Almost everyone who attended the June 5 Town Meeting hosted by the Port Townsend City Council agreed that the city should partner with other entities, private or public, to develop affordable housing.

Initial, electronic voting results showed 100 percent support for that idea, but the final tally was 97 percent in favor.

By the same large majority, attendees said they would welcome affordable housing in their own neighborhoods.

But asked if they would support a bond measure to help fund affordable housing, 57 percent said yes, 16 percent said no, and 27 percent were undecided.

And only 14 percent were willing to relax environmental, historic preservation or other land-use regulations to foster affordable housing; 67 percent were opposed to that idea and 19 percent were undecided.

Participants expressed support for both rental (59 percent) and ownership housing (41 percent).

It's the economy, too

Along with affordable housing, participants tried to address economic issues.

The lack of living-wage jobs here was ranked as the most pressing economic problem (48 percent), followed by lack of affordable housing (27 percent).

Asked to name the biggest challenge to economic development, respondents said it was "limited opportunities for economic development" (32 percent), followed by "remote location" (26 percent), "lack of infrastructure" (18 percent), "lack of trained workforce" (16 percent) and "government interference" (8 percent).

Participants were asked to rank three basic types of economic development. Developing new local businesses was the first preference (44 percent), followed by expanding existing local businesses (43 percent), and then recruiting new businesses from elsewhere (13 percent).

Asked to pick one of several descriptions of Port Townsend's future, 68 percent chose "a small town with sustainable, unique local businesses."

Demographics

More than 125 people attended the meeting, which included presentations by a nonprofit housing developer and an official from Washington's Community Trade and Economic Development agency.

Based on completed ballots, 44 percent of attendees have lived here at least 10 years, while 12 percent have been here less than a year.

Although 14 percent were 35 or younger, 56 percent were 56 years old or older.