News

Member Highlight: Environmental Works

August 15, 2018 in Member Highlight


HDC appreciates all the passion, hard work, and dedication our members devote to the affordable housing movement. No single organization could make this impact and secure this progress alone. The collaboration and connection among members is the human energy that works to ensure all people have a safe, healthy, and affordable home. We want to show our appreciation and learn more about our affordable housing community through these member highlights as each member is crucial to achieving the larger vision of this movement. This week our featured member is one of our founding members, Environmental Works. Thank you for all the work that you do!

  1. What excites your team about the work you are doing?

Everyone at Environmental Works is passionate about our mission of designing culturally appropriate places for underserved populations.  Our team loves it when we are  engaged in community design processes for our projects.  Community design ensures that our constituents have a voice in the design of their homes, feel ownership and pride of place where they live, and are empowered to craft their communities in ways that are specific to their needs and culture.

We are also excited to be increasing our capacity to serve underserved communities!  We have expanded our team to 20, to keep up with increased need for affordable housing and community facilities.  We recently renovated our offices at the historic Fire Station 7 (our home for over 45 years) to accommodate our growing staff.

  1. What is a favorite office anecdote?

EW’s board and staff have an annual tradition during the winter holiday season of preparing a meal for residents of a recent project we have designed.  It’s a great way to stay connected to the people we serve, and to commemorate the importance of housing for all.

  1. What upcoming projects, partnerships, and news are you looking forward to?

The Everett Safe Streets Project with Catholic Housing Services, under construction now, will be one of the first net-zero supportive housing facilities in Washington thanks to a special award from the Housing Trust Fund.

The Bryant Manor Apartments redevelopment, in partnership with the FAME Housing Association and Catholic Housing Services, is an exciting project on a great property that is serving a critical need for Black families in Seattle’s Central District.  This is a project full of opportunity to connect with the existing community, and reconnect with members of the community who have been displaced in recent years.

  1. What have you been most proud of during your time as an HDC member?

We are proud to have been one of the original members and founders of HDC, and to continue to work with this tight-knit group of passionate and inspiring individuals to ensure that people in Washington State have homes they can afford.  We are grateful that HDC provides an opportunity for all of us to come together, so that we can connect with people who have worked on other aspects of our projects (such as financing).  EW’s Christina Congdon notes, “The HDC leadership course was a great way to meet colleagues, and helped me feel more confident as a member of the housing community.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Member Highlight: Weber Thompson

August 9, 2018 in Member Highlight


HDC appreciates all the passion, hard work, and dedication our members devote to the affordable housing movement. No single organization could make this impact and secure this progress alone. The collaboration and connection among members is the human energy that works to ensure all people have a safe, healthy, and affordable home. We want to show our appreciation and learn more about our affordable housing community through these member highlights as each member is crucial to achieving the larger vision of this movement. This week our featured member is Weber Thompson. Thank you for all the work that you do!

  1. What excites your team about the work you are doing?

We are really excited to be working on a few projects utilizing a mixed-income, integrated services model. We really believe in the broader impact of this type of work.  Bringing together a more diverse group of residents and integrating more deeply in to the community is a different model for affordability and we think it’s the right approach for our city.

Another great thing about some of our projects, Othello Square for example, is that we’re hearing the voices of those who don’t typically feel they are being listened to when it comes to the redevelopment of their neighborhoods. We’re engaging in meaningful community outreach programs and we’re seeing people step forward in droves to be a part of the change that’s occurring near their homes, schools, and workplaces.

2. What is a favorite office anecdote?

We can’t help but think about our beloved co-founder, Scott Thompson, who passed away in 2017. In addition to steering the firm toward sustainability, he led us to design affordable housing. It was easier said than done however, and winning that first affordable housing project was tough. But we’ll always remember his tenacity. After a particularly disappointing close second place finish on a potential project with Seattle Housing Authority, his response was: “You know that we are just going to keep coming back until you hire us, right?” That persistence paid off! We won the very next job: Raven Terrace in the Yesler Terrace redevelopment.

