Five percent is considered the equilibrium, when apartments are neither too plentiful nor too scarce. The Washington Center for Real Estate Research measures how many people by county can afford to buy first-time homes there. Some forms of housing serve specific groups of residents. For instance, several homes have opened in the area that cater to the elderly. Assisted-living centers provide some supervision but allow seniors a lot of independence.
Some housing units fill specific niches.
Clare Bridge, which opened recently in west Olympia, offers home to seniors with memory impairments such as Alzheimer's.