News

Housing Developments: What the heck is housing stability? Asking for a friend.

August 7, 2017 in Housing Developments, Policy & Advocacy

It’s time to #voidSOID in Burien!

Email Council now and urge them to adopt source of income discrimination (SOID) protections.

Tonight the Burien City Council will hear a presentation on source of income discrimination (SOID) and explore drafting an ordinance that would protect Burien renters from experiencing this type of discrimination. We want Burien to join its South King County neighbors Auburn, Kent, Renton, and Tukwila in recognizing that SOID is a problem they can- and should- take action to stop.

Please join us in urging countil to act quickly to protect Burien renters and implement SOID protections without delay! Send an email now.

Other Developments…

  • Fair Chance Housing is on the agenda for tomorrow’s City of Seattle Civil Rights, Economic Development, and Arts Committee. Folks interested in learning more about Fair Chance Housing should know about this webinar on Wednesday hosted by WLIHA with The City of Seattle and SOCR.

  • Kirkland City Council voted to do some more research before they vote on increasing density at the Houghton- Everest Neighborhood Center.

  • Senator Cantwell is working on a “bi-partisan fix to the housing crisis.” Or at least part of the housing crisis.

  • VSHSL Transition Plan Input: If approved by voters in November, half of the dollars generated in the first year of Vets, Seniors, and Human Services levy will go to housing stability. What the heck is housing stability? Spend 5-10 minutes on this survey to help the County inform their definition.

  • A five percent increase in rent would push nearly 300 people into homelessness, a new Zillow report found.

  • Another Zillow report analyzed housing vouchers in 364 markets across the country and found that many, including our own, could make some improvements.

  • Bellevue is a tougher place to build than Seattle, according to a new list.

  • Sound Transit & The Seattle Office of Housing have published joint RFPs for ETOD at Roosevelt Station.

  • A recall effort of a city councilmember in Black Diamond is moving forward. The recall effort is taking place in light of contentious development in the city.

  • Helping Homeless Students: McKinney-Vento 101 Workshop on 8/22: SKCCH is hosting this free workshop featuring national expert Dr. Lenore Rubin and presenters from Columbia Legal Services and Schoolhouse WA. Register here.

    What did we miss? Email us with suggestions. 

    Send Housing Developments straight your inbox every Monday. Subscribe here.

Housing Developments: Primary Time! July 31, 2017

July 31, 2017 in Housing Developments, Policy & Advocacy

They say greatness can’t be rushed but with only 1 day left before the primary, it’s time the 90ish% of us who haven’t voted make an effort. Luckily, everything you need to submit the ballot of your dreams is right here in this email. You have until tomorrow at 8 pm, so get to voting!

As a 501(c)3, we wouldn’t dare tell you. Here are some tools to help you decide:

King County Candidate Profiles for every candidate in every race from city council to state rep.

Voter’s Guide to Housing & Homelessness: Seattle Mayoral Race HDC and our partners Seattle U, Solid Ground, and SKCCH asked the questions, most of the candidates answered

However you do it it, do it by 8 pm tomorrow- Tuesday, 8/1. 

Drop your ballot off at any of these locations 

Vote by mail by having your ballot postmarked by 8/1

Vote in-person at an accessible voting center if you need assistance completing your ballot

Other resources for the 11th-hour.

I didn’t receive a ballot. Am I even registered to vote?

I want to make sure my ballot gets counted because in an off-year primary, my vote is extra important!

I’m a Seattle resident with Democracy Vouchers and I don’t know what they are or how to use them

When you’re all done, treat yo self and watch the results come in live. We hear there are some primary election night parties going on around the county if you’re looking to make everyone on social media jealous.
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Other Developments…

  • The Seattle City Council will vote today on the CID rezone and companion resolution. This follows a PLUZ committee meeting in the neighborhood and the passage of the Central District rezone last week.. 

  • The regional housing market isn’t keeping pace with job growth. If you don’t know, now you know.

  • New affordable apartments in north Seattle are literally being stacked one on top of the other.

  • An eastside state senator wants East King County to secede from King County.

  • Allegedly it’s too expensive to build anything other than market rate housing here, but somehow, some way, some private market developers are doing it.

  • A proposed TOD site with 130 homes is one of 6 comp plan amendment requests to be reviewed by the Federal Way City Council.

  • Seattle City Council will consider developer impact fees. 

  • Washington state ‘s homeless student population has increased 30% over the last three years. In the same window, federal funding increased only 8%.

  • Housing Affordability Work Party Thursday, August 3rd: learn about the draft EIS for Mandatory Housing Affordability city-wide, share ideas for public comment, and leave your comments for the city. Food, childcare, and kid-friendly activities provided.

    What did we miss? Email us with suggestions.

    Send Housing Developments straight your inbox every Monday. Subscribe here.

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Legislative Session Cut-Off Date(ing) Game

February 14, 2017 in Policy & Advocacy

The first cut-off date of the 2017 Legislative Session is this Friday and these bills need your help to move on, or there just isn’t a future for them!

Click the image of each contestant to send a letter to your representatives urging their support.

Updates from the South King Housing and Homelessness Partnership!

May 25, 2016 in SKHHP, Uncategorized

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Agency Spotlight: Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County

Habitat Seattle-King County is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, renovating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.

