Housing Developments: Let’s pass these bills or “Sine Die” trying!
State Legislative Update: 3 days remain!
Three days remain until “Sine Die”- the last day of this year’s historic state legislative session. Housing Advocates have had some truly incredible wins, but we don’t get to celebrate just yet. Two bills need our support to make it through these few short days. Help get these bills over the finish line:
HB 2437: to raise up to $500 million for investment in affordable housing statewide
HB 2444: to ensure non-profit affordable housing providers aren’t assessed real estate excise tax
Keep your lawmaker’s attention on these issues and urge their support with a quick email.
Other developments…
- Tomorrow is HDC’s 30th Anniversary Celebration! It’s SOLD OUT! But you can still support our work here.
- 130 “truly affordable” homes coming to the east side! Imagine Housing’s work at Esterra aims to make it easier for people who work in Redmond to live there, too.
- A court ruling may offer new protections for people living in their vehicles. A King County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of a man who lived in his truck until it was ticket, towed, and impounded.
- We need more housing, sure, but we also need higher incomes writes the Time’s Jon Talton in this deep-dive into economic drivers of the affordable housing crisis.
- Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus addressed affordable housing in her State of the City speech, calling for regional solutions to the ‘ripple effects’ stressing Auburn and the entire Puget Sound region.
- Woohoo! Renton City Council will expand source of income discrimination protections to cover social security, unemployment, retirement, child support, and other non-profit or government administered income! We’re looking forward to seeing the whole state join Renton in passing these protections before the end of legislative session!
- Sammamish students will host HopeFest later this month. The event is an opportunity for people in need to receive food, clothing, toiletries, etc., and enjoy entertainment.
- King County provides space for two organizations fighting homelessness.The Block Project and Humble Design have new space to work on Harbor Island.
- Crosscut’s Knute Berger has a thought piece that begins with affordable housing, makes a pit stop on Vashon Island, and ends in “Cascadiatopolis.”
- City of Seattle’s public hearings on Citywide- Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) continue with Districts 5 & 6 next week. Interested in supporting MHA? Connect with Seattle For Everyone for details.
- City of Kent might get proactive about keeping their housing healthy by adopting a proactive rental licensing inspection program. Let them know it’s a great idea!
