Updates from Affordable Housing Week

Affordable Housing Week 2017 has concluded. Thank you to everyone who participated and attended!
We are continuing to add updates as they come in. Would you like to see your event highlighted? Email Daniel.

Affordable Housing Week 2017 started with an exciting kick-off on Monday, May 15th at the SEIU 775. A moving performance by the Path with Art choir gave way to powerful speeches by Toya Thomas, Dwight Jackson, and Alison Eisinger.

All photos from the Kick-off were taken by William Wright Photography.

Path with Art Choir.

Toya Thomas

Dwight Jackson

Alison Eisinger

Afterwards, Kick-Off attendees marched to the King County City Council where the proclamation of Affordable Housing Week was presented and accepted.

"There was a great group of developers, designers, contractors and even a manufacturer in the room for a great workshop focused on how we can advance material health and energy conservation in affordable housing." - presenter Jesse Blanch (Rose Architecture Fellow)

Ballard Urban Rest Stop: providing free showers, laundry, restrooms and visiting nurse for homeless people in Ballard.

Urban Rest Stop Facilities.

Peggy, resident of CCC, expressed concern as to the President’s budget cuts of HUD and subsidized housing –thereby creating more homelessness.

CM Mike O’Brien in attendance (pictured right).

A panel discussion with a diverse group of Community Health Workers representing Mercy Housing Northwest, Neighborcare Health, Global to Local, and the YWCA.

Keynote by Cuc Vu, Director of the City of Seattle's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.

 

 

A tour of Haines Apartments with CM Sawant in attendance (middle right).

Arthur Sullivan (Program Manager for ARCH) discussed the affordable housing crisis in King County and what we can all do to address it.

Light refreshments and a tour of Sophia's Place Shelter were provided.

 

Pictured from left to right: Susan Boyd (moderator) with panelists Jonathan Sposato (Geekwire), Rebekah Bastian (Zillow), and Ethan Phelps-Goodman (Seattle Tech 4 Change).

When asked by State Representative Noel Frame how best to engage tech employees, Rebekah Bastian, Senior VP of Product at Zillow, responded, “Give them problems to solve. Tech workers love to solve specific problems and work fast.”

The Principles of SMR hosted an open house to celebrate the firm’s 40th Anniversary, and their recent selection as recipient of the 2017 AIA/HUD Secretary’s Award.

 

 

 

Moderator Bryce Yadon of Futurewise asked questions of a panel that included Uche Okezie (Homesight), Kelly Rider (King County Department of Community and Human Services), Abigail Doerr (Transportation Choices Coalition), and Emily Alvarado (Seattle Office of Housing).

A room full of equitable transit-oriented development advocates, featuring CM Mike O'Brien (left).

Wallingford locals and people from across the city gathered with CM Rob Johnson (left) and Bellwether’s CEO Susan Boyd (right) to learn more about how the City supports affordable housing non-profits to develop projects like Bellwether’s Stone Way Apartments.

Speakers from the Tenants Union of Washington State, Be:Seattle and Capitol Hill Housing gave an overview of standard practices and important things for first-time renters to know before entering a rental contract.