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Fact Sheets and Publications

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Washington Low Income Housing Alliance 2018-2020 Strategic Plan Goals

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Here is our latest annual snapshot of the state of affordable housing and homelessness in Washington. We take a special look at why equity matters in this 2020 edition. The report also compares data on homelessness, housing costs, and income needed to rent or purchase an average-priced home. 

2020 Washington State Affordable Housing and Homelessness Priorities, with Support Issues

 
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We advocate for public policy supporting our vision that all Washington residents have the opportunity for safe, healthy, affordable homes in thriving communities. This document contains our 2020 Affordable Housing and Homelessness priorities, along with our support issues. 

Bringing Washington Home: Affordable Housing Report 2017

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The purpose of this report is to provide an annual snapshot of the state of affordable housing and homelessness in Washington. The report compares data on homelessness, housing costs, and income needed to rent or purchase an average-priced home. The most recent data is compared with data from one year and five years prior. The report also highlights the impact of affordable homes on families and individuals and is complemented by a series of fact sheets that provide local data and a personal story for communities across Washington.

Legislative District Stories and Fact Sheets

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With support from the Washington State Department of Commerce and the Washington Housing Finance Commission, the Housing Alliance has developed a data-storytelling page for each legislative district. The purpose is to highlight the story of one constituent in each district alongside recent data about housing and homelessness unique to that area for the purposes of advocacy. View and download the story pages by district.

2017 Washington State Affordable Housing and Homelessness Priorities

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We advocate for public policy supporting our vision that all Washington residents have the opportunity for safe, healthy, affordable homes in thriving communities. This document contains our 2017 Affordable Housing and Homelessness Priorities. (2 pages)

 

2017 Washington State Affordable Housing and Homelessness Priorities, with Support Issues

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We advocate for public policy supporting our vision that all Washington residents have the opportunity for safe, healthy, affordable homes in thriving communities. This document contains our 2017 Affordable Housing and Homelssness priorities, along with our newly introduced support issues. 

 

2017 Housing Trust Fund one-pager

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The Housing Trust Fund is funded through the Capital Budget and investments are allocated on a competitive basis to non-profits and public housing authorities on a competitive basis. Homes created by the Housing Trust Fund remain affordable for at least 40 years, and provide homes for families, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, farmworker, and others.

 

2017 Washington Housing Opportunities Act one-pager

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A modest fee paid to file real estate related documents provides Washington's most important source of funding to combat homelessness. The fees fund domestic violence shelters, youth shelters, outreach services, short- and long-term rental assistance, move-in assistance, permanent supportive housing services, and more.

 

2017 Source of Income Discrimination one-pager

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No one should be denied a home just because they use a housing voucher, social security, child support, or some other form of legal income support to help pay the rent. But in most places in Washington, landlords can categorically deny applicants from tenants simply for using these methods of payment.

 

2017 HEN, ABD, Medical Services, and SSI Facilitation Services one-pager

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Services that allow people to weather a short or long-term disability can meant the difference between living in a safe and healthy home, or homelessness. The Housing and Essential Needs Program, Aged, Blind, and Disabled Program, Medical Care Services, and SSI Facilitation Services, are critical lifelines for Washington's disabled and elderly adults.

 

2016 Washington State Legislative Agenda

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We advocate for public policy supporting our vision that all Washington residents have the opportunity for safe, healthy, affordable homes in thriving communities. This document contains the complete list of our 2016 state legislative lead items.

 

2016 Source of Income Discrimination one-pager

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In a home search, many vulnerable individuals and families face discrimination by landlords unwilling to rent to Housing Choice (Section 8) voucher holders. Seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities receiving other legal sources of income (e.g. government and nonprofit subsidies) face similar discrimination.

Bringing Washington Home: 2015 Affordable Housing Report

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Each year, we partner with the Washington State Finance Commission and the Washington State Department of Commerce to publish this affordable housing report that has significant statistics and information on affordable housing and homelessness by county, by region, and across the state. It is an informative dashboard that answers most questions you have about homelessness and affordable housing in our state.

 

2015 Washington State Legislative Agenda (Lead & Support Priorities)

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We advocate for public policy supporting our vision that all Washington residents have the opportunity for safe, healthy, affordable homes in thriving communities. This document contains the complete list of our 2015 state legislative lead and support items.
Click here for the black & white version of this document.

 

2015 State Capital Budget Investments in Affordable Homes One-pager

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Building affordable homes can be challenging in communities across Washington. The private, for-profit housing market builds market-rate developments with rents that are out of reach for lower income families and individuals. The state evens the field by creating safe, healthy, and affordable homes through capital budget investments.

 

2015 Medicaid Supportive Housing Services Benefit One-pager

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If a Medicaid Supportive Housing Services Benefit was created, then supportive housing providers could bill Medicaid for supportive services provided to eligible residents. This would allow more chronically homeless people to access services, improve the integration of behavioral & health care, and would help individuals with severe and chronic health issues stay off the street and live in a healthy home.

