My experience at the NLIHC 2023 Housing Policy Forum
Last month I had the opportunity to attend the 2023 Housing Policy Forum: Onward to Housing Justice, hosted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and held in Washington, D.C. There were several hundred attendees, as well as the NLIHC Board of Directors and State and Tribal Partners from across the country. The Forum is an annual event, but due to COVID, they had not held it in person since 2019.
The shortage of affordable housing has worsened for renters with extremely low incomes, especially in Washington
The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, a new report released today by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, finds a national shortage of 7.3 million affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renter households – those with incomes at or below the poverty level or 30% of their area median income, whichever is greater.
State lawmakers must make bold investments this year to solve the affordable housing and homelessness crisis
Everyone should have a safe, stable place to call home. Stable and safe housing helps kids learn. It helps families stay together and younger adults stay in their home community. It helps ensure a healthy workforce and households that have money left to spend in their local economy. It helps communities stay resilient.
Governor Inslee’s budget takes bold steps - significant housing investments are also needed in this biennium
In his budget proposal released this week, Governor Inslee went big and proposed the kind of bold investments needed to make real progress on solving our state’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis. We commend the Governor for acting with urgency by putting forward an unprecedented investment in affordable homes. His proposal would fund 7,500 newly affordable homes in the next two years, and 26,700 over eight years.
The vision, mission, and values that guide our work
During our last strategic planning process, we recognized that our vision, mission, and values didn’t reflect some of the most central aspects of our work. Most importantly, they were missing language centering equity and racial justice and the importance of leadership of people and communities most impacted by housing injustice.
Washington's housing wage climbs to $31.33 per hour
In order to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent in Washington, full-time workers need to earn $31.33 per hour. This is Washington’s 2022 Housing Wage, revealed in a national report published today, and is the 6th highest state housing wage in the U.S.
Homeless services providers study - participate in the survey today!
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Washington Housing Wage = $29.31 per hour
Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, July 14, 2021
NEW 2021 DATA: AFFORDABLE HOUSING REMAINS OUT OF REACH IN WASHINGTON FOR LOW-WAGE WORKERS
Renters Need More Time
Washington’s 2021 legislative session was among the most important for affordable housing and tenant protections in a generation. Thanks to the most progressive legislature we’ve ever had, a Governor who truly understands what it means to support everyone in our state, and thousands of advocates like you, enormous and consequential bills were passed this year.