Episode Description
In Kitsap County, Washington — home to one of the largest veteran populations in America — nearly one in five adults has worn a uniform. Yet veterans make up roughly 12 percent of the county's homeless population, caught between rising housing costs and incomes that simply can't keep pace. In a place where a studio apartment can cost more than an entire month of Social Security, the math doesn't add up. This episode of Impactually tells the story of Kitsap Homes of Compassion — a small, innovative nonprofit that decided not to wait for a perfect solution, and instead built one from what already existed: ordinary houses, ordinary neighborhoods, and an extraordinary commitment to human dignity.
Key Takeaways
Founded in 2017 by retired engineer Joel Adamson, KHOC created a deceptively simple model: master-lease existing homes from local homeowners, furnish them completely, and sublet private rooms to people experiencing homelessness for $775 a month — roughly 45% below the average one-bedroom rent in Kitsap County
The model serves three distinct populations — low-wage workers using housing as a launching pad to stability, people in structured recovery, and seniors including veterans living on fixed incomes — recognizing that homelessness is not a single problem with a single solution
KHOC's impact extends far beyond its residents: housing stability reduces ER utilization, decreases law enforcement calls for minor poverty-related incidents, and reconnects people to the basic infrastructure of civic life — a mailing address, a state ID, a primary care doctor — that most of us take for granted
With just 17 employees supporting nearly 500 individuals a year across 22 homes, KHOC proves that a small, scrappy nonprofit operating on thin margins can move faster and reach further than large institutional systems — if it is willing to meet people exactly where they are
Richard Cyber, a Navy veteran who served aboard the USS Maddox during the Vietnam War, found himself days away from homelessness when his landlord's home went into foreclosure in 2020; today he pays his own rent, shares a home with fellow veterans, and lives with the quiet dignity that comes from stability earned, not given
Calls to Action
Visit Kitsap Homes of Compassion to learn how you can support a household, furnish a bedroom, or help keep a home open for the next veteran or neighbor who needs one
Donate to a veteran-focused or general housing nonprofit in your own community — organizations like KHOC depend on the gap between what residents can afford and what housing actually costs being filled by people like you
Volunteer — most housing nonprofits need hands-on help with everything from home setup and furniture donation to peer support, meal delivery, and neighborhood outreach
Learn more about the national landscape of veteran homelessness and shared housing models through the National Alliance to End Homelessness and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Homeless Veterans programs
Share this episode with someone who believes homelessness is a personal failure rather than a systemic one — Richard's story is a quiet, powerful counter-argument to that assumption
We'd like to extend our sincerest thanks to our guests
Richard Cyber, U.S. Navy veteran, torpedoman aboard the USS Maddox, and resident of Kitsap Homes of Compassion — whose straightforward, dignified account of his own housing journey is the moral center of this episode
Madison Tuttle, former Director of Operations at Kitsap Homes of Compassion, whose operational clarity and compassion for residents shaped how we understood what this model actually takes to run
Scott Willard, Executive Director of Kitsap Homes of Compassion, whose 30+ years in community-based work — from substance use counseling to county mental health leadership — infuses every aspect of how KHOC serves its residents
Featured Musical Artist
Johnny in the Box — "Build No Walls — Song for the Homeless" off the Runaways LP. Written and arranged by Ian Gomersall; performed by Jonathan Louth; produced by Johnny & the Box. Available on all major streaming platforms.
Support Our Work
This episode of Impactually is made possible by the generous support of The Detchev Family, April Collins Potterfield, David Johnson and Christine O'Neil, JLB Images, and Humm Productions donors and listeners like you.
Connect with Us
Website: www.hummproductions.org
Facebook: Humm Productions
Instagram: @hummproductions