3. What upcoming projects, partnerships, and news are you looking forward to?

We’re over the moon to be working on our first high-rise affordable housing project! It’s the perfect project for us because it utilizes our firm’s extensive high-rise experience and combines it with our passion and dedication to creating healthy communities for people of all means to thrive.

4. What have you been most proud of during your time as an HDC member?

Well that’s an easy answer: our back-to-back Affordable Housing Week theme song wins! We’re really proud that our team is fearless enough to put themselves out there in the name of promoting affordable housing. We’re still waiting for those videos to officially go ‘viral’ though…we thought Construction Spice would shoot to stardom overnight! Oh well, there’s always next year.

Member Highlight: Venture General Contracting

August 2, 2018 in Member Highlight

HDC appreciates all the passion, hard work, and dedication our members devote to the affordable housing movement. No single organization could make this impact and secure this progress alone. The collaboration and connection among members is the human energy that works to ensure all people have a safe, healthy, and affordable home. We want to show our appreciation and learn more about our affordable housing community through these member highlights as each member is crucial to achieving the larger vision of this movement. This week our featured member is Venture General Contracting. Thank you for all the work that you do!

  1. What excites your team about the work you are doing? 

One of the most exciting things about building housing in general is creating a space that someone calls home. The developers, architects, subcontractors and other partners that we work with on delivering affordable housing projects are passionate and creative, making coming to work fun and rewarding. We care about all of our community members and strive to provide impactful construction solutions that help these important developments succeed.

 

  1. What is a favorite office anecdote?

We thrive in challenging situations, and believe the impossible is only that which has yet to be achieved. As a young company, we took on one of our largest and most challenging projects to date, and many thought it would be an impossible feat. This challenge only added to the team’s dedication and drive to deliver the project according to the owner’s goals. We did it, when no one thought it was possible. You see, we like challenges. They push us all to be better, they bring us together, build comradery and make the day-to-day exciting and fulfilling. We relish the opportunity to help our clients break boundaries, achieve their goals, and develop transformative public spaces and buildings.

 

  1. What upcoming projects, partnerships, and news are you looking forward to? 

Partnering with Mount Baker Housing and the greater development team to deliver the Maddux, a two-building affordable housing project near the Mount Baker light rail station. Those that are familiar with the development site know that we are dealing with highly contaminated soils. Mount Baker Housing has become the first nonprofit to work with the Washington State Department of Ecology to clean up and develop the site. We are thrilled at the opportunity to work alongside them and provide construction solutions to effectively manage the soils without affecting the budget and schedule of the development. Another bonus is building a thoughtful project that will positively impact the community while cleaning up a toxic underutilized development site.

 

  1. What have you been most proud of during your time as an HDC member?

We became a sponsor of Affordable Housing Week this year and really enjoyed seeing the event from ideation through execution. We were excited to support getting the word out about the various events that made up the week; and generally help promote the conversation about affordable housing and the benefits it brings to our community. We donated time to write the press release for the week as well as designed and managed online and print advertisements to drive more traffic to the Affordable Housing Week webpage. Multiple commercial real estate publications donated ad space, and it felt great knowing that someone might have made their way to learn more about HDC and AHW through our collective efforts.

 

Maximize Lodging Tax Dollars for Affordable Housing

July 31, 2018 in Policy & Advocacy

On 7/30 Housing Advocates told King County Council to prioritize affordable housing over Safeco Field Maintenance. 



Bright and early Monday morning, housing advocates woke up ready to raise their voices in support of safe, healthy, and affordable homes for everyone in King County. On Thursday July 26th, HDC and SKCCH sent out an advocacy alert to Team Housing in order to mobilize the affordable housing movement to show up at the King County Council meeting.

And show up they did. Dozens of advocates filled the chamber. And why would people want to spend three hours of their day at a county council meeting?

HDC interns Mackenzie Beard and Rebecca Brunn ready to speak up!