 

2015 Housing & Essential Needs; Aged, Blind & Disabled; and SSI Facilitation Programs One-pager

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Over 200,000 people live with disabilities and low incomes in Washington. Many struggle to keep their home and afford their basic needs. Some of these individuals have children in school depending on their stable job. Unfortunately for thousands of Washington families and individuals, a disability can often lead to homelessness.

 

2015 Fair Tenant Screening Act One-pager

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If you’ve ever repeatedly paid for the same costly tenant screening report in the search for a home, then you’ll understand the need for this legislation. The average renter will have to pay for three or more tenant screening reports when they are trying to find a new home.

 

2015 Truth in Evictions Reporting Act One-pager

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Currently, when a tenant is named in an eviction lawsuit, tenant screening companies merely state you were involved, and that’s it. The eviction could’ve been thrown out or the court could’ve ruled in favor of the tenant. But, none of this really matters because tenant reports list all eviction lawsuits as equal, even when the tenant wins. No matter the outcome, tenants have a mark on their record.

 

2015 Source of Income Protection Discrimination Protections One-pager

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In a home search, many vulnerable individuals and families face discrimination by landlords unwilling to rent to Housing Choice (Section 8) voucher holders. Also, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities receiving other legal sources of income (e.g. government and nonprofit subsidies) face similar discrimination.

 

2013-2014 Gratitude Report

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In this 2013-2014 Gratitude Report, we reflect on the progress we've made together over the last year to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live in a safe, healthy, affordable home. 

We can only continue last year's successful momentum with your support. Please consider making a gift today.
 

 

Creating a Medicaid Supportive Housing Services Benefit: A Framework for Washington and Other States

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In partnership with CSH, we created this white paper detailing how Washington State can leverage Medicaid Expansion and the Affordable Care Act to end homelessness. In the white paper CSH lays out an easy-to-follow framework for states that want to create a Medicaid benefit to pay for the services in supportive housing.

 

Bringing Washington Home: 2013 Affordable Housing Report

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Each year, we partner with the Washington State Finance Commission and the Washington State Department of Commerce to publish this affordable housing report that has significant statistics and information on affordable housing and homelessness by county, by region, and across the state.

 

2014 State Legislative Agenda Lead Items

 

2014 State Housing Trust Fund Onepager

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2014 Document Recording Fee Onepager

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Washington State uses modest recording fees on some real estate related documents as a significant source of funds for homelessness programs. These effective state and local programs help transition people off the streets into shelters and homes. However, these fees will undergo significant reductions in 2015 and 2017.

 

2014 Fair Tenant Screening Act (Part 3) Onepager

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One tenant screening report has virtually the same information as the other reports. It is more efficient and practical to buy just one online report that all landlords could accept, rather than to have to keep buying the same report for different landlords in a rental search.

 

2014 Housing & Essential Needs/Aged, Blind & Disabled Onepager

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The Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) and Aged, Blind & Disabled programs help ensure that mental and/or physical disabilities don't force people onto the streets. Whether by providing emergency rent & utility assistance or by providing a small cash grant, these programs are a lifeline for many of Washington's disabled residents.

 

2014 Medicaid Expansion Onepager

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Providers can leverage the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion to end homelessness across Washington State. If a Medicaid Supportive Housing Services Benefit was created, then supportive housing providers could bill Medicaid for supportive services provided to eligible residents.

 

 

 

Housing Spotlight: Washington State

Housing Spotlight is a series of occasional research briefs from the National Low Income Housing Coalition that highlights a variety of housing issues. In 2011, in Washington State, for every 100 extremely low income households, there were 27 affordable and available units. For every 100 very low-income households, there were 55 affordable and available units. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bringing Washington Home: 2012 Affordable Housing Report

Want to learn more about the need for affordable housing across Washington State? Download Bringing Washington Home: 2011 Affordable Housing Report. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2013 State Legislative Agenda Lead Items

The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance advocates for policies and funding that make it possible for everyone in Washington to have the opportunity to live in a safe, healthy, affordable home. Lead Items are legislation and policy that the Housing Alliance directly advocates for.

Our 2013 State Legislative Agenda also contains Support Items, which are legislation and policy that our members lead on and that we also support.

 

The Housing Trust Fund is Washington's best tool for ensuring access to safe, healthy and affordable housing. Since 1989, the Housing Trust Fund has successfully built, rehabilitated and preserved more than 36,000 healthy and affordable homes across the state.

The Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) program helps ensure that temporary disabilities don't force people onto the streets, by providing emergency rent & utility assistance and by providing access to some of life's most basic household and sanitary needs.

A tenant screening report is like a credit report for renters, and tenant screening is a fast growing, unregulated industry that greatly impacts access to housing.

 

We must ensure any new Value Capture Finance tool is equitable, in that it supports ending homelessness and preventing gentrification and sprawl.

 

Want to learn more about the need for affordable housing across Washington state? Download Bringing Washington Home: 2011 Affordable Housing Report.

 

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