Rachael Myers, Executive Director

I'm thrilled to announce that our 2014 Affordable Housing and Homelessness State Legislative Priorities are now public. Head over to this page of our website for a summary of both our lead and support priorities. There you can find one-pagers with in-depth descriptions of our issues, related stats and figures, and legislative solutions. Keep checking back there or follow us on Twitter and Facebook for page update alerts as the legislative session unfolds.

Unlike the marathon session of 2013, when legislators reached a budget deal near the end of June, this year they’re likely to end after a short and fast 60 days. The state legislature is an inherently political place, but perhaps never more so than now.

The House is controlled by Democrats, and the Senate technically has more Democrats than Republicans. However, two Democratic Senators joined the Republican caucus last year to create the “Majority Coalition Caucus”, which is now in charge. So with just 60 days, a tough political landscape, and lawmakers looking toward the 2014 election, is it possible to make progress on ending homelessness? Absolutely! Here are some things we plan on getting done in the next two months, with your help (after the jump).

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Improving educational outcomes by making sure children have homes.
For the more than 27,000 homeless children in Washington, homelessness means more than losing a place to live. It also means long-term impacts on their academic outcomes. Children deserve a chance to succeed in school and in life, which all begins with their families being able to afford a decent place to live. By investing in affordable homes, the legislature will be investing in education.

Achieving better health outcomes for Washington residents by getting people the housing and services they need.
The Washington State Health Care Authority estimates that over the next several years, Washington could potentially enroll an additional 325,000 people in the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion. The legislature embraced Medicaid expansion last year. Now, we aim to show them that to achieve the health outcomes they hope to see, they should ensure people also have healthy homes and access to the services they need to thrive.

Removing barriers to rental housing.
In the search for a home, tenants usually apply to multiple rental housing units, which means paying for multiple tenant screening reports. According to a survey conducted by Solid Ground, tenants spend on average $166 for repeat screening reports during a single housing search. Creating a secure, portable screening report is a simple step the legislature can take to reduce this unnecessary barrier to a home.

Protecting services that prevent and end homelessness.
Modest filing fees on real estate related documents make up more than half of all funding for homeless services in Washington and pay for things like rental assistance and emergency shelters. A portion of the fees collected is set to expire in 2015. Homelessness has declined, thanks in large part to just the kind of help these services provide. But we’re nowhere near ending homelessness, and a reduction in help would send us in the wrong direction. Likewise, the Housing and Essential Needs program, which provides a small housing grant for some unable to work due to sickness or a disability, helps people stay off the streets and should be maintained. Legislators should protect these services.

Regardless of politics, we ought to agree that everyone should have the opportunity to live in a safe, healthy, affordable home. Passing our legislative agenda will move the state toward that goal. We’ll be in Olympia every one of the 60 days of this legislative session working on these goals. You can help by making sure that your legislators know you're paying attention and want to see progress. Register now for Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day in Olympia, which is January 28. And sign up here for our updates and other ways you can take action!

I hope to see you at Advocacy Day!

Editor's Note: A longer version of this letter appears as an editorial in the street newspaper Real Change News. Vendors are selling papers in Seattle, Bellevue, and Bremerton. If their vendors are in your community, please get this month's issue today!