Because King County needs 157,000 affordable homes right now. County Executive, Dow Constantine announced the allocation of the funds generated from the Lodging tax (also known as the Hotel/Motel tax). The proposal allocated the bare minimum to affordable housing and around $180 million for Safeco field maintenance. King County has a severe housing shortage and 1/3 of King County households are cost burdened. Team Housing showed up to tell the Council that they need to use these public funds for homes and not home runs. 30 people testified to tell the Council to allocate these public funds for more affordable homes to combat the state of emergency the Council declared. Over 600 messages have been sent to the Council from HDC advocates. We are being clear about what we want. We want safe, healthy, and affordable homes in communities of opportunity for everyone. 

Conversation in the Media:

  • Seattle Weekly‘s take on breaking down current council member leanings and predicted stances
  • KUOW‘s analysis of the hearing (They quoted our amazing, passionate intern Rebecca!)
  • Crosscut tells us “everything comes back to housing in King County” yes as it should!
  • Council Member Kohl-Welles is changing her tune. From sponsoring the current proposal to supporting more funding for housing! Exciting news update!
  • KOMO News Coverage “If we have a state of emergency, we should be making decisions that prioritize that emergency, that crisis moment over some kind of nice to have things,“-Sara Wamsley, our amazing Policy Manager

What Comes Next:

  • Mark your calendars for August 29th for the next opportunity for public testimony
  • Continue to send the council members messages
  • Keep up with the news to find out what is being said and where the winds are blowing

    Our Advocacy Mobilization Manager, Patience Malaba’s testimony

    Our Policy Manager, Sara Wamsley’s testimony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Page will continued to be updated as things continue to happen.

Housing Developments: It’s Bond, County Bond

June 26, 2018 in Uncategorized

$100 Million for Affordable Housing…
Last Wednesday, in a press release, the co-chairs of One Table announced the next steps their respective municipalities would take to combat homelessness in the region. King County Executive, Dow Constantine, announced a plan to bond against future hotel-motel tax revenues. This proposal would create $100 million that could be used to build affordable housing, specifically focused on 30-60 percent AMI. “We must come together to do even more to find creative new solutions and provide resources to help those currently living on the streets and in tents attain stable and secure housing, and the opportunity for a fulfilling life.”-King County Executive Dow Constantine

Other Developments...

  • Seattle Mayor Durkan’s legislation to increase bridge housing and shelter beds.  The Seattle City Council approved Mayor Durkan’s plan to increase shelter beds by 500.  The funds for the new beds will come from the sale of city-owned land in South Lake Union.
  • King County Council committee will meet on Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy. After holding a special meeting last week at the Pike Place Senior Center to hear from the public, the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee is holding a special meeting to begin its consideration of the proposed plan to distribute funds from the voter-approved Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy. (Tuesday, June 26 at 3:30 p.m.)
  • The 2018 Prosperity Now Scorecard Is Out, with New Local Data | TheProsperity Now Scorecardis a comprehensive resource for data on household financial health and policy recommendations to help put everyone in our country on a path to prosperity. The scorecard ranks Seattle seventh in its rankings of cities of over 300,000 along with other local metrics.
  • Kent and Renton win Smart Communities Awards. Kent won the Smart Choices Award for their comprehensive plan and implementation for Meeker Street. Renton won the Smart Projects Award for the new Sartori Elementary School in a designated Regional Growth Center.
  • Downtown Bellevue second fastest growing neighborhood in the region. Bellevue has grownby 13% from 2010-2017. This growth is made possible by zoning that allows for multifamily housing along with the Bellevue City Council’s plan to continue to increase density. South Lake Union is the fastest growing neighborhood.
  • Enterprise is creating a mapping tool to help stakeholders search for public and tax-exempt sites. Enterprise, along with Futurewise, the King County Assessor, and funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is creating a Home & Hope mapping tool in order to help facilitate development of more affordable housing.
  • Olympia begins  conversations on rezoning in order to increase capacity as the region grows. Recommendations to loosen regulations and reduce fees on middle housing types begin to chip away at the 75% of Olympia zoned for single-family housing. It is estimated that these changes would result in around 950 housing units making the region more affordable with a higher density capacity.
  • Region’s growth in transit boarding leads the nation. The central Puget Sound region experienced the highest total increase in transit boardings of any region in the country in 2017 and ranked second for rate of change. Since 2010, the 19% increase in transit boardings in the region has exceeded any other similarly sized region in the county.

