Drop-in forum for affordable housing in King County

Do you care about affordable housing and homelessness prevention?

King County is setting priorities for how to spend approximately $9 million in Community Planning Development federal funds from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Funds may be used for a wide range of activities in support of low and moderate-income people in King County and living outside of Seattle.

The King County will be hosting a community forum Saturday, June 29, to speak with residents about their priorities, gather input and take public comment on the draft plan. King County and city partner representatives will be onsite for conversations during the stated times; there is no formal program planned.

Everyone is welcome!

Tukwila Library, June 29, 2019, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, 14380 Tukwila International Blvd, Tukwila.

You can find more information here.

Questions? Contact:

Madeline Cavazos, Policy Analyst and Community Liaison, King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci. 206-477-7774, Madeline.cavazos@kingcounty.gov

Call to save Housing Bond

The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance has issued a call to action around the federal tax plan being negotiated in Congress.

Phone call message:

This is the time to make investments to solve the affordable housing crisis, not to make it even worse by eliminating tools like the Housing Bond as the House tax plan does. Please make sure the Housing Bond is protected in a final tax plan.

CONTEXT:

Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate passed different versions of a tax bill. The chambers now need to conference and negotiate one version of the bill. The House version eliminates Housing Bonds. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission uses those private activity bonds to create rental homes that are affordable for low-income households. If these bonds are eliminated more than 2,000 rental homes in Washington won’t be built in the next two years as planned.

WHO TO CONTACT:

At the federal level, you have two senators representing you in the U.S. Senate, and one representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. Together the U.S. Senate and U.S. House make up Congress. Please contact your senators and your district representative. You can look up your federal district here, http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/. (Be sure to select Congressional under District Type). 

Here is contact information for the King County delegation:

Let's talk budget! Senate releases its proposal

• Side by side: Governor and Senate Budgets

The big difference between proposals so far? The governor's budget has more revenue (and Senate funds mental health WAY more)

The state Senate released its operating budget proposal March 21 and - as expected - in areas outside of K-12 education and mental health it made cuts, or didn't include increases that advocates sought.

While the Senate proposal does include a new state property tax, that revenue is used to offset a proposed cap on local taxes for schools. It also offsets loss of extra funding that property-poor districts get. So while the Senate puts a new tax in play, there isn't new revenue for non-K-12 education areas.

In contrast, the governor included a revenue package to support his proposal. It includes a mix of changes, including expanding the state's business and occupation tax to include service businesses, and adding a capital gains tax. You can review it here.

For complete budget proposals:

• Governor's 2017-19 budget proposal
• Senate 2017-19 operating budget proposal
• 2017-19 Interactive (lets you easily review departments and compare allocations) 

Also:

• Developmental disabilities budget detail 
• Special education budget detail 

The Arc of Washington does a great summary in chart form (see link at top) that compares budget choices for areas that are specific to disability services.

Overall, the Senate puts about $2.4 billion more into the Department of Social and Human Services (DSHS), though in part that is because the governor pulls out funding for a proposed Department of Children, Youth and Family Services. The Senate also funds Mental Health at a substantially higher rate. ($1.7 billion more.) The governor put more into Developmental Disabilities, including $45 million to fund a wage increase for community residential providers.

Some highlights:

FIRCREST: The Senate pushes forward on plans to close or consolidate the state residential habilitation centers (RHCs, also simply called "institutions"), and allocates funds to transition Fircrest School residents to community settings, nursing options, or another RHC. CONCERN: The Senate does NOT make the needed investments in community residential care to absorb new clients.

Legislative report: Housing bills

Topics in this legislative update on housing policy:

• Access to homeless housing and assistance; anti-discrimination against source of income (Section 8, etc); local options to preserve affordable housing; nonprofit, low income home ownership development; fees for residential services investigation costs; number of adult homes permitted in residential areas

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We encourage you to comment on these bills! Click on the bill number, then click on "Comment on this bill" to the right. Comments will be sent to your chosen representatives.
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OUR HOUSING POSITIONS

At The Arc of King County, we work on housing issues as part of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance as well as the Community Advocacy Coalition for developmental disabilities. This legislative session, our focus is on the following:

• Secure funds for homeless assistance and housing stability
• Invest $200 million in the Housing Trust Fund to Build and preserve 5,700 safe, healthy, and affordable homes. 
• Prohibit landlord discrimination based on source of income, such as SSI income or Section 8 vouchers 
• Guard against zoning, rules and standards that discriminate against people with disabilities
• Support efforts that help communities preserve and increase affordable housing options
• Expand housing for people with disabilities experiencing long term homelessness by ensuring full operating budget authority for our state’s Medicaid transformation to fund services in permanent supportive housing

 

Bills we are tracking

SHB 1570
Concerning access to homeless housing and assistance
Sponsors: Macri, Robinson, McBride, Kagi, Sawyer, Tharinger, Doglio, Pollet, Ortiz-Self, Chapman, Cody, Jinkins, Bergquist, Hudgins, Peterson, Senn, Stonier, Riccelli, Frame, Gregerson, Dolan, Tarleton, Ormsby, Ryu, Fey, Fitzgibbon, Goodman, Slatter, Pettigrew, Kloba, Orwall, Appleton, Clibborn, Farrell, Stanford

Makes permanent an expiring $40 Local Housing and Assistance fee, which supports homeless assistance

Allows counties and/or cities to charge and retain an additional surcharge, up to $50.

Calls for the Department of Commerce and the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to conduct a homeless study every 10 years to better understand causes and characteristics of homelessness and inform policy making.

Note: If coupled with new Housing Trust Fund investments, the Washington Housing Opportunities Act would ensure housing for more than 6,515 more people each 2-year budget cycle.

• Must pass House Appropriations before a floor vote
• The Low Income Housing Alliance supports
• The Community Advocacy Coalition gives it a thumbs up.