Updates from the South King Housing & Homelessness Partnership!
Places to Be
Join us as we celebrate Affordable Housing Week 2016! Nineteen cities and King County have pledged their support and recognition for this new annual tradition that the Housing Development Consortium is kicking off in partnership with dozens of local organizations to highlight the need for affordable housing in cities all throughout King County. Together, we will show why affordable housing is so important in all of our communities, and we will demonstrate the support for our movement to ensure that all people have the chance to live in safe, healthy, affordable homes within communities of opportunity.
Please plan to join us at our Kickoff Celebration and Elected Officials Reception!
Auburn was the second city to issue a proclamation declaring May 16-22 Affordable Housing Week! Special thanks to Sylvia Fuerstenberg, Paula Matthysse, and Ken Taylor for speaking at the City Council meeting, and to Mayor Nancy Backus for her support!
SAVE THE DATE! Join us for the All Home Annual Conference on June 1 as we engage the community in solutions to homelessness and set action steps for the upcoming year. The Conference will be held at the Georgetown Campus of South Seattle Community College, 6737 Corson Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98108, starting at 8:00 AM and will include a meeting of the All Home Coordinating Board. Workshop topics for the Conference include:
• State legislative 2016 session review and 2017 priorities
• Federal priorities and action steps
• Housing First
• Coordinated Entry for All
• Community Engagement
In addition, Focus Strategies will present on our community’s System Wide Analytics and Projection (SWAP) results and share their recommendations for making homelessness rare, brief and one-time.
Space for this event is limited, registration is required
People in Action
On April 28th, the Auburn community celebrated the grand opening of Valley Cities’ Phoenix Rising! The Phoenix Rising project will provide 24 single-resident-occupancy (SRO) units for homeless young adults. At income levels below 30% of the area median income, these young adults are desperate for housing. In addition, this project will provide job training, and behavioral health services at our adjacent Auburn clinic, and connections to other services through their Care Team. This project encompasses nearly all of the aspects of their situations; it’s more than just a place to sleep, it’s support, treatment, and training.
Phoenix Rising provides 24 single units as well as common spaces for the young adults who will be living here. The grand opening provided a tour of the completed facilities as well as information on future onsite projects, such as a Recovery Cafe.
Resources
Affordable Housing Products
The Federal Home Loan Bank Des Moines Strong Communities Fund (SCF) – recognizes the shared goal that we have with our partners to build strong communities through the creation of safe housing, sustainable economies and good jobs.
- Housing Products: Provides grant funding for the purchase, construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing
- Homebuilding Initiatives: Contributes financial and volunteer resources to help build or repair homes
- Community Support: Provides volunteer time, sponsorships and financial awards to organizations that help create economically vibrant communities
FHLB Des Moines recently had the privilege to expand our district through merger with the FHLB Seattle. With this expansion, we also had the opportunity to revamp our Strong Communities Fund housing products. In 2016, FHLB Des Moines will offer the Competitive Affordable Housing Program and Down Payment Products, including Home$tart, Home$tart Plus, and the Native American Homeownership Initiative. Additional information, including product guidelines and program calendars, can be found here.
It’s Time to Implement Your Affordable Housing Policies
Andy Lane’s latest Planning Advisor blog reviews fee relief and regulatory incentive programs that promote affordable housing. More from MRSC Insight.