Housing Developments: The 93 Hour Work Week

June 19, 2018 in Uncategorized

King County Living Out of Reach For Many

The National Low Income Housing Coalition has released its 2018 Out of Reach report cataloging the high cost of living throughout the country. The report’s findings show the huge gap between the incomes of low-wage workers and their region’s housing wage. Last year the recorded hourly rate needed to live in a two bedroom rental in King County was $29.69. This year it is $36.12. With the minimum wage for the State being $11.50, it would require an individual to work around 93 hours a week to afford to stay here.

Other developments…

  • Seattle City Council Votes to Repeal Employee Head Tax. On Tuesday June 12th, the City Council voted, with a seven person majority, to repeal the Head Tax. Council members Mosqueda and Sawant voted against the repeal.
  • King County Council committee will meet on implementation of Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy. Tuesday, June 19th at 1:30 the Health, Housing, and Human Services committee is holding a special meeting for public comment on the levy, and possibly will take action steps forward. HDC will be there to support the forward momentum of the levy as it seeks to fund more affordable housing and other crucial social service programs. Join us!
  • King County Metro “resets” RFP for Northgate. King County Metro has restarted the process of looking for a developer to build the neighborhood’s newest transit oriented affordable housing. These homes will be built on public land near the new light rail station. “If there’s the potential that by offering the land for free we can get additional affordable-housing units, then we want to do that.”-Diane Carlson, Director of Capital Projects.
  • WA CAN calls on Federal Way for Rental Inspection Ordinance. Residents are claiming that property management unfairly discriminated and charged unnecessary fees. CAN is asking the Federal Way City Council for better regulations in order to protect tenants.
  • Pioneer Human Services announces new development of affordable housing building. The building will be in Capitol Hill with 90 units as well as support services such as classrooms and community spaces.
  • King County’s One Table initiative moves forward. After the repeal of the Head Tax this past week, the previously stalled regional initiative will be coming back to the forefront to make its recommendations for tackling affordable housing.
  • Candidates for WA 48th district discuss homelessness. Candidates Amy Walen and Cindi Bright discussed homelessness, systemic contributors, and necessary social services in their answers to tackling the problems facing constituents.
  • King County officials express concern over Seattle tiny homes. King County Human Services Director Adrienne Quinn expressed concerns over tiny homes impacting federal funding for the region. HUD counts those in tiny homes as still unsheltered.
  • Seattle’s ADU/DADU Draft EIS Comment Period Open: The City is accepting comments on its Accessory Dwelling Unit Draft EIS until next Monday, June 25th.
  • Unique opportunity for Bellevue advocates: The Bellevue Essentials program for emerging community leaders to learn about various public and community development processes. Apply to be part of the 2018 class by August 1st.
  • Redmond’s first budget hearing of the season coming up 6/19. HDC will be there to urge continued support for the Eastside Housing Trust Fund. Redmond advocates- join us!
  • Capitol Hill Station Groundbreaking tomorrow! Once completed, the development will include 428 new homes, 42% of which will be affordable to households at or below 30%, 50%, and 60% AMI. ​
  • What will we do in 2019 for safe, healthy, affordable homes for all? Staff at HDC member organizations: Use this survey to help us identify our policy priorities for next year. Want more information on how to get involved? Contact Sara Wamsley.

Housing Developments: Lather, rinse, repeal?

June 11, 2018 in Housing Developments, Policy & Advocacy

 HDC Members: Help set our policy priorities for 2019

Each year HDC staff seek policy ideas from members for consideration in our annual Policy Priorities, beginning with an online survey. Staff at all member organizations are encouraged to use this survey to share what you would like the HDC Board to consider including in our 2019 Policy Priorities.