HH newsletter photoIulia knew her son would be excited when he saw what would be his new home, but she never expected him to be so delighted by a closet.

The house was still under construction when Iulia brought six-year old Nicolae to see its progress. To her surprise, he was immediately drawn to the small, “Harry Potter-style” coat closet under the stairs.

He thought this was going to be his new bedroom.

“Nicolae entered that little closet, and it just seemed so big to him!” Iulia remembers. “He was like, ‘Oh mom! I’m gonna have my own room!’”
Nicolae and his parents moved to Renton from the Eastern European nation of Moldova when he was a year and a half old. The the family of three had been living in a one-bedroom apartment so small that the cat had learned to sleep along the wall to avoid being stepped on. By the time Iulia’s daughter Vera was born, four people were living in the tiny, crowded space. Nicolae was so accustomed to cramped living conditions, even sleeping in a closet under the stairs would have seemed like a luxury. Read More

Updates from the South King Housing & Homelessness Partnership!

May 10, 2016 in SKHHP

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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!

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Updates from the South King Housing and Homelessness Partnership!

April 27, 2016 in SKHHP

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Spring is showing itself  to be the season of new beginnings and new opportunities for those in the SKHHP community! This month, we’ll see the opening of Valley Cities Phoenix Rising, a project that will provide supported housing, job training, and services to young adults experiencing homelessness. We’re gearing up for the first annual Affordable Housing Week, a new opportunity to highlight the need for and impact of affordable housing throughout King County. And as we continue to shift how our community provides coordinated entry into our homeless housing systems, we see new funding opportunities, new partnerships and collaborations, and ongoing opportunities for  your voice to make a difference in how our region will respond collectively to this housing crisis. Many of these opportunities are listed below, but as always, please reach out to me if you are looking to engage and have your voice heard! — Joy Scott, SKC Housing Planner Read More

Updates from the South King Housing & Homelessness Partnership!

April 5, 2016 in SKHHP

The 2016 Legislative Session may have ended, but there are still plenty of ways to stay engaged in housing advocacy! Join HDC for the upcoming Advocacy Week, a new annual tradition that the Housing Development Consortium is kicking off to organize a series of community efforts highlighting the need for affordable housing in cities all throughout King County. Taken together, this will shine a spotlight on the need for affordable housing regionally, and will demonstrate the support for the movement to provide all people with the chance to live in a safe, healthy, affordable home in a community of opportunity. For more information, and to register to receive updates, click here! As always, if you have any questions or would like to find out how to become more engaged with SKHHP, don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
— Joy Scott, SKC Housing Planner Read More

Updates from the South King Housing and Homelessness Partnership!

March 15, 2016 in SKHHP

Questions of best practices, capacity, and resources have weighed heavily this month, as many of us have been wondering about the right approach to address the housing and homelessness crisis our region is experiencing. In the past two weeks, we’ve seen dozens of cities come together to explore local and regional models of addressing homelessness. Many communities are having internal conversations, bringing together community members, service providers, the business community, and others to increase their understanding of the issue and decide on community actions. South King County had a strong presence at the recent Cities Convening on Homelessness, and I look forward to continuing to work with you all as we address this crisis, and continue to demonstrate South King County’s regional, unified voice.
– Joy Scott, SKC Housing Planner

City Spotlight

Three years ago, the City of Renton entered into an exciting and unusual partnership with the Renton Ecumenical Association of Churches (REACH). The city offered the old jail space in the city hall building for use as a day center, if REACH could fund and make the required renovations to re-purpose it. REACH held a successful fundraising campaign, and in May of 2013, the Center of Hope opened. Read More

Updates from the South King Housing and Homelessness Partnership!

March 1, 2016 in Uncategorized

As we move further into 2016, we’ve been working to determine what we want to collectively accomplish as the South King Housing and Homelessness Partnership. Members of the Homelessness Action Committee and Joint Planners and Developers workgroup have each met to identify priorities and opportunities for action this year. For more information on the policies and practices we’ve identified that could help to address affordable housing and homelessness issues in our region, click here. And as always, feel free to contact me ([email protected]) with any questions!
— Joy Scott, SKC Housing Planner

Places to Be

The Puget Sound Regional Council is hosting a peer networking series focused on best practices and resources for local planning and implementation. The March 17th panel discussion and webinar will be focused on partnerships for affordable housing, with the topic of “Models of Cross-Jurisdictional Coordination from Around the Region to Produce and Preserve Affordable Housing.” Get more information, including how to sign up for this and future events here.

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Updates from the South King Housing and Homelessness Partnership

February 1, 2016 in SKHHP

January was a great time for me to come on board with SKHHP! With the start of the new year came a renewed focus on data for many of us. Events like the One Night Count and community forums provide us with the opportunities to not only define the issues we’re looking to address, but shape the response to it in a way that makes sense for our communities. These SKHHP updates will provide a space for you to find out what’s happening with housing and homelessness in South King County, where to find new resources, and places your voice can make a difference.

—Joy Scott, SKC Housing Planner

City Spotlight

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The City of Auburn has been working on engaging with its residents to shape a conversation on homelessness and what it means for our area. The Auburn Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness brings together community members, business owners, and city staff to create meaningful dialogue about the experience of and response to homelessness in our region. The Task Force recently held its fourth meeting. Read More