News

Tomorrow’s a big day.

King County Elections will finally take place:

Here’s just one more awesome editorial for #YesOnProp1, because tomorrow is the last day you can vote to renew and expand this vital levy for Vets, Seniors, and Human Services (and because we personally cannot get enough good stories like Monique’s.)

King County Elections and Crosscut have information on candidates and ballot measures county-wide. Seattle residents who are picking a mayor last minute may also find helpful this KNKX’s piece and this infographic by Campion, HDC, SKCCH, The Housing Alliance Action Fund.

Here’s where to turn your ballot in and what to do if you lost it.

It’s the last day to nominate your favorite advocate for Advocate of the Year! 

Who should be recognized for taking action for safe, healthy, and affordable homes this year? Who inspires you? Let us know by 11 pm tomorrow. (Note that nominees must be work for an HDC member organization.)

…and it’s National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day.

Oddly specific, yet delicious.

Other Developments…

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Who should receive our Advocate of the Year Award?

It’s high time we recognized the people who advocate for our movement and inspire others to take action for safe, healthy, and affordable homes for all. Nominate someone you know to receive our first ever Advocate of the Year Award by Nov 7th. Nominees must work for an HDC member organization.

Other Developments…

• 8 days remain until Elections: The Times thinks the winner of the affordability questionwill win the race to be Seattle’s next mayor. Who has the best answer? Check out this helpful and beautiful infographic from Campion, Housing Alliance Action Fund, HDC, and SKCCH to decide for yourself.
• The Seattle Times began an exploration of homelessness with an article about bottlenecks, and another about the 65 people who died outside while experiencing homelessness this year.
• Seattle City Councilmembers passionately debated a ‘head tax’ to fund services for people experiencing homelessness.

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Join us Thursday for “probably the best movie you’ll see this year”

The Gates Foundation and A24 Films (the firm who brought us last year’s Best Picture winner ‘Moonlight’) have partnered with HDC, WLIHA, and The Seattle University Project on Family Homelessness to host a special screening of ‘The Florida Project.’ Join us this Thursday, 10/19 at AMC Pacific Place for cocktails at 5, film screening at 6, and a Q&A with director Sean Baker immediately following. The event is free, but space is very limited and registration is required.  Get on the list by RSVPing today to [email protected]

Other Developments…

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Vets, Seniors, and Human Services Levy endorsed by The Seattle Times!

“The proposal should be an easy yes vote for King County residents.” We agree! You can support the levy by phone banking, endorsing, or sharing your story here.

Other Developments…

• “If you don’t take the risk, why exist at all?” Doris Koo and the courage it takes to face an affordable housing crisis.
• TODAY- October 9th- is the deadline for King County residents to register online to vote on the November 7th general election. Remember that you don’t need a house to vote!
• The Uptown rezone was passed by Seattle City Council last Monday. The rezone adds affordable housing requirements and declares the neighborhood an arts and cultural district.

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HDC staff are in Spokane this week for the 24th annual Housing Washington Conference! If you’re in the Lilac City, too,  catch our presentation on source of income discrimination, visit us at booth 20 to take our prize wheel for a spin, and let us know what great things you’ve been up to. Can’t attend? Follow along on social media using #HousingWA2017

Other Developments…

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The Yes on Prop 1 Campaign to Renew the Vets, Seniors, and Human Services Levy kicks off this Wednesday! Can’t attend? You can still help the campaign by telling us why you support the levy, or how it impacts your personal or professional life with this super-simple story sharing survey or you can officially endorse the campaign.

Other Developments…

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Today is the last day to secure early bird rates for our two-day Advocacy Intensive! Build your capacity for systems change work by enhancing your understanding of mobilization and organizing, housing policy and the political process, and how to engage with electeds. Save $30 by registering by midnight tonight!