The deadline to submit a response to the survey is Friday, July 13th at 5 pm. If you would prefer, you may also share ideas over the phone or in person by contacting Sara Wamsley. We’ll continue to reach out in the coming weeks with other ways to engage in the policy setting process.

Other developments…

  • Seattle’s ‘Head Tax’ may be headed for repeal tomorrow. Council President Bruce Harrell announced this morning that in a special meeting tomorrow, he will sponsor legislation to repeal the city’s employee hours tax less. Mayor Durkan and six other councilmembers also signaled their support in the statement. Councilmember Mosqueda said she could not support a repeal without a replacement.
  • Kent caps impact fees on residential development. Last Tuesday, the Kent City Council capped impact fees to about $8.4k per apartment and $8.2k per single family house, rejecting a proposal from Federal Way Public Schools that would have placed the impact fee at over $20k per apartment.
  • Capitol Hill Station Groundbreaking next Tuesday: Once completed, the development will include 428 new homes, 42% of which will be affordable to households at or below 30%, 50%, and 60% AMI.
  • New Out of Reach report to be released Wednesday. The NLIHC’s annual report showing the housing wagefor each state will be released this Wednesday, June 13th at 10 am EST. The current housing wage for King County? $29.69.
  • Mary’s Place has a new place in Burien: The new location will sleep about 200 people and offer supportive programming.
  • Renton City Council approved a moratorium on townhomes in the city’s commercial arterial zone. “There’s a need for town homes in the city. We just need to identify where is the appropriate location,” one city staff member said.
  • Rent in Renton up 2.2% from last year and has increased for four months straight, reports the Renton Reporter.
  • Unique opportunity for Bellevue advocates: The Bellevue Essentials program for emerging community leaders to learn about various public and community development processes. Apply to be part of the 2018 class by August 1st.
  • Redmond’s first budget hearing of the season coming up 6/19. HDC will be there to urge continued support for the Eastside Housing Trust Fund. Redmond advocates- join us! 
  • Seattle’s proposed city-wide Mandatory Housing Affordability program is inching closer to implementation after a hearings examiner ruled largely in city’s favor, but much remains before council can vote.
  • Seattle’s ADU/DADU Draft EIS Comment Period Open: The City is accepting comments on its Accessory Dwelling Unit Draft EIS until June 25th.
  • 35% of parking spaces within existing apartment buildings go unused, but West Seattle residents are feeling frustrated by perceived lack of parking planning for new housing developments.
  • “Tenants don’t know about their right to challenge rent hikes in those situations.” A couple living in South Park shared their story about living in substandard housing… and still being priced out.
  • Washington Home Ownership Resource Center hosts State Homeownership Convening on June 13th in Tukwila: Registration is now open for the third annual statewide homeownership convening!

Housing Developments: Four down, D1 to go

June 4, 2018 in Housing Developments, Policy & Advocacy

Mandatory Housing Affordability: Final in-district public hearing on Tuesday

With four hearings down, we’re in the homestretch for public hearings on Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program. District 1 is next!

Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, June 5th at 6 pm at the Chief Sealth International High School Auditorium. Lend your voice to ensure that new development in Seattle includes homes that are affordable.

RSVP Here
(if you’d like talking points, let us know!)

or

Find My District

MHA is so close to the finish line thanks to the hard work and support of dedicated advocates like you. Thank you for helping ensure that when new development comes to your neighborhood, it includes affordable homes.

