferred to Olympic Housing Trust upon your death. You retain all ownership rights to the property during your lifetime. This leaves a lasting legacy of stability for families far into the future and decreases the tax burden on the inheritors of your estate. Keep in mind that by placing OHT in your will, there is likely no tax benefit to receive during your life.

Transfer Ownership Now and Stay In The Home:

When you make a gift with a retained life estate, your property will be transferred to Olympic Housing Trust without going through probate upon your death. This type of gift is eligible for tax deductions calculated at the time the gift is given, based on current interest rates and the donor’s age. A gift with retained life estate may also give you property tax advantages because homes in OHT’s portfolio are assessed based on the resale formula value rather than the full market value of the property.

Please be sure to speak with your tax advisor when considering a gift of real estate.

The Olympic Housing Trust is not a financial adviser.

How It Works

  1. Initial Consultation: Contact us to discuss your property and how it aligns with our mission. We will guide the process and answer any questions you may have.

  2. Property Evaluation: Our team can help you arrange for a professional appraisal and inspection of your property to determine its value as affordable housing and suitability for donation.

  3. Legal and Financial Process: We will guide you through the legal process ensuring all necessary documentation is completed accurately. Here’s the brief, step-by-step process for how an outright gift of property would occur: 

    • Create a letter of understanding that outlines the shared vision. 

    • Prepare a Purchase and Sale Agreement. This details who pays for what, when and how it transfers, terms and conditions.

    • Open escrow at the agreed upon time and/or terms

    • Initiate deed transfer with title company, as per wishes detailed in the Purchase and Sale Agreement

    • Close the deed transfer with the title company

  4. Acknowledge Your Generosity: We will recognize and honor your contribution in a way that aligns with your wishes, whether through public acknowledgment or private appreciation. These can be sensitive matters and discretion is a top priority. Remember, you get to tell us what you need for this to work.

Benefits to You

  • Tax Deduction: Enjoy a potential charitable tax deduction for the fair market value of your donated property.

  • Estate Planning: Simplify your estate and reduce the burden of property management.

  • Community Recognition: Be recognized for your contribution to making Jefferson County a better place to live.

Planning your estate is a gift to yourself, your family and community. This is a powerful opportunity to consider how you want your values to carry forward and continue to give back to your home. Whether the transfer is completed now or well into the future, you are taking steps to make your life and the lives of your beneficiaries more easeful.

Get Started Today

Ready to make a lasting impact? Call our executive director, Kathy Morgan, to learn more about how you can donate a house or land and provide your legacy of permanently affordable housing on the Olympic Peninsula.

Olympic Housing Trust
Phone: 360-531-2555
Email: kathy@olympichousingtrust.org
Website: olympichousingtrust.org
Address: PO Box 1537, Port Townsend, WA, 98368


Together, we are providing a legacy of permanently affordable housing in our community.

It’s your call when and how this happens - you are in control.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Property Donations

1. What types of properties can be donated?
We accept a variety of properties, including single-family homes, multi-family units, and vacant land. Our team will evaluate each property to determine its suitability for donation.

2. Will I need to pay any fees?
We will provide a clear breakdown of potential fees before proceeding. Depending on what is being donated, how, and other agreements, there may be costs associated with the appraisal, legal transfer, and other administrative processes. 

3. Can I donate a property with a mortgage?
Yes, you can donate a property with a mortgage but the outstanding loan balance must be paid off before the transfer is complete. We will work with you to ensure a smooth transfer.

4. How will my donation be used?
All donated property will support our mission to provide affordable housing solutions for local families and individuals who qualify. It could be used as a new home for a local household, but depending on the wishes of the donor, it may also make more sense for OHT to sell the property to better develop affordable housing elsewhere with the funds.