Other Developments…

• Speaking of deadlines, today is also the last day for HDC members to submit an application for Leadership Development Survey Course. The seven-month course gives participants a broad overview of leadership principles and exposes participants to the varied roles of leaders in mission and value-driven organizations.

• Who’s the mayor of Seattle? As of this writing, it’s Bruce Harrell. By this evening, perhaps Tim Burgess.

• Capitol Hill Housing announced plans to build LGBTQ- affirming housing for older adults.

• Kent cracks the top-10 for highest apartment rent hikes in the country.

• The City of Redmond is considering raising impact fee rates in 2018 to keep pace with inflation.

• You can help the Yes on Prop 1 Campaign to renew the Vets, Seniors, and Human Services levy! Tell us how the levy has impacted your personal or professional life or if you are representing an organization, Click here for an endorsement form and return it to our Government Relations & Policy Director by the end of the month.

• The Seattle Housing Authority will turn an old records storage facility near Yesler Terrace into about 125 affordable homes. 

• Row houses at Yesler Terrace, the nation’s first racially-integrated housing project, will soon be replaced, but the memories and hamsters buried in the backyard remain.

• South King County and the $100,000 parking space: the cost to build parking spaces along the Sound Train line is rising

• Seattle startup (and new HDC member) Blokable‘s modular construction model is attracting the attention of some high-profile investors.

• East King County electeds and King County Council representatives talked affordable housing at a panel discussion hosted by Leadership Eastside.

• Alleged “arch-nemeses” John Fox and Roger Valdez talk to KUOW about their different notions of how to meet the demand for affordable housing in Seattle. 

• Short-term rental owners seem pretty amenable to Seattle’s proposed regulations on AirBnBs and VRBOs.

• Last week Seattle Mayoral Candidates Cary Moon and Jenny Durkan debated growth, housing affordability, and homelessness in a debate that anyone reading this email should watch.  Here’s a full run-down by the event host Solid Ground.

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Seattle Mayoral candidates Jenny Durkan and Cary Moon will debate growth, affordable housing, and homelessness tomorrow, Sept 12th, at 7 pm.  The sold-out forum will be live-streamed by the Seattle Times and moderated by Enrique Cerna of KCTS with reporters Heidi Groover of The Stranger, David Kroman of Crosscut, and Vernal Coleman the Seattle Times.

Join our partners at Firesteel for a pre-debate show at 6:30 pm, livestreamed from their Facebook page. HDC is proud to partner with SKCCH and WLIHA Action Fund to support the forum’s hosts Solid Ground and the Seattle U Project on Family Homelessness.

Other Developments…

• Public hearing double header tonight: Seattle City Council will hear public comment on the MHA-triggering uptown rezone AND improvements to the city’s design review process.

• The City of Auburn partnered with Valley Cities and the Auburn Food Bank to open a new shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

• UW and the Seattle Housing Authority announced plans to build 150 affordable homes in the university district designed for employees.

• Might Amazon’s decision to seek a second headquarters let some of the air out of the region’s housing bubble?

• Shelter, but not housing: Lack of affordable housing is keeping people swept from tent encampments from exiting homelessness.
  

• At-large Seattle City Council candidates Jon Grant and Teresa Mosqueda will debate Thursday.

• The Yes on Prop 1 Campaign to renew the Vets, Seniors, and Human Services levy kicked off last week! Your organization can help by endorsing! Click here for an endorsement form and return it to our Government Relations & Policy Director by the end of the month.

• HDC Members: Applications for Leadership Development Survey Course are open now through September 18th.  The seven-month course gives participants a broad overview of leadership principles and exposes participants to the varied roles of leaders in mission and value-driven organizations.

• Early bird registration is open for our first ever Advocacy Intensive! This two-day training will build your capacity for systems change work by helping you understand mobilization and organizing, housing policy and the political process, and how to engage with electeds. Save $30 on registration now through September 18th.

  What did we miss? Email us with suggestions.
  Send Housing Developments straight your inbox every Monday! Subscribe here.