Other developments…

  • More than 12,000 people were counted as homeless during this year’s point-in-time count, a 4% increase over last year. For the first time, over half of those counted were in tents, vehicles, or other places besides shelter, with the biggest increase vehicle residency. People of color and LGBTQ+ communities continue to be disproportionately represented among those counted, and this year organizations representing Native Americans believe they were undercounted. It’s not all bad news, reports KUOW. Homelessness declined among veterans and families, youth homelessness held steady.
  • Beyond numbers, hear the voices of people who have experienced homelessness and those working to end it with Project Homeless this Thursday night.
  • Christmas in July for Capitol Hill Station: construction will soon begin on the transit-oriented development above light rail which will include 176 affordable homes.
  • Pitching Safeco Field maintenance and affordable housing against one another. King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove spoke in favor of using hotel-motel lodging tax dollars to fund affordable housing instead of field maintenance.
  • The Difference a Home Makes: Five HDC members hosted a community dialogue to foster understanding between their clients with other community members during Affordable Housing Week. Good work, Attain Housing, Congregations for the Homeless, Imagine Housing, Lifewire, and the Sophia Way!
  • Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a proposal for 500 new shelter beds last week. The proposal includes funding for both new and expanded shelters from a sale of publicly-owned land.
  • Rent in Kent up 4.3% from last year and has increased for seven months straight, reports the Kent Reporter.
  • 19 months and counting: local home prices continue to lead the nation. Home prices in the Seattle-Metro area increased 13% in the time from March 2017-March 2018, exactly double the national index.
  • Both sides of the head tax debate are hitting the streets as opponents gather signatures for a possible November referendum.
  • “The energy level for backyard cottages seems to be growing” but is Seattle ready to take ADUs & and DADUs mainstream? The City is accepting comments on its Accessory Dwelling Unit Draft EIS until June 25th.
  • Affordable housing tops the list of needed amenities, poll of local immigrants reveals.
  • Impact fee discussion back on in South King County cities. Kent City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to adopt a cap on impact fees charged to residential developers within the city limits.
  • Naloxone Training for Case Managers and Housing Providers 6/5: The Coalition on Homelessness and King County Department of Community and Health Services host this free training in Kent. Register here.
  • LGBTQ Allyship is accepting applications to be a part of the 2018 Housing Justice Institute! The deadline to submit an application is June 7th at midnight.
  • Washington Home Ownership Resource Center hosts State Homeownership Convening on June 13th in Tukwila: Registration is now open for the third annual statewide homeownership convening!

Housing Developments: Construction Spice

May 21, 2018 in Housing Developments, Policy & Advocacy

Putting a bow on #AHW2018

Last week hundreds of community members came together at dozens of events across the county in support of safe, healthy, affordable homes for all as part of our third annual Affordable Housing Week! Check out #AHW2018 and #Homes4AllKC for a rundown, and email your city council to thank them for recognizing the week and encourage them to stay engaged.

#AHW2018 Headlines:

..and finally, our #AHW2018 Theme Song Contest Winner (for the second year in a row) Weber Thompson! Their in-house band “Two Turntables and a Micro House” brought the heat once again with “Imagine Our City.” Come for the tunes, stay for Construction Spice.

Thanks to everyone who participated in Affordable Housing Week! We’ll see you again next year.

Other developments…

  • New “head tax” puts Seattle in the national spotlight. Following Council’s unanimous vote Monday to enact an employee hours tax, folks around the sound and the rest of the country had a lot to say. This week, local outlets have turned speculative, with Seattle Times, KUOW, and Capitol Hill Blog wondering what’s next. Meanwhile, opposition aims for a November referendum.
  • “Zoning is the whole game when it comes to housing,” Maybe not the whole game, but either way, Mike Rosenberg takes a look at Seattle’s single family zoning and finds that 88% of new growth has been absorbed by 18% of its zoned residential land area.
  • Home is a parking spot for thousands in King County. South Seattle Emerald explores what life feels like for people living in their vehicles.
  • How a 2013 motel raid inspired a vision for new affordable homes in Tukwila: KUOW chats with Mohammed Jama about the Abu Bakr mosque’s plans to turn an old motel into new community asset.
  • King County’s homeless population has grown 11.5% since 2017, but funding has increased by less than 2.5% even as public and non-profit agencies move more households out of homelessness. This and more from the McKinsey report, which is partially behind a paywall.
  • An estimated 300 new affordable homes coming to Issaquah after Council approves changes to inclusionary zoning code.  Under the new policy, 15% of new units must be affordable to households earning 70% of AMI, or a developer can build fewer units with deeper levels of affordability.
  • “The crisis of housing and the cost of housing has moved from a social issue to one of core economic competitiveness,” Bellevue Mayor Chelminiak said at the State of the City meeting. 
  • King County taxpayers are paying more to add lanes to freeways into Bellevue than they would to put affordable housing within Bellevue city limits, according to KCHA executive director Stephen Norman.
  • ADU: What’s it 2 U? The City of Seattle is accepting comments on its Accessory Dwelling Unit Draft EIS.
  • “We’re moving outside the box.” King County Housing Authority’s work acquiring properties and leveraging housing choice vouchers to house more people was featured in Slate.
  • New tool in the works to identify publicly-owned land suitable for affordable housing development. Enterprise Community Partners’ Home & Hope tool will map all the public land in King County.
  • Naloxone Training for Case Managers and Housing Providers 6/5: The Coalition on Homelessness and King County Department of Community and Health Services host this free training in Kent. Register here.
  • Affordable developments face land construction costs just like any other building, KING 5 reports. Susan Boyd of Bellwether Housing sums it up her conversation with the news outlet; “Lots of money, land, and political capital are needed to build more.”
  • Washington Home Ownership Resource Center hosts State Homeownership Convening on June 13th in Tukwila: Registration is now open for the third annual statewide homeownership convening!

