Jessie Darland
Jul 15, 2025
Remodeling on a home in Tumwater is nearly complete and ready to house people in need of shelter, thanks to a collaborative project between Homes First, the City of Tumwater, and local businesses and organizations.
The house was previously sold to the City of Tumwater, then donated to Homes First — a nonprofit organization that buys preexisting homes, rehabilitates them, and then rents the homes to low-income individuals. The project has been in the works since before 2021 and is funded by donations and public funds.
The home is close to move-in ready, only needing floors, doors and trim, said Trudy Soucoup, CEO of Homes First. A former garage was transformed into four additional bedrooms, a new roof was installed as well as siding, new decks, a new bathroom and a new heating system.
The project hasn’t gone along without hiccups — copper was stolen from under the building, as well as the front door of the garage in the back of the property. The initial amount of money needed turned out to be not enough with the setbacks, but community partners like Oly Federal Savings were able to help Homes First complete the project.
Soucoup said it was a goal to use Homes First employees for as much work as they could in order to reduce costs along with help from Doyle Construction.
The house, which is powered with a rooftop solar panel system funded by a Puget Sound Energy solar grant to support clean energy, was installed by Olympia Community Solar. The panels will help reduce energy costs by $3,300 per year, said Mason Rolph, Executive Director of Olympia Community Solar.
“Our mission is to steward an equitable and accessible transition to clean energy, and that means we need clean energy projects on the roofs of folks who might not have ever seen themselves as having the ability or the chance to own clean energy,” Rolph said.
“Most people look at solar panels as a tool for emissions reduction, and in this case, it is that and also a vehicle for economic justice. Folks living here focusing on their health and recovery should not have to worry about energy bills, and with a couple solar panels, we can help with that.”
However, to get the panels, the home needed a new roof. The Forest Foundation donated $15,000 to install a new roof that could support the solar panels. Homes First now has 13 locations with fully installed solar systems, with more on the way.
“So not only is this going to be a safe and healthy, affordable home, it's also going to be environmentally friendly, and it's going to be saving the people who live here tons of money every day," Soucoup said.
Local landscapers helped with the yard work; a group from Starbucks and Thurston County Realtors came to help paint; and former Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet helped install flooring.
Soucoup described it as a huge community project of people coming together. It’s been a long process, and she’s glad they’re close to being done and ready for people to move in.
The Tumwater home will be used by the Oxford House — a 50-year-old recovery organization that helps people in recovery find stable housing. Other Homes First houses also serve as recovery homes, housing for people with mental health issues or low income housing, and have programs run by community partners, Soucoup said.
Soucoup thanked community partners and the Homes First staff during a ribbon cutting event at the home on June 27, where visitors toured the home and listened to details about the project.
The home is expected to be fully complete by the end of July. Tenants will pay rent, and it’s likely six or seven people will live in the home, but that will be decided by the Oxford House, Soucoup said.