Housing Developments: Rally with us today and all week long!

May 14, 2018 in Housing Developments, Policy & Advocacy

Affordable Housing Week kicks off TODAY at noon!

Join the Kick-off!        View Event Calendar

Ensuring everyone in our region has a safe, healthy, and affordable home takes each and every one of us. Affordable Housing Week is a time to celebrate what we have accomplished together and what’s ahead. Join us Monday to kick off our third annual rally and march for #Homes4AllKC!

RALLY & MARCH TO KING COUNTY COUNCIL
12-1:30 pm at SEIU 775,  215 Columbia Street
featuring Rep. Nicole Macri, Washington State Poet Laureate Claudia Castro Luna, and King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, who will lead us on the short march to King County Council Chambers

KING COUNTY COUNCIL PROCLAMATION
1:30-2 pm King County Council Chambers, 516 Third Avenue
Join us in accepting the King County Council’s Affordable Housing Week proclamation!

No matter who you are or where you live in King County, there is something you can do for housing affordability in your neighborhood. Learn about what you can do and share ideas with others during an event-filled week! See the full calendar here.

Other developments…

  • All eyes on Seattle City Hall as council considers an employee hours tax. Last Friday, the council finance committee voted 5-4 to advance a $75 million ‘head tax’ to the full council, and against a smaller proposal from Mayor Durkan. Council will vote this afternoon on the proposal
  • $360-410 million per year. That’s what it would take to end homelessness in King County at its current levels, according to a new report from McKinsey. It’s also a far greater number than current spending. The report calls for 85% of the extra funding to be investments in affordable housing.
  • “I’d like to live somewhere where I don’t have to have roommates.” Q13 covered last week’s public hearing in District 2 on Mandatory Housing Affordability. The MHA Program is in only six neighborhoods so far, and KUOW offered an early check-in.
  • Mother’s Day-feel good story: Two Men and a Truck’s “Movers for Moms” campaign benefits The Sophia Way.
  • As rents move north, people and businesses go south.  Rising costs are coming to historically black Tacoma neighborhoods, like Hilltop, as Seattle restaurants, along with former Seattle residents, are increasingly moving to south.
  • Twin problems of high cost of living and homelessness top PSRC poll of region worst problems.
  • Scarcity of affordable housing tripping up regional homelessness response, according to a report from the King County Auditor’s Office.
  • Today a Sears Auto Parts, tomorrow, mixed-income housing. Redmond’s Seritage development will include affordable homes and, if city council gets their way, some affordable commercial space, too.
  • New affordable housing coming to Roxy Cinema site in Renton, the developer will use the multi-family tax-exemption to build affordability into their transit-oriented development.
  • Washington Home Ownership Resource Center Forum set for June 13th in Tukwila: Registration is now open for the third annual statewide homeownership convening!